I usually do small works; handbuilt and wheelthrown pieces and tiles. It was quite eye-opening to read this book on large scale projects. It is written in a very clear manner, with wonderful pictures.

I only fault him on his tile making techniques, which could be better, but hey, who cares? His expertise lies elsewhere. He has obviously worked out the best techniques for large ceramic projects.

I like the way the book is organized. The chapters are very sequentially logical (to me).
Chapter 1: Tools and Equipment
Chapter 2: Building and Decorating Techniques
Chapter 3: Sectioning, Drying, Glazing and Firing
Chapter 4: Installation
Chapter 5: The Projects
Chapter 6: Gallery

The Projects chapter reiterates some of the information in previous chapters, but this time applied to a particular project. This is fine with me, since reiteration is a good teaching technique. The Gallery chapter is quite inspirational! There are lots of pictures of installations done not only by Peter, but also other artists.

Makes me want to try some architectural ceramics!

I had the wonderful experience of apprenticing for Peter and finished soon after we did the photoshoot for the book. I have to say, Peter and his brother John both went through great lengths to make sure the book would have as much practical information in it as possible. The only thing better than the book is one of Peter's workshops. But with the book, all of the information that Peter gives is easy to look over time and time again. The pictures are great! As soon as you start making and install a floor, sink, fireplace and so on I'm sure that you'll be hooked. You'll realize that it is possible to do on your own or with a friend. You'll also see and understand how much farther you can push clay than you had ever expected. Plus, above all, it's alot of fun!

The pictures are fantastic! For those of you who are tired of tiny pots, this is the book.

I'm a student and as such I'm very new to the game. This book gave me not only inspiration but enough detailed information to allow me to plan my bathroom sink. The plans include the sink, tile, and following the example in the book, the plans for the forms I need to make so that the pieces will be shaped correctly. I hope to create and fire the pieces early next year.

THE GREENWOOD TAROT IS A REMARKABLE DECK THAT DEPLICS THE FOUR SEASONS AND THE EVER TURNING WHEEL. YOU HAVE TO DO THE WHEEL CHART EXERCISE INORDER FOR THE REST TO FALL INTO PLACE. I PAID 75 FOR MY DECK THEY ARE NOW OUT OF PRINT.

I have owned this deck for quite some time. I am very satisfied with the symbolic content of this deck, which is a mix of world culture without being so complicated that one has to understand in depth every culture it draws upon. This deck is not in the traditional configuration of the average tarot deck, some of the cards have been combined to create new cards such as the "Blasted Oak" which is actually a combination of the Hanged Man and the Tower. Whereas in a traditional deck one has the Moon card, in this deck you have "The Moon" card and another major arcana, lunar card, "Reflection." This removes some of the ambiguity of the singular Moon card, where the querent asks, "Does is represent the actual moon, or does is represent illusion or deception?" The Devil has been replaced with "The Guardian," which is a propped up bear skeleton at a cave entrance. It is a powerful statement about the relationship between fear and imagination and self limitation. The whole deck communicates in this manner of mystery, harmony and contradiction.
The illustrations are eye catching without being so complicated that the querent or reader gets lost in the picture. The only reason I would not recommend this to a beginner is that if you learn this deck, you will not be able to use all that you learned in order to read other decks based on the traditional Rider-Waite configuration. The books that one buys that can be applicable to any deck, may not work with the Greenwood Tarot, simply because the cards are produced in a truly unique fashion in terms of symbolism, configuration and value.
The deck promotes an egalitarian mindset. It is also steeped in ecological themes. It is an excellent deck for NeoPagans because it does away with the Abrahamic symbolism found in more traditional decks, such as the Heirophant, and Judgement and The Devil and replaces those figures with NeoPagan principles that often deal with the same issues from a vastly different mindset. This is the best deck and competes artistically and philosophically with the Crowley Deck, which is quite a feat when one looks at the multitude of cheap tarot knock-off decks that are vapid, cheesy and useless.

