Product Description
Discovered at sixteen, supermodel Livia Blake has lived a life most women only dream of. But beneath the glitz and glamour is a small-town girl who yearns for babies, a permanent home—and the man to go with it. Then she meets Hunter Chambers at his family-owned Napa Valley winery. The sexy single father tempts Livia with a desire she's never known…and with a dream she was afraid wouldn't come true.

Hunter knows Livia's type…and she's not his type at all. But he can't deny the passion surging between them. But what happens once Livia jets off to her next photo shoot, taking Hunter's heart with her? Is their love strong enough to create their own private paradise, far from the glare of the spotlight? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

True Romance
Ann Christopher never disappoints. She knows how to write a romance novel.The character development is awesome.Hunter and Livia were characters that were meant for each other and I enjoyed reading their story. I read it in one day and I have to say the it's the best in the Limelight Series so far.

Seduced by the Book
I loved this book.Hunter and Livia were the perfect couple.I love her spunk and ability to push Hunter's buttons.The supporting cast was fabulous.I fell in love with Kendra, Hunter's little girl at once.I read this book in one sitting absolutely enthralled by every page. I like the fact that the story was pureand the unnecessarydrama was absent; it did not need it. Getting the characters to a place of peace and love was all the tension this book needed.This author had the midas touch.All of her books thus far have been hits.If you are in the mood for a love story that is sexy, touching, sizzling and has a HEA ending .... this is the story for you.

Fantastic!
This book was wonderful! The author created main characters that are down to earth so that you can truly understand who they are and what they value. Even though Livia's a supermodel, she's not the least bit superficial. Even though Hunter is a simple guy, he's charming and intriguing. He's able to see past Livia's glamorous image to the woman underneath it all. I enjoyed every aspect of their romance in the wine country. The great secondary characters (Hunter's daughter and parents) serve to enhance the overall story. This was a quick read that will captivate you within the first few pages and make you laugh, smile, and wish for your own Hunter Chambers! Though Ann Christopher's writing has always been good, her last few romance novels have been AWESOME (check out Road to Seduction, Redemption's Kiss, and Campaign for Seduction)! You will not regret this purchase!

She did it again...
Ann Christopher once again has proven that she is indeed a great writer.This book has it all.It's sweet, funny, passionate, the list goes on.In fact it was sooooo good I read it in one day.Bravo Livia & Hunter, they were hot!Livia & Kendra, too sweet.I so cried my eyes out when Livia had to go to Mexico, that goodbye scene..., I think my eyes are still red.Great job Ann!

Loved This Book
This book is a great wonderful story about second chance love Hunter and Livia were a so hot and good together. Love Love Love this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Puzzlingly good.
If you are one of those people who think that nostalgia isn't what it used to be, this is the perfect book for you. This is a genre-defying mixture of memoir, personal reflection and history of jigsaws and children's games that only works because of the beautiful writing of Margaret Drabble that makes this a charming, quixotic, thoughtful and delightful book.

In her foreword to the book, Drabble explains that having decided that her 2006 novel 'The Sea Lady` would be her last fiction book, her intention was to explore the idea of producing a small, specialist book on the history of jigsaws which she envisaged sitting on the shelves of many a museum and gallery bookstore, and hopefully providing the ideal `'stocking filler'` type book for enthusiastic puzzlers. But at some point in the process, the book morphed into much more than that. Most overtly, it became a hybrid of this history and a memoir of her Auntie Phyl, a former school teacher with whom Drabble shared happy hours of jigsaw puzzling. But in the process, something deeper emerged.

It's well known that Drabble has suffered from periods of depression and that her recollections of her family and childhood are not all together happy (which she partly addressed in her novel 'The Peppered Moth`) and her strained relationship with her sister, A S Byatt has been well recorded. But in 'The Pattern in the Carpet` she focusses more on the happiness in the time with her Aunt as well as some wider thoughts of her own life, and exploring some of these images of a rural idyl of her youth without seeming to rake over old coals. The result is curiously uplifting and very personal.

