Stack a New Deck: More Great Quilts in 4 Easy Steps

Stack a New Deck: More Great Quilts in 4 Easy Steps
Average customer rating:

Great Quilts

Interesting.

Alaska quilter

Great Variety for Fast, Contemporary Quilts

nice book

Stack a New Deck: More Great Quilts in 4 Easy Steps
Karla Alexander
Manufacturer: Martingale and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Stack the Deck!: Crazy Quilts in 4 Easy Steps

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Thinking Outside the Block: Step by Step to Dynamic Quilts

ASIN: 1564775372

Book Description

Get ready to go beyond Crazy quilts with the four Ss--stack, slice, shuffle, and sew--in this sequel to the bestseller Stack the Deck! Sidestep the traditional rules of quiltmaking with these fast, fun ideas.

• Use Stack-the-Deck steps to simplify curves, diamonds, and other classic patchwork shapes

• Eighteen new quilts feature a wide range of styles, so there's something for every quilter to enjoy

• All projects start with simple squares, making every pattern beginner friendly

Customer Reviews:

Great Quilts.......2007-05-17

This book is great. Karla Alexander has many great patterns in many different books.

Interesting........2007-01-14

The only reason this did not get a 5 is that I am not sure about how to do this, more over I am a traditional quilt lover and I am not very artsy. I know folks that love the stack and wack. Nice book and great colors.

Alaska quilter.......2006-11-12

The instructions are clearly written in this book. What it lacks is any information how to quickly and easily enlarge the quilts. The majority of the quilts are approximately lap or twin size. It would be very helpful to add info for those of us who are mathematically challenged on how to enlarge the quilts either by larger blocks or how to go about creating more blocks with more fabric.

Great Variety for Fast, Contemporary Quilts.......2005-04-26

I like this book SO MUCH more than the original Stack the Deck. The variety in this book is great, and the concept is easy to follow. Plus, the quilts look GREAT. My hand-dyed fabrics really shine in these quilts, and I can showcase special pieces with ease. The Red Onion quilt is my favorite, although I was really attracted to the floral squares one, as well. My only issue with the book is that the borders shown are fairly plain-jane - some different examples would be nice. But hey - if that's the only thing wrong, I can find borders (or create some) for myself!

nice book.......2005-03-27

I just received my copies of this book and the first, Stack the Deck. I like the looks of the ones in this book better. I'm wanting to make at least 3 of the quilts in this book. The only 'problem' I see with the books (so far) is that she shows a small photo of different cutting diagrams with the cutting and piecing orders, but you have to either 'free style' it or draw your own or enlarge these to size (which may take several copies since some are oly about an inch square and the fabric square starts out at 9 3/4 inches!) anyways, I haven't tackled this yet and I'm not sure if I'll just draw my own or what. there are also a few with curves in this book and circles..as well as several 'square inside a square' looking ones as well as a few others. Other than not having the full-size 'templates' I'm very happy with this book (but Iguess the idea is to get away from using templates and be creative!) I originally thought I'd give this a 4 star rating but for the type of book it is I think it fits the bill. It reminds me also of some patterns I have by two kwik kwilters, except with theirs they give you the fullsize pattern and you trace it on freezer paper for each set of blocks..but there are more ideas in this book than these patterns currently offer.

Cosmetic Breast Surgery: A Complete Guide to Making the Right Decision--from A to Double D

Average customer rating:

the best book for cosmetic breast surgery information
Concise, Excellent Information
Dr. Robert Michael Freund Walks on Water....I don't say that about every doctor!
A Necessary Staple When Making A Serious Decision
SOLID, INFORMATIVE, ESSENTIAL & Ethical

Cosmetic Breast Surgery: A Complete Guide to Making the Right Decision--from A to Double D
Robert M. Freund , and Alexander Van Dyne
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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When Less Is More : The Complete Guide for Women Considering Breast Reduction Surgery

ASIN: 1569244553

Book Description

Though cosmetic breast surgery is most commonly an elective procedure, it is an important, irreversible decision that demands careful consideration. In Cosmetic Breast Surgery, distinguished plastic surgeon Robert M. Freund—who has worked on the breasts of thousands of women in his private and public New York City practices—offers clear explanations and sensitive advice for women curious about having their breasts enlarged, reduced, or lifted. In a factual, conversational tone, Dr. Freund—recently named one of New York's leading plastic surgeons by New York magazine—candidly discusses all of the risks and rewards involved, different operating procedures and options, the right and wrong reasons to have surgery, choosing the right surgeon, pre- and postoperative care, and what to do if a procedure goes wrong. Written with a woman’s best interest in mind, Cosmetic Breast Surgery provides photographs throughout and is essential reading for all women considering breast surgery.