I am also a big fan of Chesca Potter and am fortunate enough to have several prints from this deck. I have both this deck and the Celtic Shaman's Pack. Chesca Potter is uniquely able to express the shamanic experience of ecstacy powerfully and with wonderful artistic technique in a Celtic context. She is able to express the contradictory feelings of movement and serenity, ecstacy and immanence, nature and spirit. She has a wonderful sense of color.

I was very satisfied with this product. It has a beautiful royal blue hard cover for starters. Every other page inside has pictures from the film, and on the opposite side is one week of spots for filling in events. Lots of room for big messy writters like myself. My only complaint is the planner is a tad bigger then it needs to be.

Ok, so maybe because I love all things Harry Potter I might not be the most objective person out there, but this is just cool! It has a nice fuzzy cover and the pictures, while not straight from the movie, are very nice. I got it for Christmas and I've already used it a lot and its not even the new year. I'd definately recomend this for any Harry Potter fan out there who needs to keep their stuff in order!

The design of this weekly engagement calendar is extraordinary. The dark blue velour cover has a pattern showing the Snitch. The title in golden letters ("Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2003 Calendar") as well as a picture of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) reaching out to catch the Snitch, perfectly round off the elegant appearance. As extra bonus, the calendar can be tied shut.

The weekly calendar sheets are bound by a spiral -- a promise of great durability. Each double page consists of a full size movie photo, greatly designed with additional graphics and/or quotes, and enough space for notes from Monday to Sunday.

All in all, the calendar is well worth its price, can be used as diary, and makes a great gift for every Harry Potter fan.

These are children's books with a lot of action and dialogue-- perfect, easy reading for the non-native speaker, well and carefully translated...

I found it great! I'm taking French currently and although I had to ask my dad for a lot of the words, I found it funny! Great translation, and as usual, the best book. Read the English version before you read others to get the real J.K. Rowling. But still a great substitution for non-English speakers.

Harry Potter is with his uncle, aunt, and cousin, who he hates so much, he would give almost anything to get out of there when his Aunt Marge comes to vist with her pit bull-Ripper. He loses control over his magic, and blows her up. Harry is on the run, but not for long. The Ministry of Magic finds him, and acts like they are thankful to find him, alive, and he soon finds out why.First, a strange dog scares him, and Harry almost gets killed. He is being treated very weired, until he finds out why. The infamous prisoner of Azakban, the wizard prison, has escaped and is after him. Harry is not safe anywhere, even at his school, Hogwarts. This book has an ending that you will never guess and is funny, with a lot of mystery in it. It is one of the best books that I have ever read in my life and I think that you will love it too!

Just a reminder to those who are planning to buy this book... this book is somewhat like a notebook. I personally like to stick things on it. THIS IS NOT A STORYBOOK MIND YOU! If you like to write, this can be a journal for you or a diary.

this hp journal is so cool.but i must say the the hogwarts journal is much better.i write my deepest secrets in this book.abt my travels beacuse a train is on it.i dont travel much though but its so cool to have a book to write in .its better than a small note book or a lock dairy which most people use for dairy the point is that this journal is a journal which has been decorated with yr favorit book and charaters pictures and stuff.it ould have benn cooler if it had a pen or pencil attached witha bitof string or a rubber too.but u must buy this.buy the whole set and start acollectin

I Soooo loved this book. It took me 1 day to finish it, just because It was so good. I couldn't put it down. Read it if you like Harry Potter. Even if you feel kinda out of it because of it's lengthy looks, It really won't take you that long to finish, and you'll end up lovin it in the end. Go Potter!!

Quién dijo que este libro es sólo para niños?. Yo tengo 32 años, soy fanático de la lectura, especialmente todo lo referido a ciencia ficción y realmente la lectura de éste libro me fascinó. Realmente se trata de una joya de colección y con razón ha ganado una gran cantidad de premios, habiéndose convertido en todo un best seller y traducido a practicamente todos los idiomas. Es un libro imprescindible para cultivar en los pequeños el hábito de la lectura, especialmente en éstas épocas en donde los juegos de computadora , la televisión y los videos se han apoderado de nuestros pequeños y dejan poco a la imaginación. Y para los grandes es retroceder a la infancia e introducirnos en un mundo mágico y maravilloso. Pronto tendremos para beneplacito de los pequeños la pelicula de Harry Potter, realmente esperamos que mantenga el espiritu del autor, pero lo que es seguro, es que promoverá aun mas las ventas de este cuento, que permite a las familias una sana unión a través de la lectura.

