Author Holly Harrison has put together a wonderful and diverse collection of angels crafted by artists from across the country. The dozens of beautifully photographed angels come with clear instructions and patterns. My favorites are the simple Kitchen Spice cinnamon-stick angel and the elegant stained-glass Blue Angel. A great book for craft enthusiasts of any skill level.

I was looking for a present for my mother; Mother's Day being a week a way, and today found not only the perfect gift but a book that has inspired me to create: ANGEL CRAFTS written by Holly Harrison.

Within the book, an expansive collection of angels can be found, for replication or as a jumping-off point for one's own creations; these angel designs can be executed by the skilled craftsperson as well as the beginning enthusiast.

It was such a pleasant surprise to find that the celestial beings found within the book were not limited to the traditional white winged female beauties, which so often clog the heavens, but instead, the book encompasses a wide array of ethinic groups (KIAH: Angel of New Beginnings), as well as human shapes (The Real Woman Angels). My favorite angel is HEAVENLY MUSE, Elvis Presley appearing as his celestial self.

ANGEL CRAFTS is not only a great gift for my Mother who loves angels and angel lore, but I picked up a copy of myself. After reading ANGEL CRAFTS, I felt liberated and that I too could discover the shape my own personal protector and guardian takes.

This beautiful book is filled with the unexpected -- folk-art angels of natural materials such as driftwood, corn husks and shells that look as if they might have been discovered on some remote island, graceful fine-art angels in copper and silver and stained glass, as well as whimsical creations such as the Elvis angel. The text is clear and also filled with unexpected and lovely touches.

THE ARCHITECT'S BROTHER is one of the most beautiful monographs of photography to be released in years. These 'constructions' created by the husband/wife team under the name of Robert ParkeHarrison meld painting, sculpture, stage props, photo-manipulation, collages of natural debris, and megatons of inspired genius to create staged photomontages that are at times amusing, melancholic, wistful, and spiritualy uplifting. Speaking to the earth through a huge megaphone made of bark, anchoring clouds, flying suspended by lassoed birds - let your imagination take you there. The quality of the book is up to the luxurious standard of format of Twin Palms Press. There is an added three brief pages of comment in the form a quotaton by W.S. Merwin entitled 'Unchopping a Tree' which is what this entire collection is about - man's attempt to mimic nature....and the sweet sadness of the knowledge that he can't.

Robert ParkeHarrison is an outstanding photographer, who creates disturbing images from photographs using sculpture, painting and aspects of theater to produce a surreal image. He appears in every photograph, acting as explorer, victim and conjurer performing actions that evoke a sense of ritual and metaphor, and frequently leave the viewer dazzled.

His is a magical world, lightning strikes, huge flowers explode and clouds and dark holes spin across the horizon. This is a mystical world that recalls to me the world of the major arcana of the Tarot. The figure vacillates between Mage, Fool and Hierophant. Who is the Architect, I wonder. Is his brother an assistant or an opponent? Many of the images are ambivalent, touching on both darkness and light, making a clear decision impossible. The figure seems melancholy, engaged in strange almost hopeless acts. But he persists, carrying on a quest intended to heal or repair a desolate world.

Despite a great difference in subject matter, these images remind me a great deal of Joel Peter Witkin, who is another Twin Palms photographer. Witkin's images also evoke a sense of myth and legend and have many readings. Both photographers manipulate their images extensively (with their wives as co-conspirators as well). And both have wonderful imaginations that seem to flourish against the somewhat humdrum backdrop of today's world.

A slipcased, signed edition exists, but is becoming quite rare. This edition and the trade edition are beautifully produced by Twin Palms, who manage to capture the real spirit of this work. By all means buy the "The Architect's Brother" if you are interested in non-traditional photography. You won't be disappointed.

Buy this book for your local library. Parke Harrison, a husband and wife team create spellbinding photographs that take days to prepare. Inspired by an individual spiritual drive the photographs depict characters portrayed by Robert that interact with the earth, usually through some fantastic contraption like a cloud machine.

The effect is other worldly and haunting. The effects created photographically are enhanced by handpainting over the photos. Originally working with beeswax and pigments, travelling and the wear induced led to exploration of acrylic mediums. This is a dream for mixed media minded people.