Customer Reviews:

the best book for cosmetic breast surgery information.......2006-05-19

I bought all the books on cosmetic breast surgery, while researching my desire to have my breast lifted and enlarged, this book is by far the best, most informative and well- written. I also went on several consultations with different doctors and Dr. Freund was the most helpful and comforting physicians. His knowledge made me confident and the results were better than i hoped for. P.S. I travelled from North Carolina to see him and it was worth the trip.

Concise, Excellent Information.......2006-02-18

I have been considering a breast reduction for years. This book answered all of my questions so thoroughly that I almost didn't have any left for my plastic surgeon. My surgery went very well, and I am pleased with the outcome. Thanks for writing such a clear and informative book that answers the many questions women have concerning breast surgery.

Dr. Robert Michael Freund Walks on Water....I don't say that about every doctor!.......2006-01-01

Ladies if you are looking for a well-grounded expert on breast reconstruction, Dr. Freund is the best. From the second you walk into his office you know you are in good hands. I had a serious problem and he brought me through it with flying colors and compassion.

Read this book, you'll get something from it. He is the consumate professional and even more than that.

A Necessary Staple When Making A Serious Decision .......2005-04-09

I'm going through a difficult decision in regard to breast augmentation. I have now read this book twice. It's clear and helpful. The interesting aspect that Dr. Freund brought into the book that beauty is regional. What works in LA doesn't work in New York.

It's interesting, informative and I'm reading it again.

SOLID, INFORMATIVE, ESSENTIAL & Ethical.......2005-03-28

This book gives you the facts, from a doctor who is ethical, descent, and talented. I have first hand experiemce as to Dr. Freund dedication, I know him, and this book is representative of how he practices and his strong and qualitative committment to his patients.

If you are considering breast surgery this book is essential.

New Cuts for New Quilts: More Ways to Stack the Deck

Average customer rating:

Quilting book
Fun Quilt Patterns
Fun and fast projects
How many ways can you stack the deck?

New Cuts for New Quilts: More Ways to Stack the Deck
Karla Alexander
Manufacturer: That Patchwork Place
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Stack a New Deck: More Great Quilts in 4 Easy Steps
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A New Twist on Strips n' Curves: Featuring Swirl, Half Clamshell, Free-Form Curves & Srips n' Circles

ASIN: 1564776778

Book Description

The "Stack the Deck" technique gets new life in this popular author's third book! This new collection of tradition-with-a-twist quilts builds on methods used in the author's previous bestsellers. Expect the unexpected with this fun approach to one-of-a-kind quilts.

• Combine the "Stack the Deck" technique with strip piecing and chain sewing in 18 all-new projects

• Get a complete introduction to the original "Stack the Deck" technique—simply stack, slice, shuffle, and sew

• Play with straight, curvy, or funky-cut angles for surprising results in each block

Customer Reviews:

Quilting book.......2007-05-27

I ordered the book and within a few days, it was in my hands! I am very pleased with the whole process.

Fun Quilt Patterns.......2007-05-17

There are so many beautiful quilt patterns in this book. I am having trouble limiting how many I want my Mom to make for me!

Fun and fast projects.......2007-03-11

There is a large variety of projects in this book. The instructions are easy to follow. It is very fun to cut and shuffle the fabric. I took the book to my guild last retreat and a couple of us finished a quilt in about 5 hours, the results very different but still nice. With the tecnique you do not have to fuzz with matching all corners perfectly. Even doing curves end up fun... We did find some errors between the pictures and the written instructions, nothing mayor.

How many ways can you stack the deck?.......2007-01-10

Quilting is my passion. Like most quilters, I have many "WIP"s. That would be "works in progress." My new resolution is to find projects that look wonderful but are things I can actually finish without too much stress. This great book offers many opportunities. The author writes very clear instructions. My creativity is really on the rise after reading the book.