Harry Potter is back at Hogwarts, his wizarding school, and thankful for it. He had the worst summer with the Dursleys, his aunt, uncle, and cousin, whom he hates. He met a house elf, who caused him to be locked in his room for 3 days, with next to no food at all. Then the Wesleys come to rescue him, in a flying car. But that is not all that happends, Harry and Ron can't get through the wall to the Hogwarts train that awaits them on the other side. Then they remember the flying car. After a rough journey to his school and an even rougher landing, Harry Potter thinks that it can't gets worse, but it does. A cat is found hanging on a lamp post in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione, not quite dead, but not really alive, it was Stunned. Then, even worse, a student is next. Everyone, but a couple of his friends thinks that Harry did it. And when people keep getting Stunned, no one belives that he is innocent. It is up to Ron, Hermione, and Harry to find out who is really doing it, before the Hogwarts students get killed off one by one......

This is one of J.K. Rowlings best. And if you like this book, she is writing 3 more! I also suggest Harry Potter and the Sorcers Stone, the first book, the third book, Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, and the fourth, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. There is going to be 7 books in all. So far, each book is even better writen than the next. This is a great series!

Tengo que confesar , que me he vuelto una fanatica de este personaje. Se que es un libro recomendado para ninos , pero ....Que les puedo decir???? la nina que hay dentro de mi se mantuvo muy entretenida mientras devoraba una tras otra pagina de este hermoso cuento lleno de fantasia y emocion. Soy una mujer de 27 anos , casada que esta en planes de tener familia muy pronto.Y desde este momento como parte de la herencia les dejare a mis hijos la coleccion de libros de Harry Potter.Comence oviamente con el de la piedra filosofal(pasta dura), me encanto y facino. Dejenme contarles que al siguiente dia de haberlo terminado compre el #3 ( oviamente estoy comiendo ansias por que no lo he leido mientras consiga pronto el #2) , que espero recibir. Lo que mas no me deja dormir, es que recien me entero que ha salido el #4( ese si esta dificil de obtenerlo , y no me quiero quedar atras.

Ya quisiera tener a mis hijos en la cama y poder revivir el dia que conoci a Harry Potter y sus amigos , mientras leo las facinantes aventuras, con las cuales algun dia mis hijos sonaran y pediran que empiece otra vez.

This Is a Fantastic, moving piece of literature. Much criticized at its time of release (mainly by those not intelligent enough to understand it), this stands out as the last thoughts of a dying genius. It was Potters dying wish that these pieces be televised uncut and the BBC pretty much respected this. I dont want to spoil this for anyone, so buy it and prepare to be enlightened on a high level. Perhaps the greatest author ever?

Both above comments are accurate appraisals of Dennis' last works. These last writings reveal a consciousness far deeper than most of us can fathom. Stendahl knew that fiction often carries more _real_ truths than official history. Dennis' portrayal of the "Total Universal Entertainment Corporation" in "Cold Lazarus" is coming true, even as we watch.... And, as he knew, its not governments that are the source, but corporations. Dennis revealed what can happen to the psychic lives of real people in times of elite domination as no other ever has, save James Joyce, perhaps. All the appraisals of his storys as idiosyncratic, quirky, or some other negative category are simply clues to how little most understand about what he provided for us. "Cold Lazarus" is a 'must read' because the TV production took too many liberties (hyped futurism) and the dynamic process among characters was shadowed and often hidden. Dennis Potter was a gift and a sacrament. Literate folk should enshrine him close to the heart.That, after all, was his subject: the heart in the over-produced, over-commodified "war of all against all."

karaoke and Cold Lazarus have come in for an enormous amount of criticism, mostly unfair, since Potters' death, both at the time that it was transmitted and since. Most of the writing about the pieces has been critical. Ignore the bad comments. The pieces are extrordinary of two reasons. Firstly, the piece together the most intense, powerful and moving selfportraits written for television. Alternatively tender and aorrgant, by the time you have watched the pieces you feel you have glimpsed inside the author's own soul. There are very very few pieces of writing you can, fairly, say that about. Secondly, it is an important attack on the late twentieth century and the moral and spiritual values we are happily selling to the Murdochs of this world every day. As the group says Reality or Nothing... Yes, potter let himself down with his vain stereotypical and cliched writing in places but these pieces are so unusual, imaginative and defiant, they deserve more than anything to be

read. (You'll probably hate it now and it has to be said the Singing Detective is better.) .

