I wanted to understand the basics of what goes into
jewelry repair and creation. Can I resize my own
rings? Can I set my own stones? What simple
maintenance can I do instead of having to pay
big bucks to a professional, it just can't be
that hard!

This book proved me right. It's a wonderful
reference and text. It's not too much, it's not
too little, it's not too technical. Jewelers
tools are shown and explained. If you want
to build a jewelry repair set up in your home
this will show you how to make one that's just
right for you.

Someone said it's "dated", which I would rephrase
by saying it's a good, time tested and true basic
source of reliable up to date information. The
tricks they use out there and charge top dollar
for amazed me. I'm a smarter shopper now too.

If you want one book on the subject, this really
is a great choice.

While a bit dated, this book presents an excellent primer for the beginning jeweler. It is written in a clear, concise manner, with excellent illustrations to support the text. If you are looking for a basic, how-to book to learn the time-tested methods of jewelry repair...this is your book!

Jude wants to get ahead in the world. Starting at a young age he studies the Classics; learns Latin and Greek, and opens his mind wide to knowledge in general. He is preparing himself for Oxford, but Oxford won't have him, nor undoubtedly will any other university. You see he is poor, and poor people aren't admitted to college in Victorian times.

After exiting a short-lived dismal marriage Jude then meets and falls in love with his cousin who ultimately leaves her husband and moves in with him. There is no "happily ever after" in this novel. Sue, his lover, has sexual problems that need the ministrations of Dr. Ruth, who unfortunately was not available at the time. Sex is repellent to her, and so she and Jude live fairly platonic lives; lives that are not made easier by society's negative reaction to their living in "sin".

Jude and Sue are nice, if not psychologically whole, individuals. You wish them well, but Thomas Hardy has decided to sacrifice them to his philosophical views. He burdens the poor couple with society's repressive attitudes toward women, the lower classes, and marital nonconformity. A novel that begins with the hope of springtime, ends in a winter of despair.

It is a pessimistic, depressing story that examines Victorian sexual and societal mores, and for this it was condemned by many critics. Hardy was so affected by this criticism that he never wrote another novel. Instead he successfully turned to poetry, although his pessimism was again apparent in some of his verses (Read for instance his elegant poem "God's Funeral"). Some of the novel is a bit melodramatic, but that is a common trait of many works of the period. My credulity is strained somewhat by the basically non-sexual relationship of Jude and Sue. Sue is described as an attractive, intelligent and even flirtatious woman. Put simply, I could not fall in love with such a lady, and live with her as brother and sister.

I enjoy many Victorian novels because they combine outstanding literature with an exposition of the society of the times. Hardy is one of England's best. Highly recommended, and I strongly suggest that you buy the Norton Critical Edition of this work. In addition to the novel text you are provided with interesting information about the author, and a collection of contemporary and current reviews of the novel.

For an author who considered his poetry to be greater than his prose, Thomas Hardy clearly demonstrates his unswerving ability to create a masterpiece. Characters from the ambitious Jude to the spineless Sue paint a poignant picture of 19th century Victorian society. For those who collect banned books, a must have. This critical example of Victorian England is a great thesis to expand one's ideas on. Overall, a magnificent book.

In his third book about Laurel & Hardy.Dr.John McCabe and his co authors:Al Kilgore and Richard W.Bann take another look at the team's film work and they do so..in an unconventional way.Thru the use of photos from their films and with an interesting text.Dr.McCabe and his fellow film historians/writers show us all The evolution of Stan & Ollie's work and why their films are still popular with moviegoers and tv/home video viewers.The Book also gives some more biographical background into the boys'lives than what has been written in other manuscripts and there is some insight into the difficult period in the boys'careers.When they appeared in their forgetable films for Fox and MGM during the 40's and their final series of successful performances in English music halls and cabrets in Europe during the post war years.There is even a chapter titled"For Stan & Ollie"a dedication to the team by some famous performers and personalities:Leslie Haillwell,Orson Bean,Patsy Kelly(Who worked with the boys in "Pick A Star"),Marvin Hatley(The resident music director at The Hal Roach Studios),Hans Conried,Eddie Cantor,Lou Costello and even Lenny Bruce and Groucho Marx lend their thoughts about the team.This plus The unique film raitings device(Derbies instead of stars..to let the readers know.Which L&H film is good and which ones are not up to par)makes this a book worth having! Bravo Jack,Al And Dick! Kevin S.Butler.