What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body: The Practical Application of Body Mapping & the Alexander Technique to Making Music

Average customer rating:

An excellent introduction to body mapping
WARNING!!! Read this before buying...
There must be a better book out there
No Filling in This Sandwich
Excellent book for learning about the body

What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body: The Practical Application of Body Mapping & the Alexander Technique to Making Music
Barbara Conable , and Benjamin Conable
Manufacturer: Andover Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 096225956X

Book Description

The practical application of Body Mapping and the Alexander Technique to making music. Body Mapping is the study of how our concepts of our bodies affect our experience and movement. The Alexander Technique is a method for improving freedom and ease of movement and physical coordination. This book is a graphic presentation of ideas drawn from these two disciplines that is of great benefit to music students and teachers and others.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction to body mapping.......2006-09-07

Unlike many of the other reviewers, I have found this book to be an excellent introduction to body mapping and the Alexander Technique. I think the operative word is "introduction." This should not be thought of as an in-depth study of body mapping; for that, one should refer to Conable's book "How to use the Alexander technique." As both a professional singer and a voice instructor, I have found this simple book to be very useful. It is a helpful tool to introduce students to the very concept of body mapping (something that most people know nothing about...by the way, it's the study of the proper way to hold one's self and use one's body based on an accurate concept of one's physiology). It is also a helpful tool for someone who is familiar with body mapping to check yourself. If you want an in-depth study, this is not the book to use, but it is excellent to use in conjunction with other texts, especially a simple anatomy book. And, as to the cartoon-like drawings, they make it simple, and simple is a good way to start!

WARNING!!! Read this before buying..........2006-03-12

I bought this book thinking it would at least have some explanations. But no, it just is a picture book showing pictures of the different skeletal structures in the body. Buy this book ONLY if it is required for a class that you are taking on this where a teacher is there to fill in the explanations as it is USELESS without them.

If you are a pianist who wants to self-study body mapping to prevent injury and improve your playing, take a look at the far better "What every Pianist needs to know about the body" by Thomas Mark (ISBN 1579992064) as it has very detailed descriptions on the movements that you should use and should not use (and also includes pretty much the same pictures as this book does)!

There must be a better book out there.......2006-02-24

This book is very cartoony and seems almost like a handout you might get at a seminar or a class. It is not necassarily bad, but it doesn't really give you detailed explanations on what you should do. It is more of an illustrated tour of various Alexander concepts. I am still searching for a good Alexander book, but I haven't found one yet so I can't recommend one, but there must be a better one out there, so try a different book.

No Filling in This Sandwich.......2005-07-29

I'm a serious amateur musician (singer), so I know that understanding the body and learning how to use it properly is crucial to making good music. I thought this book would teach me how to better use my body through consideration of its various parts and relationships. I was wrong. Too many of the one-page sections start and end with simplistic lead-ins and ferverinos like these: "You can learn to have a pressure-free front" or "You can learn to organize your torso around your core" and end with "You have a pressure-free front? Gloat! and "If you already, just naturally, organize around your core, huzza!" In between these statements are anatomical diagrams but nothing that tells the reader/student HOW to develop a pressure-free front or to organize the torso around the core. And so on. From the reviews this book apparently satisfies the needs of some, and that's great. But if you're a serious musician looking not only to understand the way the body should work but also tips, advice, or exercises about HOW to use your body, you'll need to look elsewhere. I am.

Excellent book for learning about the body.......2004-02-19

This book is an excellent resource for music teachers who recognize the need for sharing accurate information about the body with their students. It is intended as a workbook. The pages follow a certain presentational order but each can be taken alone as a "project" to be worked on during a lesson or a practice session, depending on the student's (and teacher's!) needs. I have succesfully used the book as a text in my college-level classes, and with musicians one-on-one, ranging from the professional musician to the 5-year-old beginning piano student. That is the beauty of the book: it's text and illustrations readily convey important information to any musician.

Although the book is directed towards musicians, the information would be useful to any performing artist or person seeking information about anatomy and its practical application to movement.

On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director
Average customer rating:

He changed me

Great man, great book.

Very, very good

How To Make Movies, Good Movies

On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director
Alexander Mackendrick
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television

ASIN: 0571215610
Release Date: 2005-08-11

Book Description

A priceless examination of the filmmaker's craft, from the renowned director of Sweet Smell of Success

After more than twenty years in the film industry as a screenwriter, storyboard editor, and director of memorable films such as The Ladykillers, Alexander Mackendrick turned his back on Hollywood and began a new career as the Dean of one of the country's most demanding and influential film schools. His absolute devotion to the craft of filmmaking served as a powerful impetus to students at the California Institute for the Arts for almost twenty five years, with a teaching style that included prodigious notes, neatly crafted storyboards, and handouts containing excerpts of works by Kierkegaard, Aristotle, and others. At the core of Mackendrick's lessons lay a deceptively simple goal: to teach aspiring filmmakers how to structure and write the stories they want to tell, while using the devices particular to the medium of film to tell their stories effectively.