As with all anthologies, the stories here vary in quality. I particularly liked Tanya Huff's story of the brother and sister assassin team that she later featured in her novel _Fifth Quarter,_ and Fiona Patton's tale of a slightly-alternate magical Italy where "death mages" and the Church wage an underground war. The nice thing about anthologies in general is that they can make one aware of writers, and works, that one might miss otherwise. The bad thing is that the quality of stories can be very uneven, but that's not much in evidence here---Greenberg's an experienced editor working with pros.

My favorite stories are those that remind me of Looking Glass Studios' _Thief_ games; a *real* sneaker leaves no traces, other than the job having been done.

Arntzen, Bernie: "On My Honor" Nicholas, the narrator, is and isn't the Oranian Royal Assassin; he's also Roarke's most secret agent in the Oranian court. Now he's been ordered to bite off the hand that feeds him: the queen has ordered him to kill her despicable brother-in-law, the King of Roarke. (Nicholas' humor isn't quenched by his dilemma. "Assassin sarcasm. Another occupational hazard.")

Edgerton, Teresa: "Dying By Inches" Set in the same world as _The Queen's Necklace_. Few of the Rowans survived the two years of imprisonment in barbarous conditions before their names were cleared. When Odilia hears a rumour that the Marquis committed the crime that sent her family into limbo, she plans to exact revenge, with or without proof.

Edghill, Rosemary: "War of the Roses" In the Argestian States, assassins have replaced war as the last resort of diplomacy. But checks and balances are necessary: the Flower Guild exists to hunt down assassins who have become too dangerous. Redlorn, who styles himself the Red Rose, is their next target; the Guild's agent is the legendary White Rose. The feel is _Thief_-like, as Redlorn makes a point of getting into and out of his target's home without touching the guards, and *his* pursuer likewise toys with *him*.

Elrod, P.N. "Myhr's Adventure in Hell" Terrin and Myhr *really* want to earn enough gemstones to let them escape to a more civilized world, broadly defining 'civilized' in terms of plumbing. Their client's husband - this world's Hitler-equivalent - is already dead; she wants to make sure his soul can never reincarnate. Myhr, the narrator, is nominated by his wizard-partner to make the hit. (Myhr trusts him on magic, if not on splitting red velvet cake equally.)

Flewelling, Lynn: "Raven's Cut" The young foreign assassin, when it's his turn to tell the evening's tale, remembers the best assassin he ever knew.

Huff, Tanya: "Death Rites" Very Thiefy feel: the two young assassins attached to 7th Army are the best hope of prying the rebel commander out of her captured stronghold - the secret entrance can't be blocked without cutting off her water supply.

Jefferson, Leyte: "He" Moonback is an assassin whose master remade him into a werewolf. His canine instincts predominate as the moon waxes; at that point, even in human form he reacts like a dog, approaching his master on his belly, licking his hands - losing some of his vocabulary, but remembering some of his professional skills even when he can't remember the word 'army'. Disturbing.

Leigh, Stephen: "Green Stones" The scarred man is only the latest in a long series of fools seeking to learn at the feet of the Green Stone. The trademark green stones left on the victims were always from the flanks of Goat Fell, so the would-be assassin's apprentice has come to Maire's lonely tavern. (Scar doesn't have the sense he was born with, but the reader shouldn't be *too* smug.)

Lindskold, Jane: "A Touch of Poison" Set in the same world as _Through Wolf's Eyes_. The assassins' tool of choice to reach the Supreme Affluent is Adalia, his chief baker; they've taken her infant son as surety. But Adalia knows she has no guarantee they'll return the baby, or that they won't reveal whose hand poisoned her master's pastry. (The culture of Waterland, where administration - there is no 'government' as such - and status are tied directly to money, is interesting in itself.)