It would be possible to criticise this book for not being one thing or the other. As a memoir, it is only partial, and as a history of jigsaws it is obviously deeply researched, but hardly an academic treatise on the subject due to the chatty style. Drabble goes off on little tangents and incorporates wider issues of games, mosaics, miniature art, children's fiction - I'm desperately trying not to liken it to a puzzler's attention to different aspects before returning to the whole as the jigsaw metaphor seems lazy to me, but that's what it's like. Incidentally, she also explores the use of the jigsaw metaphor too!

On jigsaws, what makes this so charming is that Drabble comes across as an enthusiastic fan rather than a fanatical enthusiast. She explores the mention of jigsaws in literature and portrayal in art as well as the development of the jigsaw from `dissected maps' to images of art. Curiously though, she doesn't explore the issues of mass production of puzzles. She references an impressive range of literature, art and research material, but it's never dry, and never preachy - albeit that if you are looking for a pure memoir, there's a LOT on jigsaws in it. Former teacher, Auntie Phyl would doubtless have admired her efforts at imparting learning.

For good measure, there are joyous snippets, like the derivation of the phrase 'Goody Two-Shoes`. And there can be few books on the history of any subject that gives quite so much kudos to a London taxi driver named Kevin.

It's a gentle book, recalling the charms of earlier days. It will appeal to puzzlers and non-puzzlers alike (I fall into the second category but am now wondering what I have missed all these years).

The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws
Margaret Drabble is the first to admit that this is not the book she set out to write. Initially conceived as a decorative history of jigsaws and childhood board games, //The Pattern in the Carpet// evolved into a hybrid form: a memoir of a life seen through jigsaw puzzles.

The autobiographical pieces Drabble assembles revolve around her Aunt Phyl - an irascible old lady - and childhood memories of Bryn, the rural farmhouse in Nottinghamshire that Drabble's grandparents ran as a bed and breakfast.Tea sets and jigsaws, children's books and country life are the comforting elements she chooses to focus on, for good reason.Doing jigsaws, as well as writing about them, gives Drabble a sense of control at a time when her husband, biographer Michael Holroyd, is fighting cancer.They allow her to "defeat melancholy and avoid laments."

Drabble's meditations on family history, depression, and writing are as intrinsic to this book as its more historical chapters focused on jigsaws (she does provide a solid history of the game).But we feel the missing pieces: everything she doesn't say about her estranged sister, novelist A.S. Byatt, and their unhappy childhood. Although this autobiographical puzzle is incomplete, it is still a pleasure to observe Drabble shuffling its parts.

Reviewed by Catherine Hollis

The Pattern in Atwood's Carpet
Margaret Drabble is not afraid to write; and in recent years her work has become more direct, with just enough artifice to make a tale hang together. This book is to be sipped slowly,chapter by chapter, when a person feels the need to turn off CNN and sit down and have tea and conversation with a thoughtful, articulate friend. No crumpets are needed to accompany the earl grey, since her reminiscences and researched tidbits about jigsaw puzzles, human nature in general, and her family in particular, are themselves soooo sweet, soooo true.

Disappointing Drabble
This should have been excellent. Margaret Drabble is a well-respected author with many books to her credit. I found this one meandering and not terribly well-researched. Contrary to other reviewers, I found it very easy to put down. It didn't seem to go anywhere. The brief chapters meander through visits to see mosaics and tiled patterns from ancient times. Here and there are references to members of her family whom she does not seem to like very much. She recounts people in her family and in the British Royal Family who took up needlepoint, but none of it is very well connected to the theme of the book.
I would have been interested to read either a detailed autobiography or a history of jigsaw puzzles, but not a pallid attempt at both of these genres under a single heading.

Margaret Drabble's fascinating memoir (with jigsaws)
For someone who likes doing jigsaws this is a must read.It brought together so many topics of interest to me personally that it was a book I couldn't put down.As well as giving historical information about the origin of jigsaws, she tells us some of her personal history.She quotes from and analyses several other books that I have read or meant to read, such as "Life: a user's manual" by Georges Perec.Drabble includes a wealth of whimsical and exotic trivia in her beautifully written memoir. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

This Is What It Is Like
I bought this book about a month ago on a whim and because of the favorable reviews. I am very glad that I did. I am a general aviation pilot (SEL) and spent all of my flying life in the Northeastern part of the US. For the past thirteen years, my wife and I have lived over half of the year in Tucson, AZ and the places that Greg Brown describes around Arizona as he flys out of Scottsdale, are very familiar to me. I have even taken my flight simulator and retraced flights he describes in the book, just for the fun of doing so.