In this impressive volume, edited by Paul Cronin, the myriad materials that made Mackendrick's reputation as an instructor are collected for the first time, offering a chance for professionals as well as students to discover a methodology of filmmaking that is challenging yet refreshing in its clarity. Meticulously illustrated and drawing on examples from such classic films as North by Northwest, Citizen Kane, and Touch of Evil, Mackendrick's elegant lessons are sure to provide inspiration for a new generation of filmmakers.

Customer Reviews:

He changed me.......2007-04-14

When Sandy MacKenrick told my CalArts MFA Thesis committee that my thesis film script was, "long, much too long, and very much too long" and, "doomed to never be completed", I was shocked and terrified.

Sandy was one of the most brilliant and irritating people ever to tell a story or to browbeat an egotistical young film student. His films and lectures convey that contradiction -- his every work is a pearl.

If you were not lucky enough to get Sandy's notes while at CalArts, you must buy this book.

Odds are good, you won't have the genius of Sandy MacKendrick, but you will appreciate how much you could grow as you strive to attain what he found so simple.

I was proud to invite Sandy to the first screening of my thesis film, "Pirate's Dagger", and it still hurts that he was too ill to attend. I wouldn't have gotten it done without his special form of encouragement.

Great man, great book........2007-01-12

Too intelligent to be a director, to make compromises in the craft of film making with the studio system of his time, Alexander Mackendrick only left us a glimpse of his own potential in his body of work. He did however pass his vision and passion for creativity onto the next generation in his teaching. In this book his voice is loud and clear, without being dogmatic. It's like having a drink with a friend in a bar and having him sort out all your problems with scripts, actors and life. No director should be without a copy. From the beginner to the established star everybody can find something in this book and all conveyed in the manner both intense and unpatronising that was uniquely his.

Very, very good.......2006-06-29

Unlike most how-to directing and writing books, Mackendrick was an accomplished director with decades of professional experience. He speaks from hard-won experience, not dubious armchair notions of what makes a successful film or director. He is wise enough to know there are no "secrets" or immutable laws of storytelling, only rules of thumb. Every time I go back to it, I learn something new, and with every film I make, I am struck by points in the book which ring ever more true. This book will not make you a great director by reading it, but Mackendrick has the good sense and candor to know that a book or a course never will, only lots and lots of hard work and dedication.

How To Make Movies, Good Movies.......2005-08-19

Shaw said, "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." In a strange way, Alexander Mackendrick fits both sides of that dictum. "Sandy" Mackendrick was an accomplished film director. After having worked in advertising, he started making films for the British Government during World War II. After the war he wrote scripts and he began directing. For the Ealing Studios, he made _Whiskey Galore!_, _The Man in the White Suit_, and _The Ladykillers_. Then he came to Hollywood, where he made the wonderfully biting _Sweet Smell of Success_. He could direct fine movies, and he did; but then he slipped into the "can't do" category, not for any lack of talent, but because he was not much of a deal-maker, and resented having to negotiate details with the studios. He started teaching, becoming dean of the film school at the California Institute of the Arts in 1969. He continued teaching until his death in 1993, but now filmmakers and audiences can get a glimpse of what he taught, in _On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director_ (Faber and Faber). It is a sampling of his lecture handouts, some illustrated by his own sketches, that he delivered to students over the years, and shows the richness of his thinking on the surprising complexities of artistic decisions regarding even simple shoots on tiny films. Those who enjoy movies, but don't know much about how they are made, will be astonished at how many details of technique the director has to consider before anyone yells "Action!" Those who make movies, or want to, could not do better than to study what Mackendrick has to say.