If you are a breeder you will know what I mean when I say that there are not alot of vets that are experienced with the hadeling of birds. I was able to save many of my birds with the use of this as a reference. It is a great reference manual.

I've had this book for 4 years, and each time I read it I'm still constantly learning.

As a breeder my main reference points in the book has been: Neonatology in regards to my 'tiel babies. Supportive care and Emergency treatments have saved so many of my tiels when I couldn't get to my vet. Antimicrobial Theapy has made me better understand the cause/effect of the drugs given to the birds, and Formulary as to the dosages. These are only a few of my favorite chapters. I've added my own handwriten notes to pages Such as: Pg. 762 covers a prolapsed oviduct and cloaca. It mentions treatments to reduce the swelling of the expoesed tissue. I had none of the listed items. At midnight I'm faced with a hen with a prolapsed uterus. Over the phone my vet suggested coating the exposed tissue with sugar, leave on for 15 min.,rinse off with warm running water, then gently insert the tissues back into the cloaca. IT WORKED! So, these notes are handwritten on the page in regar! ds to additional emergency treatments. The book is 1384 page, which is a wealth of information. But it is too much information to constantly go through when an emergency occurs. I've highlighted the key points in each section, which has saved me a lot of searching through paragraphs for what I need. I reccomend this book to all whom are concerned with the care and health of their birds. *NOTE* Please don't use it as a replacement in using a vet, but as a survival guide as to when an emergency comes up and you just can't get to your vet. Use the book as a learning tool. You and your birds will benefit greatly from it.

We purchased this book in 1994 when it was released and have used it numerous times for reference. Most recently when a pet bird had a stroke. I highly recommend this book

When Logan, my 22 month old grandson, stays the night, he says "book" and points to the bookshelf that holds this treasure. I love the rythm of the story, and the soft detail of the pictures. When my son was little I read this story to him. The pictures remind me of what he looked like as a little boy.The book is a favorite of mine and I am looking for a copy to give to my son for Fathers Day. I want to keep the one I have. (It has no cover and is missing the last few pages.)Nana Sherrie

This was my sons' favorite children's book during their formative years. Intended to be read as though playing a snare drum, it uses a variety of rhythms to stay fresh throughout and hold a child's interest. Two of my sons became percussionists later in life! It also introduces the youngster to a plethora of mostly domestic or farm animals, as well as the sounds they make. This is an excellent learning tool for the young mind, especially for boys since they seem to identify with the main character better.

This is a story that was read to me many times when I was little, and just a few days ago, I discovered it collecting dust at the top of a book shelf. The memories started flooding back as I read about the story of these animals taking matters into their own hands, and looking for a better life for themselves. I recommend this book for anyone with small children, and they're looking for something wholesome and entertaining for the nightly bedtime story. The illustrations go along wonderfully with each caption to help the child develop imagery skills for later on in life, which is another reason why I like this book. If you're lucky enough to find a copy of this book floating around somewhere, I strongly advise picking it up! Remember, it all starts with a boy and his drum....

Once you start this book, it will be hard to do anything else until you finish. Gripping, moving account of the Thud airstrikes over NVN. Newbies to the Vietnam war will feel admiration for the pilots, and anger toward the war leadership that put politics over lives.

Although Harrison develops his charactors carefully, the reader is pulled rapidly through the unfolding story with its tragedies and triumphs and - surprises.

If you can find the book, get it. But make sure you have a clear couple of days to get through it.

I have read this book several times and I can't get enough of it. The action is non-stop. And the air battles are as real as my flight-sim. This book is right up there with such authors as Dale Brown, Joe Weber, and Leonard B. Scott. I score it a 10. I just wish he would write more.

This is a superb novel based on the Republic F-105 Thunderchief (THUD) pilots in Vietnam. Astounding level of accuracy

I have been collecting Harrison Fisher illustrated prints and bookplates for about 10 years now.

Ms. Welch compiles so much of Harrison Fisher's work in this volume.
This book begins with a biography which has the most information I have read about him anywhere. Good quality materials are used; this is a large artbook with full-color illustrations printed on glossy, thick paper. Most, if not all, of Harrison Fisher's Cosmopolitan and Ladies Home Journal magazine covers are pictured here.