My plane, like the original Flying Carpet was a Cessna 172 and for my money there is no nicer plane for general aviation flying. There are faster planes and there are fancier ones, but a Skyhawk is a friend.

This book is a succession of stories about Brown's attraction to aviation, his learning to fly and the progress he makes from a newbie pilot, through an instrument rating, becoming a CFI (instructor pilot) and the involvement of his family in the endeavor. It is told with love and warmth and an attention to detail.

I am sure you could read this book in a day or two if that was your intention, but I took about a month to do so, enjoying the evolution of the author's career and adventures and taking it slowly and savoring it.

The choice is up to you. The only decision I urge on you is to buy it.

Brown Takes You Soaring!
This book is magical! A great adventure for every kind of reader, young or old! If you are a thrill-seeker, you'll relate to the joy and freedom of flying... floating over iconic landscapes, tripping away to distant destinations. If you are an arm-chair adventurer who prefers the creature comforts of home, you will relish this eagle eye view delivered through Brown's amazing ability to "take you there". This is a wonderful book for teen boys, too, who dream of finding their place among the clouds.

Flying at its best!
This very well written book is filled with the real flying experiences of a general avaiation pilot. The fact that Greg Brown is a CFI comes through in almost every chapter in the form of good lessons learned. A joy to read for any pilot or aspiring pilot.

most inspiring book about general aviation
I have been following Greg Brown's columns in AOPA Flight Training for a while now, but I would have never guessed that if you read a handful of these short, factual-yet-full-of-emotions stories one after the other, you can get a complete picture of what general aviation is all about. Highly recommend this book to everyone, pilot spouses or parents above all.

Great read!
I've followed Greg Brown's column in numerous aviation magazines over the years, and have always looked forward to reading his latest adventure.Now, with "Flying Carpet", he has detailed stories and events from his past that have served to educate, enlighten, and amuse both aviators and non-aviators alike.I thoroughly enjoy his writing style, and am always recounting something he wrote to someone else to emphasize a point or provide an example of some aviation-related subject.I love the fact that he relates his stories as if aviation was a sort of pagan religion, and he, and all other pilots, are willing followers.He truly highlights the romance and passion that flying evokes in those of us do it, and stimulates curiousity in those who don't.I highly encourage anyone to read this book, whether you're a pilot or not. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent description of how the game evolved at WVU
This book is a real gem and a must-read for any WVU basketball fan. The pictures are excellent, and are littered throughout the book, which help the reader get more of a visual understanding of the players. It's fun to see how the WVU uniforms changed over time. The writing is good, and it's a pretty exhaustive description of past WVU coaches and players, as well as some funny anecdotes about what was going on at the games. It's a great learning tool for any WVU sports nut who wants to learn more about men's hoops at the university. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction; Literary Criticism / General; Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Literary; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good selection; Kindle version mixes up pages
The Kindle version of this Penguin book mixes up pages near the beginning, so that we get two or three pages of James's introduction to "The Death of the Lion" interrupted by Frank Kermode's Note on the Texts, which is itself printed with its second half first and first half buried in James's introduction's second half.

It's easy to figure out what's happening and live with it, but oh when will Kindle publishers start taking even the most elementary care of their products? Penguin has a reputation to consider, after all.