Mackendrick emphatically agrees with Truffaut, who in his interview book with Hitchcock wrote, "Whatever is _said_ instead of being _shown_ is lost on the viewer." (One of Mackendrick's many slogans: "Movies SHOW... and then TELL.") Always, regard to the audience is paramount: "Try to tell the story while always remembering that the audience has somewhere better to go and something better to do." Like a good storyteller, use curiosity, expectation, and suspense to keep them buttonholed. The reader of this book will want to be familiar with certain films to which Mackendrick returns again and again, like _The Third Man_ or _On the Waterfront_, but not all the cinema is fine cinema. In a chapter titled "Plausibility and Willing Suspension of Disbelief," he discusses the sci-fi film _Them!_ which he says is a "piece of nonsense" but shows solid, simple plot mechanisms, and follows the rule that "we are allowed only one major Incredible Thing" (Giant ants are invading!) while "everything else in the story should actually be logical, even over-logical." There is rich advice about dealing with actors. A student who asked, "How does a director get an actor to do what he wants?" took Mackendrick off guard, as he had never asked the question in those terms. It's the wrong question. "You don't," came the eventual answer, "You try to get the actor to want what you need."

Mackendrick knows you can't teach the art and inspiration that directors have to have intuitively, though there is a useful chapter titled "A Technique for Having Ideas." The craft involved in direction, though, has a possibility of being taught, and he has here covered the craft from scriptwriting through editing. I only sit in audiences for films (and the intimidating muster of factors Mackendrick brings up that the director must consider tells me I am in the right spot in front of the screen, not behind the camera), but I have a much better appreciation for what a director does after reading these fine instructions. I also wish that every director now working would simply follow these rules. The principles here, if followed universally, would benefit directors, audiences, and the quality of Hollywood's output, not to mention its bottom line.

Information Warfare and Organizational Decision-Making

Average customer rating:

The new battlefield

Information Warfare and Organizational Decision-Making
Alexander Kott
Manufacturer: Artech House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Adversarial Reasoning: Computational Approaches to Reading the Opponent's Mind
Advanced Technology Concepts for Command and Control
Counterdeception Principles and Applications for National Security

ASIN: 1596930799

Book Description

Unconventional warfare is now conventional, requiring the military to organize in new ways that can rapidly respond to unprecedented battlefield challenges. Cutting-edge computing is helping military planners create original organizational structures able to adapt to ever-changing strategies and tactics. The computational techniques in this book provide practical solutions for organizing and commanding military operations, gathering intelligence, deploying antiterrorism measures, and securing information. The book covers artificial intelligence, game and control theory, and cognitive modeling, offering new insight into military psychology and training. Strategists can develop robust organizations that withstand and mitigate attack. They also learn how to neutralize enemy command and control to gain tactical advantage.

Customer Reviews:

The new battlefield.......2007-09-07

What this book does extremely well is to show the computational
problems underlying concrete examples in military and organizational
decision-making. The information warfare perspective is also
interesting because decision-making "bugs" are shown as ultimately the
main cause of failure and defeat. This book has several descriptive
chapters on organization and decision-making as well as theoretical
ones (e.g., social network theory, control theory, behavioral
psychology) and suggestions on possible implementations for
decision support systems in the information age.

A Foreshadowing of 21st Century Art: The Color and Geometry of Very Early Turkish Carpets (Center for Environmental Structure, Vol 7)

Average customer rating:

A pearl of great value
Great but not what you would expect
One drawback...
a quick & humble impression

A Foreshadowing of 21st Century Art: The Color and Geometry of Very Early Turkish Carpets (Center for Environmental Structure, Vol 7)
Christopher Alexander
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Textile & Costume | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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

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

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ASIN: 0195208668

Book Description

Christopher Alexander owns what many now believe to be the finest collection of early Turkish carpets in the western world, with perhaps half being the only specimens of their kind anywhere. In this richly illustrated, oversized volume--featuring four hundred illustrations, eighty in full color--Alexander takes readers on an engaging tour of his fabulous collection. Readers will see a 13th-century Seljuk Carpet with Dragons, a 15th-century Animal Carpet, a scarlet-niched Transylvanian Prayer Rug, a turquoise Lattice Carpet from Alcaraz, a 16th-century blue Medallion Keyhole Design from Bergama, a rare 16th-century White Field Bird Carpet, the dazzling color and brilliant geometry of a 15th-century Karapinar with Three Gulls, and perhaps Alexander's favorite, a 15th-century Star Karapinar with Flowers (whose designs he describes as "the high point of all Sufi art, the state of liberation, in which the artist is so free, that he is able to be completely natural"). In addition, Alexander elaborates on his theory that these carpets teach structure to artists and architects through the beauty of their form. This lavishly produced volume makes an important contribution to the world of rug scholarship. Equally important, Alexander's thoughtful meditations on these pieces will fascinate the many architects, artists, and planners who follow his work.