Written with a filmography by Richard W.Bann and designed by the great Al Kilgore,John McCabe's "Laurel and Hardy",first published in 1975,is the most complete reference book ever published on the legendary duo:in fact many have said it is one of the ultimate movie books--for facts and figures play only a minor role here....Stan and Oliver themselves take you on a tour of their work-105 films-and adventures, via scenes from their movies:thousands of them.John McCabe,author of the duo's authorized biography "Mr.Laurel and Mr.Hardy"(1961) and founder of the international L&H fan club The Sons Of The Desert,had complete access to the stills library of the Hal Roach Studios,and arranged a complete synopsis-in words and pictures-of every short and feature,from 1926's"Putting Pants On Philip" through 1940's"Saps At Sea".Also covered are the Boys' films after leaving Hal Roach and joining 20th Century Fox(this period is covered in depth in two other books--"Laurel and Hardy:The Magic Behind The Movies" and "Laurel and Hardy:From The Forties Forward")and their music hall tours through the British Isles in the 40s and 50s.The book is so thorough,it is like reading a photographic comic book,with each film in still form and all the story elements(and classic dialogue)as captions for the hilarious pictures.Also included is a chapter highlighting the influence of L&H on 20 comic legends,in their own words--from Jack Benny,Lou Costello and Groucho Marx to Marcel Marceau and Dick Van Dyke.As a member of the Sons Of The Desert,we refer to the book as 'The Bible'--and if you think I have been praising this too much,I have every reason to do just that:it is my all time favourite book.It was last reprinted through Bonanza Books in 1983--if you should see a copy for sale,don't think:grab it and run for your life!

It is the most awesome book and shows great skill in how it is writen.I would love to read more of this series.I finished it in 1 day and it is now one of my very favorite books.Its spirtual encounters are astounding. ~KJ Berglund

This book is so good! It's so sad that they're not printed anymore,.....I wish i could buy them,...... :o( PLEASE PRINT THEM!!!!

This is absolutely my favorite of my daughter's 4 million books. People tend to fall into two camps (love 'em/ hate 'em) when it comes to cats, and the phrase "only a mother could love him" indicates the same is sometimes also true of loved ones. This book, using those dynamics, introduces kids to personal perspectives: He's a wonderful cat who sits on laps/ he's a horrible cat who jumps in my lap. It's all done in a delightfully goofy/endearing way.

We have dozens of books, but our two year old daughter consistently brings out Lost Cat. She can complete every sentence and often takes over the paragraphs. It is a fun book, and keeps the parent's and children's attention each time.

Occasionally there emerges a book which has an influence farbeyond its original intended audience. Hardy and Carrithers'"Milton and the Hermeneutic Journey" has clearly emerged as just such a work. Any work hailed as a 'landmark in intellectual history' must, to make such a claim, appeal to intelligences of varied casts and backgrounds. This work passes that test. Any reasonable well-educated person will vibrate to Hardy and Carrithers' intricate argument. This defining work is the hallmark of a superior paradigm and is a resounding success!

This has to be the greatest book of all time. Through it, I have found the meaning of life. Dr. Hardy's masterfully written account of Milton captivates the mind and spirit. The reader will find that love is the answer to all even though there is no question. To live is to suffer. Buy this book and you will NOT be disappointed.

Funny and sweet. I recommend Silver Lining by this author, too. Ms. Hardy tells a great story.