The selection is good and Kermode's introduction is thorough and intelligent. The stories are all about writers and their problems with the public, with editors, and with their own works. It's ironic that such a collection should be partly ruined by sloppy commercial publishing. ... Read more

Product Description
"One of the most useful books to cover the whole of the field...Mr. Ford is to be congratulated on having produced a work that should stand the test of time."—Carpet Review Weekly

In this comprehensive survey, P. R. J. Ford shows readers how to recognize the different structural and design features of oriental rugs and carpets. The designs are grouped according to their essential characteristics. This approach illuminates the cultural background of each, revealing at once the similarities and the differences between the various carpet-weaving areas

Illustrations of modern types, with descriptions of their key characteristics—construction, materials, sizes, colors—and of the clues that establish a rug's precise origins, appear together with a balanced appraisal of the qualities of modern production from towns, villages, and tribal areas. Extensive cross-referencing and detailed indexes make this an invaluable reference guide for dealers and collectors, and for anyone who has an appreciation of and interest in rugs. 800+ illustrations and photographs, 400 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

very interesting book
helpful, easy to read, nice job, it will be the right-hand of the specialists in carpets

Good, but perhaps something for a time capsule
This is a comprehensive, well-researched, and lavishly illustrated guide to Oriental carpet design.Despite this, the book is actually rather limited in its coverage: the vast majority of the rugs the author describes are from the mid-20th century.Therefore, "Oriental Carpet Design" may somewhat disappoint serious collectors, and will provide novices a surfeit of information on rugs from a very specific time in history.As an alternative, while it focuses on 19th century, museum-quality rugs which are beyond the reach of most of us, I think Murray Eiland's "Oriental Carpets: A Complete Guide" remains the best single volume on the subject.

Outstanding Resource
This book is an outstanding resource for anyone from novice to expert, who wants to identify or has an interest in oriental carpets and rugs.

Excellent!
The book is a very well written vol d'oiseau over modern oriental rugs and carpets with excellent pictures and timely historical notes. Certainly one of the best works available in the field both to beginners and connoisseurs.

Oriental Carpet Design
This is an excellent book to find all the information one needs on Persian and Oriental carpets.Very informative, and beautiful colour plates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

light reading
This was a fun and interesting way to see the beginnings of Terry Pratchetts literary career.

Down among the warp and woof
The story behind this story is nearly the best story of all:"This book had two authors, one aged seventeen, one aged forty-three.Both of them were Terry Pratchett."Having penned this tale and had it lapse into obscurity, Pratchett is impelled by his editors to revive it years later.Rightly so.For the dedicated PTerry fan, this example of his early writing is an illuminating read.Many views expressed in the Discworld books are readily perceived here.For someone new to Pratchett, it's a great introduction to the scope of his ideas and his writing skills.For any reader, it's simply a delight to enjoy.

The story is a fine example of Pratchett's ability to view the world from a fresh perspective.If there's a fantasy novel lacking a dark forest and mysterious creatures, i've missed it.Pratchett, never a formula writer, simply shrinks the scope.His forested world is a thickly napped rug.Instead of pines or oaks, it's nylon and wool "hairs".The creatures are there, the snargs, the hymetors and others - including silverfish, who live under the world.There are also people - the Munrungs, the Deftmenes and - the Dumii.They interact, sometimes violently.Deep down in the pile, these people and their communities are invisible to humans.Something, however, sends terror through the forest peoples - Fray.This immensely destructive force topples cities and obliterates villages.

Pratchett builds a story of the conflict of respected traditions countered by innovation and invention.There is an Empire, to which taxes are due.That means clerks, organisation, regulations.While the Munrungs have always met the demands for revenue, others have opposed the imposition, hence, the Empire.Could two such peoples find a common cause?It seems unlikely, but the best way to unite two dissimilar tribes is having a common enemy.

Except for the conflict of good and evil, this story avoids formula approaches to fantasy.There are many characters, all of them reflected by people around us.Snibril, a Munrung, stands out but a little from the rest.One of his attributes is that he suffers sinus trouble.This isn't normally a heroic virtue, but it proves valuable here.There's also a philosopher.Everybody thinks to some extent.Philosophers are typified by telling about it in an interesting way.This description, of course, fits Pratchett admirably. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

If nothing else, read the Introduction
The introduction to this book is the best part.I burst out laughing right in the bookstore.

The Carpet People is Pratchett's first published work but has been extensively rewritten since then.As he puts it, this is now "a collaboration" between the younger author and the older.