Customer Reviews:

A pearl of great value.......2006-05-20

I love and leave my books, but I'll never part with this one. I look at it daily and always find something new and edifying.

The book's raison d'etere is Alexander's magnificent collection, displayed in glorious photos. But if you feel frustrated/disgusted or uncomfortable/uneasy toward modern design, art, or architecture, you'll appreciate Alexander's axioms for objectively evaluating the aesthetic quality of the carpets. Alexander hopes that a generalized version of these axioms will save us from the ugliness of modernism and get human beings back into the business of creating truly beautiful things, whether carpets, buildings, comptuer programs, etc. That's why he titled it "A foreshadowing..."

Alexander comments on each carpet in the collection, describing the fascinating detective work that went into placing and dating each piece, as well as pointing out the most noteworthy elements of the patterns and colors. His commentary causes me to appreciate each carpet as a historical piece with tremendous significance to today -- the carpets are seemingly messengers from the past, reminding us of truths that have long been dormant in the human spirit.

He describes the best carpets as evoking a presence that is both human and divine. He says that a reliable way to judge the "better" of two carpets is to ask people which of the two they would choose to represent their own self or soul. Even carpet-naive people will consistently choose the more valuable carpet, even if it's not the one they "like" best. Interesting, right?

Great but not what you would expect.......2002-01-31

Christopher Alexander is known among architects and maybe even more among computer enthusiasts. If you are one of them (us) and know his other work, you would be surprised by this book.
It deals with carpets, specifically Turkish carpets.
A friend of mine lent me this book and I was fascinated. It has a certain passion for its subject and its interesting even if you don't know anything and don't care anything about carpets. Author explains about some items in his quite large collection of carpets and why he finds them not only rare and valuable as an antique but also beautiful.
The beauty of a carpet lies in its pattern and here we get to familiar grounds (as for example in his »A Pattern Language«). A pattern consists not only of the ornament but also of the negative space, the area remaining. He explains on examples from his collection. And one wanders if there is yet another application of his theory beside architecture per se, computer design and carpets.
Still its quite expensive, but if you happen to lay your hands on it, go ahead and enjoy.

One drawback..........2000-05-02

...shoddy binding.

Other than that, the book's great.

What I like about his writing is how relates the way your eye works to the way the carpets are designed and built. He yalks a lot about "centers" and about how a carpet can be that much more enjoyable when your eye can be drawn to sections which can be more-easily digested.

a quick & humble impression.......1998-02-15

I got to take a look at this book in the UMASS non-circulating collection. It was beautiful, covered with a gold patterned cloth. Inside, the paper and reproductions of the carpets and art work were of the very best quality. I read the introduction and skimmed through the subsequent chapters. After my breif encounter with this book, I felt as though I had found the secret heart of Alexander's architectural theories. Somehow his passion for these carpets seemed to be the kernal from which his volumes have sprung.

Making Woodcuts and Wood Engravings: Lessons by a Modern Master

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Making Woodcuts and Wood Engravings: Lessons by a Modern Master
Hans Alexander Mueller
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Alexander Technique | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0486448533

Book Description

In this indispensable guide to creating woodcut masterpieces, Mueller explains his philosophy and techniques for creating art from the simplest materials. Readers learn about the tools of the trade, how to make plank woodcut and end-grain engravings, and how to use the medium to express themselves artistically. 98 illustrations, most of them in color.

Singing And Making Music: Issues in Church Music Today

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Constructively Provocative

Singing And Making Music: Issues in Church Music Today
Paul S. Jones
Manufacturer: P & R Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Ritual | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Art for God's Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts
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ASIN: 0875526179

Customer Reviews:

Constructively Provocative.......2006-06-09

Paul Jones, organist and Music Director at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia is, by all accounts, a very talented individual. He was privileged to serve alongside James Boice (who once said "Paul is everything I ever prayed for in a music director") and now works closely with Philip Ryken in serving one of America's foremost Presbyterian churches. Singing and Making Music, subtitled "Issues in Church Music Today" is Jones' attempt to distill and share some of his years of accumulated wisdom and knowledge.