Oster, Anna: Mallon is being stalked by a young fool who believes she killed his sister; Mallon, in exasperation, tells him he should have studied "History and Economics" instead of (obviously) poetry at university. (The Silent Guild is quite legal - and it's the client, not the assassin, the boy should be concerned with.)

Patton, Fiona: "The Svedali Foundlings" 'In Cercicava, the dead were revered far more than the living.' Coll can testify to this on several counts; he survived the burning of the Svedali Innocenti Foundling Home fourteen years ago during the duc's little expansion project for the necropolis, only to be picked up as an organ collector by the death mages. But someone else survived the burning: Drey, an assassin now stalking the corridors of power.

Reichert, Mickey Zucker: "Darkness Comes Together" Josafah envies the fame of the assassin known as Nightfall; no hire would dare waste Nightfall's time, as he'd just as soon destroy an unworthy hire as destroy his target. When Josafah encounters Nightfall outside his target's home, he suggests that they cooperate - who's to know? (Josafah's gratuitous violence contrasts with Nightfall's minimalist approach.)

Rusch, Kristine Kathryn: "Coin of the Realm" Orsem's assassins are competing for the public executioner's job - most of whose work is outside the kingdom - and the winner will be he who kills the most important victim, increasing the king's holdings in the process. *Not* the safest time to bring foreign dignitaries to court, as the king's daughter Rosalind is being sold into marriage to a neighbouring kingdom's heir.

Sherman, Josepha: "Never Say...Uh...Die?" Rather than ordinary humans, the narrator assassinates rampaging ogres, sorcerers plotting to usurp kingdoms - like that. His current target, a Koshchei, has learned subtlety in the art of hiding his heart outside his body. (*Not* a retelling of the Firebird legend.)

West, Michelle: "Echoes" Kallandras' family was murdered because someone learned they had a child with demonic powers - command-voice, among other things - and sought to take him. Kallandras survived as a beggar until the day the Kovaschii, the brotherhood serving the Lady's darkest face, took him for testing. The story is told in flashback, as the adult Kallandras remembers the tests of his training in a land far away.

Assassin's are extremely difficult characters to write. If you do it wrong, the assassin becomes a monster that no one can relate to. Or becomes self-rightous and hypocritical.
In this book there are 15 stories of assassins who are unique characters unto themselves, and no where near typical.
My favorites were Death Rites, about the brother sister team of Vree and Bannon, assassins for the empire. Also Coin of the Realm, which gave a very interesting twist, and Darkness Comes Together, about an assassin who is nearly as dangerous to his employer as his mark.
Echos was a good story to me, but then I have read the other books featuring Kallandras. For thoses who haven't, it may just be a little confusing.
I didn't care much for He, or for History and Economics or Dying By Inches. They seemed a little stilted, and not quite as smoothly flowing as some of the others.
But all in all, this was a good book, especially if you enjoy tales of darkness and deception, and of the ever mysterous assassin.
All assassin lovers should give this book a try.

As a potter, I'd hoped to learn more about her art. However,there were some gems to be found in the text. I really enjoyed the stories about several other famous people in her life. She is brutally honest in her opinions and I like that. On the downside... it was a bit too "socially conscious" in places, for my own taste. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read more by her. I wrote a personal letter to her, regarding her book and she answered me promptly... twice! Great lady! Wonderful clay-artist! :-) An interesting read, for sure.

Being a potter and a Beato fan, I truly enjoyed the time I spent with this autobiography. I was fascinated by how her life unfolded from her relationships with those in art to her own creation of art. How her world which was largely centered around the men she knew, changed as she found herself in clay.
I loved how this story unfolded and I was sad when it ended.