Each artbook has its own section that includes detailed publishing and printing information and is followed by the illustrations presented in the order in which they appear in the artbooks. Differences in first and second printings are discussed. Ms. Welch includes insets of Harrison Fisher's signed artbook contracts.
Various collectibles featuring Fisher's artwork are pictured accompanied by a value guide in the back of the book. Please note that postcards of Harrison Fisher's illustrations are shown in another of Naomi Welch's works.

Thorough reference source and great collector's item on Harrison Fisher and his illustrations. Would love to see more reference books in the future on Fisher. Hopefully, a biography will be published about him some day.

If you want to find out more about Harrison Fisher and his illustrations this book will give you wide exposure to his work.

A great book--comprehensive, great insights into the author's life, terrific color reproduction and sturdy binding so you can look at it again and again. A minor quibble is that I would have loved to have seen some of the magazine covers full page, but that was probably cost prohibitive. Somebody, please do a Harrison Fisher poster book!

Naomi Welch has done a beautiful job on "The Complete Works of Harrison Fisher Illustrator". I grew up with Harrison Fisher prints and dearly love them. Ms. Welch has certianly done her homework providing a well written history of Harrison Fisher and his works. The pictures are presented in a very loving manner with great detail. It is a must have for any Harrison Fisher collector! Beautiful!

Nora Vitz Harrison has presented us with a collection of wonderful and provokative stories of adventure, sharing and unconditional love. They let you explore your own needs and dreams. It's a treasure.

Without being sentimental, this wonderful book brings you closer to all animals, but especially to dogs you have known, past and present. I found myself laughing and crying and I hadn't even gotten to page 7. Nora Vitz Harrison's writing style is lovely, warm, and enveloping. She has given us a gift with this book, not only of her story, which is inspiring. She gives us a glimpse into the special world of guide dogs and how they fulfill their mission. I guarantee you'll want this book for every dog lover on your list (a portion of profits goes toward training guide dogs!). And your own dog is in for a lot of hugs once you start reading this. I couldn't put it down.

DEAR KILROY is about making connections in life that are meaningful and lasting. I found myself melting in my chair as I read it. I could not put it down. In a compelling and heartfelt way, it reminds us what we need to do-laugh more, love more, live more. The stories shared are personal; they provide relevant life lessons learned from canine companions-touching and heartwarming. For seven years I was a mental health therapist and I wish I had this book to give to my clients. It is a self-help book in the truest sense.

David Kundtz has created a masterpiece! Just reading the introduction to Everyday Serenity touched my soul and brought a smile to my face. David's concise suggestions for healthy, peaceful living are necessary for each of us living on this often-complicated planet. Everyday Serenity is easy to read, quick to digest and provides a top-notch reference book for each day, during the times I need some clarity and a bit of humor...it's a book that I'll refer to for a long time to come. Thank you David for this lovely, helpful book!

Everyday Serenity: Meditations For People Who Do Too Much, is the latest offering from David J. Kundtz, a psychotherapist, author, and speaker. Dr. Kundtz is an advocate of Stopping, "which is doing nothing--for as briefly as a minute or for as long as a month--for the purpose of becoming more fully awake and remembering who you are." People today are starved for time to themselves. Their days are filled with so many things that have to be done that they have no time for solitude or reflection. Dr. Kundtz's meditations are intended to help people turn those little moments between activities into "stillpoints," where there is no guilt or pressure, where the focus is on just quietly and peacefully being. Those who are able to make such moments for themselves will find that they enjoy life more, and have more energy to do the other things they need to do. Dr. Kundtz divided the book into fourteen chapters, with titles like "Making Room for Life" and "Finding Your Balance." Each chapter is filled with relevant meditations. Finding Your Balance, for example, includes "A Walk Down The Street" and "It Just Is." All the meditations begin with a quote--some from philosophers like Socrates, and some from contemporary sources, like Woody Allen. Dr. Kundtz then offers a quiet "reflection" on the quote, and ends with a suggestion of how the reader might apply it to his or her own life. His reflection on "It Just Is" ends with "today quietly observe what keeps you from going with the flow." Everyday Serenity includes a meditation for each day of the year. Each is designed to serve as an opportunity to "pause for a purpose, to draw you to a moment of both rest and insight." Readers who use them will find themselves "becoming more awake and intentional" with a greater understanding of what they truly want from life and how to get it.