I love Pratchett's Discworld series and the only reason I can't give this book more stars is because his other work sets the bar so high.I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A look at Pratchett's Early Work
Many readers are familiar with Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and its delicious range of unforgettable characters, satirical creations and dialogue and thought-provoking themes. Less known are his earlier works, including The Carpet People, which Pratchett first wrote as a teenager and had published, then went back to years later and rewrote the book to reflect his change in viewpoint.

The Carpet People feels more like a children's, or young adult story, although if it can be found, it will often be placed with Pratchett's Discworld titles in the fantasy section. The story is a delightful bit of imagination, entire societies coexisting within the world of the Carpet. These tiny creatures go about adventure on the epic scale, with Pratchett's typical ironic observations and humorous interpretations. Our hero, Snibril has to set out on a quest to save a kingdom from enemies and to stop the destruction of a force known only as The Fray.

This is not one of Pratchett's most seamless works by a long shot. I don't think he intended it to be.A lot of the themes and world-building elements he puts into practice for this work are later fulfilled with much more skill and elegance in his Discworld novels and Bromeliad trilogy.For any Pratchett fan, this book is a delight simply from its standpoint in the evolution of Pratchett's writing.

I gave this book four stars because I do not feel it is Pratchett's best work. It shouldn't be, this story was one of his earliest.This is a wonderful way to introduce younger readers to Pratchett, along with his Bromeliad trilogy.If you are discovering Terry Pratchett with this book, be aware that his writing only gets better from here! ^_^

Great;
For kiddies and adults alike (just read the entire series). In a grand adventure the carpet people must be saved.It's in Pratchett's usual cheerfull, commical and enthralling style of writing.

Enjoy ;) ... Read more

Product Description

A hilarious romp from small-town USA to the pink carpet of Hollywood with the beloved Emmy-winning actor, playwright, and gay icon

Leslie Jordan is a small man with a giant propensity for scene stealing. Best known for his bravura recurring role as Karen's nemesis, Beverley Leslie, on Will & Grace (for which he won a Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy in 2006), he has also made memorable appearances on Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Monk, and Murphy Brown.

Raised in a conservative family in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Leslie -- who describes himself as "the gayest man I know" -- boarded a Greyhound bus bound for LA with $1,200 sewn into his underpants and never looked back. His pocket-sized physique and inescapable talent for high camp paved the way to a lucrative and varied career in commercials and on television. Along the way he immersed himself in writing for the stage, and his one-man testimonials have become cult off-Broadway hits. But with success came dangerous temptations: a self-proclaimed former substance abuser and sexaholic, Leslie has spent time in jail and struggled to overcome his addictions and self-loathing.

My Trip Down the Pink Carpet is a rollicking, fast-paced collection of stories, served up with wit, panache, and plenty of biting asides. Filled with comically overwrought childhood agonies, offbeat observations, and revealing celebrity encounters -- from Boy George to George Clooney -- it delivers a fresh, laugh-out-loud take on Hollywood, fame, addiction, gay culture, and learning to love oneself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

It's a Victoria's Secret bra of a book
Beats there heart so dead to love and laughter that it hasn't rejoiced to the sight of Will & Grace's Beverley Leslie and Karen Walker having a bitch-fight? I know mine does even yet. Leslie Jordan is my hero for that role, and for the fearless and wonderful job he does as Brother Boy, the Tammy Wynette-tribute drag queen in Sordid Lives: The Series, whose tragic seemingly permanent hiatus causes me great spiritual pain.

He is also my hero anew for this line: "I write to keep the conduit open so the light can shine through me." Now, keep in mind: This is a 4'11" fey-as-hell Southern Babdiss of a Certain Age, renowned for hilariously being gay as a May morning, mildly famous for writing HILARIOUS one-Leslie shows and delivering them with verve and gusto, talking about being a conduit for universal love.

This is the moment for you to reel back in startled, impressed respect. Men like Leslie Jordan used to kill themselves before they would have a chance to get famous and write a book. And very tragically, the boys these men once were are still killing themselves thanks to the hate-filled "teachings" of the predominant religious strain in their world.

Yet here he is, folks, all of him such as it is, a morsel of protoplasm that's jumping up and down and hollering loud as he can: "It's all about love, it's only about love, can't we agree to see, it's all LOVE!"