I am going to be honest and say what this autobiography meant to me.... Starting with her early days as an artist to an actress breaking from her mother's shell. To her associations with Duchamp,Roche,Varese,Reginald Pole,Krishnumarti and other well-known men. And it tells of the struggles she went through in paying the price to learn of life and her amazing stories in India,France..etc; were very interesting to read. I enjoyed her stories with the beloved Arensbergs' for they were very important in her life. Before this book I didn't have knowledge of most of the artists in her life. She has opened new doors! I laughed hysterically at her descriptions of her years with Pole and Steve.She is a riot!

An amazing woman really. This book will remain with me forever and I will read it again and again. For someone like myself can't beleve there is so much adventure in life. She died this spring at 105,in her heart 32. I would have loved to meet her.All I can do now is remember her and try to learn more about her life and art. I loved her and she is an inspiration to all humanity with her marvelious statements on the facts of life.Afterall,she lived 105 years and paid the price. A definate book to add to a collection for any Beato fan or curious book reader!

First off, this book is a collection of seven very long essays by different experts. The essays deal with the minutest details of Roman life, ranging from religious practice to construction to gladiatorial combat and criminal execution. Not all essays are created equal, and there are two in here that I found rather dry, but perhaps that is because I couldn't care less about the specifics of amphitheater construction. The others were phenomenal, and even the "boring" ones contain excellent and useful information.

I read L,D,&E (as I have begun to call it) for an undergraduate class in Roman History and had to write a critical review-type paper about it. I have to say I actually enjoyed the assignment. The book was, overall, excellent. It features real-life "snapshots" of different aspects of Roman life, and unlike many books about Ancient Rome, it doesn't focus solely on the upper classes. It also doesn't spend any time discussing politics or history or "great men" of the times, so if you're looking for that, go elsewhere. This book is NOT an introduction to imperial Rome -- you'll need to have one of those under your belt already -- but it IS the most wonderful, complete, and readable supplementary material available. It really fills in the gaps and answers questions you didn't know you had, giving you a vastly more complete picture of Rome under the Emperors.

Sound familiar? Does what goes around -- come around
again? Are the malls the 21st century version of
the Roman baths? Are the Nascar racetracks the 21st
century version of the chariot races? Are our
football stadiums the 21st century version of the
Colosseum? This book does not present its themes
in these terms, but one cannot help but think about
these things as one reads it -- in tandem with reading
the Roman writers who satirized or caught in verse the
goings-on in their own times: Catullus, Martial,
Petronius, Juvenal.
Besides the "Introduction" by David S. Porter, there
are 3 large Parts to the division of the book. Part
I is titled: "Social Structures and Demography". Within
this section are informative and highly interesting essays
on "The Roman Family," "Elite Male Identity in the Roman
Empire," and "Roman Demography." Part II is titled:
"Religion." There is only one essay in this Part --
"Roman Religion: Ideas and Action." Part III is titled:
"Bread and Circuses" [the famous phrase used to describe
how the rulers and the "elite" kept the masses under their
control -- by giving them doles of food or by providing
them with mass entertainments to keep their minds off
the fact of their gruelling lives and that they did
not lead the "good life" that the "elites" were leading --
sound familiar?]. In this Part are the essays: "Feeding
the City: The Organization, Operation,and Scale of the
Supply System for Rome," "Amusing the Masses: Buildings
for Entertainment and Leisure in the Roman World," and
"Entertainers in the Roman World." Since our modern
era also seems to be so much into shallow entertainment
and pleasures, perhaps the titles of the subsections of
this last chapter will be intriguing: Actors and Athletes.
Chariot Racing.[the factions and their fans sound like
ancient Roman predecessors to the WWF and Nascar
fanatics...] Gladiators, Beast Hunts, and Executions.
[well, we haven't "progressed" in our tastes and
"sophistication" that far yet...but, who knows? ...]
All in all, this is a very interesting, insightful,
intriguing -- as well as provoking book. The
section that interested me the most was the one
on the Roman emphasis and hang-up on male identity -
what was considered manly, and what was not. It isn't,
as if that is one of the main obsessions in our own
times in the U.S. of A. , of course. And what are
all the "manly" types contributing to the betterment,
stability, and nobility of our present society and culture?
It gives one pause, for reflection.

This is an interesting, well-written book that would be a good edition to the library of any student of Roman history as well as being a good resource for writers of historical fiction.