Sandra Smith, Reviewer

Great quotes offered inspiration. Great research provided the motivation. Don't be fooled that the 1-1/2 page snapshots of a variety of topics from finding peace and balance in your life to receiving permission to stop aren't deep enough. Each word, each question posed in the fourteen chapters address key issues of life and I must have tabbed ten pages for later reference.

As part of a writer's group, I introduced the others to David Kundtz's words of wisdom and encouragement. I know two went and bought his book the next day.

Thanks for reminder in the (adapted) traditional saying: 'All work and no play make Jack and Jill dull kids.' I have to go mountain bike now, and yes, it's the middle of the workday :-)

- Jill (That's really my name.)

The poems in "Feeding the Fire," by Jeffrey Harrison, are written in a clear, straightforward language. There are a number of story poems told by a first-person voice; there are also a number of elegies and also poems on poetry itself. Some of the most memorable selections in the book are as follows:

"Our Other Sister": a story poem in which a boy's creation of an imaginary sister impacts his real sister. "My Double Nonconversion": an ironic poem about a college freshman's encounters with evangelists from two very different religions. "Salt": about a Gentile man's experience of the Jewish world. "Vietnam Scrapbook": about a 4th grade teacher in 1968 who is teaching her students about the war in Vietnam. "White Spaces": a meditation on poetry and loss, told in 2 voices. "Note Written on Birch Bark": a nature poem that hints at the possibility of liberation from language. "A Garbage Can Full of Books in Brooklyn": a poem that questions how you "read the bibliography of someone's inner life." And finally "Interval," in which fireflies are described as "a sublunar starscape whose shifting constellations / were a small gift of unexpected astonishment."

Harrison is a gifted poet-storyteller, and this volume contains some really striking and thoughtful passages.

I have not yet had the opportunity to read Mr. Harrison's first book (The Singing Underneath), but I hope to at some point in the near future. As for Feeding the Fire, like his second book (Signs of Arrival) it is a fine collection of poems drawn from poignant memories and touching observations with exquisitely placed dashes of wit. Harrison has the keen ability to synthesize experiences and feelings into a coherent fabric of verse that is easily read. The book was also beautifully produced (particularly the hardback) by Sarabande Books.

I have not yet had the opportunity to read Mr. Harrison's first book (The Singing Underneath), but I hope to at some point in the near future. As for Feeding the Fire, like his second book (Signs of Arrival) it is a fine collection of poems drawn from poignant memories and touching observations with exquisitely placed dashes of wit. Harrison has the keen ability to synthesize experiences and feelings into a coherent fabric of verse that is easily read. The book was also beautifully produced (particularly the hardback) by Sarabande Books.

Every suspense reader should read this. It is highly unpredictable and immeasurably convincing with Harrison Beardsley's knowledge of silicon valley/blending it in with a not-so traditional mystery story of murder, betrayal etc. I finished this in a few sittings it kept me so hooked, I don't want to give away too much about the story, but i just want to recommend this to readers and the give the author credit where it is due. A perfect book for the times of scandals and corporate corruption, unique characters, suspense, plotline, everything, you have to read this!

The way the author applies his real-life knowledge into this story makes 'flying for an angel' all the more convincing and believable to the reader, and highly entertaining. This one has all the gadgets of mystery blended with sheer humor and human drama while still remaining an effective & suspenseful hi-tech thriller based in silicon valley before the dot com boom.
I highly recommend this passionately written mystery novel.

The way the author applies his real-life knowledge into this story makes 'flying for an angel' all the more convincing and believable to the reader, and highly entertaining. This one has all the gadgets of mystery blended with sheer humor and human drama while still remaining an effective & suspenseful hi-tech thriller based in silicon valley before the dot com boom.
I highly recommend this passionately written mystery novel.