Susan Hardy's book is well worth it. She blends humor and romance so seemlessly you don't realize where one starts and the other ends. I'm looking forward to more books by this author

This book is so compelling and exiting I just couldnt put it down. You really should read this! A great ending!

It holds a lot of excitement and action. New Year's Evil was the second book I read of the series, and it kept me addicted to it. I went on to collect almost the whole series. There are only 3 that I need.

My name is Erin Lorenz and I am 12 years old. I started reading the Hardy Boys books when I was 11. The Number File is a great book; it keeps you biting your nails and wondering, especially when the guy says that Frank is dead.All in all, its a good book.

this book should be read by all teenagers considering I think this a "suck you in" kind of book considering one minute you're reading about one thing and the next minute you're reading about another!!I definetly suggest that any teenager that likes mysteries to go get this book

Australian fiction is the best you will ever find (and I've read everything from King to Koontz) but 99% of books from Down Under are not released here in the United States. Why? I don't know. But I DO know what I've discovered. O'Fear by Peter Corris (a Cliff Hardy mystery) is fantastic! I've hunted down more Cliff Hardy mysteries over the internet and they're all great.

Other must reads by Australian authors are:

Any book written by Robert G. Barrett! (The Stephen King of Australia)

Jon Cleary's Scobie Malone mysteries! (As good as anything written by Nelson DeMille)
Blood Junction by Caroline Carver (As good as anything written by Dean Koontz)
Every book written by Peter Doyle! (Move over John Grisham)

My fellow Americans, fight to read the books the US publishers won't let you see! You will be glad you did.

Considering that the hard-boiled private eye novel is one of the distinctly American genres, it's perhaps surprising that one of the best current practitioners of the form is the Australian Peter Corris, with his detective, Cliff Hardy. If we forgive Hardy his affection for wine, which we'll assume is a cultural deal, and a long running relationship, which fortunately never quite achieved Susan Silvermanesque proportions, he's really quite traditional. Of course, it helps that Australia isn't all that different from America, particularly in terms of its cultural heritage. Corris has written 23 Cliff Hardy books, but they are not generally available in the U. S., which is a shame.

From what I've read of them, O'Fear is a fairly representative entry in the series, which is to say, it's quite good. Hardy is hired after an old friend dies in a car accident :

'Barnes Todd has left you some money.'

'Why?'

'To find out who murdered him.'

I sat back in the chair. Sackville unhooked his glasses and set them down gently on top of the file. He massaged the bridge of his nose and tried to look grave, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. It irritated me, the way a lot of small things had lately. What's so funny? I thought. I'd been in this business for nearly fifteen years. I'd found murderers before, hadn't I? Well, stumbled across a couple. 'How much money?' I said harshly.

'Ten thousand dollars. His wife's not too happy about it.'

Hardy learns that with Todd's last breath he gasped the word : "O'Fear..." He recognizes this enigmatic phrase as the beginning of the name of a notorious, but relatively harmless, scoundrel named O'Fearna, who is currently in jail, awaiting trial. His bail just happens to be $10,000.

And he's off...sexy widows, unsavory secrets, random corpses, brutal henchmen, crooked lawyers, the whole nine yards. But what makes the book a real throwback is Hardy's vulnerability :

...I had strewn the contents of my wallet across the desk. I looked at the credit cards and the meagre amount of cash and the creased driver's licence and suddenly felt small and isolated. My only backup in the office was an answering machine; my only means of transport was the Falcon; I had an illegal Colt .45 and a properly licenced Smith & Wesson .38 for firepower. No helicopters, no armoured vans, no shotguns. Who was I kidding? This was too big for me.

If Corris does not quite have the comedic chops of a Robert B. Parker or a Robert Crais, he more than compensates by restoring the dramatic tension of a hero who is truly a lone knight, who can be hurt, even killed, and who has no one he can really trust.

This is good stuff, in a classic vein. Read him, if you can the books.

GRADE : A