Singing and Making Music is not a traditional book, emphasizing an argument that moves logically from introduction to conclusion, but is a collection of essays dealing with the common theme of worshipping God through music. To some extent this leaves the book feeling a little bit disjointed and without a consistent flow. At the same time, this format allows the author to cover a wide range of topics without having to bridge one to another. I feel that this is a suitable format for such a book book. Jones covers a great deal of ground through the book's thirty-three chapters which are grouped under four headings: Corporate Worship, Hymnody and Psalmody, Issues and Composers and Composition. Here is a selection of chapter titles:

* Sermon in Song: Sacred Music as Proclamation
* Sacred Music as Prayer
* Authenticity in Corporate Worship Music
* Trinitarian Hymnody
* What Psalm Ascriptions Tell Us
* Writing Hymns
* Choir for Hire: Should Church Musicians Be Paid?
* Luther and Bar Song: The Truth, Please!
* Musical Ignorance versus Music Arrogance
* J.S. Bach and Musical Hermeneutics
* The Anatomy of a Hymn Tune
* Criteria for Good Church Music

While any Christian could benefit from reading this book, the target audience is clearly intended to be other music directors or worship leaders. With my limited knowledge of musical theory, I was occasionally unable to follow or understand the author's arguments. This was particularly true of the chapters which discussed topics which are far more theoretical than practical to me, such as "The Anatomy of a Hymn Tune," a chapter in which we read the following: "Such intervallic relationships between voices other than the melodic one (i.e., the altor, tenor, and bass) have to do with harmonic choices. The harmony throughout the hymn tune is functional, yet colorful, with numerous intentional dissonances." For all I know, he may have just insulted my country or provided a recipe for chocolate brownies (though I suspect not).

Thankfully, the majority of the book is perfectly accessible to a person like myself who loves music, but knows very little about it. Jones is always gracious but always biblical when dealing with some of the more contentious issues facing churches struggling with the subjects of worship and music. He argues that Christians ought to avoid the world's musical trends and to develop music that is distinct. The book's main points can be summarized under the three following headings. First, worship practices must be measured by the Word of God. "Scriptural principles should inform all our thinking, traditions, and practices in worship." Second, we need to comprehend the pastoral nature of music ministry. "Music is not in competition with pastoral work. It is pastoral work in the sense that it can provide many of the same kinds of spiritual care and leadership that pastoral ministry provides." Third, we should ensure that budgets and practices are informed by these truths. "Music in worship cannot be truly conformed to biblical standards and examples of excellence unless it is actively supported by the church leadership in word and deed and is adequately funded." You can see a logical progression from theory to practice. A church should move from asking "Why do we do what we do in the way that we do it? How should we be doing it according to Scripture? What will it take to make it so?"

While Jones serves in a large church and surely enjoys a large budget, he is sensitive to those who serve in smaller churches and may have only a limited number of resources, both financial and human, to dedicate to music. He provides suggestions on the first instruments a church should purchase and the type of music director a church should eventually seek. He suggests when a church should seek to hire a music director and what type of responsibilities he should enjoy. There is even a chapter providing instruction on purchasing an organ.

Always practical and biblical, Singing and Making Music was an enjoyable read and one that is suitable for both the laity and those in leadership. Ligon Duncan, in his endorsement for this book, described it with the phrase "constructively provocative." I believe that is an apt description. This book is deeply biblical, uplifting and constructively provocative. It is well worth reading.

Make A Chair From A Tree : An Introduction To Working Green Wood

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The one essential green wood working book

Make A Chair From A Tree : An Introduction To Working Green Wood
John D., Jr. Alexander
Manufacturer: Taunton Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Traditional Windsor Chair Making With Jim Rendi
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ASIN: 0918804019

Book Description

When a tree is felled, the wood is green and is easy to cut, split, shave and shape. As it dries, the wood shrinks and hardensQand it becomes vastly more difficult to work. In the old days, wood-workers relied on the ease with which green wood could be worked to make the parts they needed, and on the way wood shrinks to hold these parts together. These old ways have almost been lost, but are revived here for the modern woodworker. Make a Chair From a Tree is a lively and informative introduction to the old ways of splitting and shaping wood straight from the tree to make a light and beautiful, yet rugged, chair. Author John Alexander presents a complete guide to making this elegantly simple chair. He tells you how to fell a tree, split suitable pieces from it and shape those pieces into the parts of the chair, how to finish it, and how to weave a bark seat. Each step is carefully described and thoroughly illustrated with drawings and photographs. 130 pages. 9" x 9". Soft cover.

Customer Reviews:

The one essential green wood working book.......2003-02-04

I have read and used this book to produce my own chairs. It is excellent in every respect!

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