Yes sir, Mr. Jordan, you are correct. That is all that it is about, whatever "it" is the subject of conversation. Thank you for saying it, clearly and forcefully, with examples of what hate and fear have done to you personally before this blindingly simple truth smacked into you.

So why should you read this book? For that message? Hell no! Read it because *this* little queen has ogled the packages of Luke Perry, Dean Cain, Billy Bob Thornton, on and on! In Person!! And he tells of his adventures in Hollywood, surprisingly, without cattiness or prurience. His sense of comedic timing is flawless, flawless, flawless, and he knows when to leave an anecdote instead of letting it drag on into anecdotage.

Why, then, have I given it a chary 3.9 stars? Because it's not perfect, as what can be; but its narrative flaw is that it's scattershot. It's not quite focused enough to be a real autobiography, and it's not as gauzily self-exculpatory or brutally self-excoriative as a memoir needs to be in this marketplace.

It's a reflective essay, a pulling-together of his life's strings and strands, with little obvious attempt to match the colors up. Flawed or no, it's colorful and fun and, if you care to see it, quite uplifting.

It's a Victoria's Secret bra of a book.

Emmy Winner Jordanis also a Great Story-Teller
Having tuned in to Jordan as "Brother Boy" on the series Sordid Lives (his character's passion and impersonations of Tammy Wynette were mind-blowing), I was not disappointed in his hilarious book.You can't help but hear Jordan's distinctive voice as you read his words.This is a no holes barred book--not for the priggish.Jordan fesses up to his most outlandish escapades from childhood on.How he survived all of this is a tribute to his resilience.Funny, funny, funny, and in many ways insightful.

Pink Carpet Laughs
This book is a howl. I also appreciated Leslie's touching stories about helping AIDS patients. Wish I could see the play on Broadway.

Not fond of this book
I read this book after seeing Leslie Jordan on the View.I thought it would be funnier to the mainstream reader but was put off by the crudeness of many of his comments.Maybe gay people would find it funnier than I did, but the sexual comments were more than I would have appreciated from anyone, straight or gay.

LESLIE JORDAN/A FUNNY MAN
Well, to be honest I haven't had the chance to read this book yet.
But, as soon as I do I will give a review.
Looking forward to reading it.
Thanks. ... Read more

Product Description
The four children acquired the magic carpet when they found a special fire egg -- it hatched in their nursery fireplace.The phoenix came from the egg, and when he saw their mother's new Persian rug, he showed them that it was a magical thing -- a flying carpet that would take them any time and that place they could wish for.Witty, genuine, full of timeless sympathy and childish sensibility, _The Phoenix and the Carpet_ offers a special ride through wonders for children of all ages.(Jacketless library hardcover.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Puffin classics are LOVE
I love Puffin classics! Complete and unabridged, they bring stories to life for children with lovely covers and readable text, and at $3.99-$5.99 are a great deal! I'm collecting all of them. :-)

Excellent
This is another adventure of the children in Five Children and It. The children discover a magic carpet and a phoenix egg and have many more adventures. An excellent book.

Free SF Reader
The same kids from Five Children and It are now back at their house in London.One Guy Fawkes night they get a bit too keen with the fire workings, doing some damage to the floor coverings.

The replacement has an odd egg in it.Out of this, they get a Phoenix, a magic carpet, and yet more wish stuff.

Adventuresome Kids
Ms. Nesbit spun an amusing yarn of four easily bored privileged siblings (plus a baby brother) who stumbled quite fortunately on a supernatural bird and a flying carpet. The bird and the carpet fulfill wishes therefore the result is an utterly grand time for the little rascals each time they venture for a ride. And, how they make full use of the magical duo! The author's method of story telling is pretty exciting - there are asides to further relay useful information to the readers which are mostly quite witty. One could even learn how to play tricks on cooks and housemaids from the story. It might at first seem that the carpet would just take the children to one place after another in order to sate their curiosities. Don't be too sure because at the end, the reader will find himself/herself struck by the realization that all their journeys are tied together to complete a tale worth telling. Ms. Nesbit was a genius at attracting her readers' attention. It is a well-told children's fiction.

Wonderful, Classic Literature
Exceptional writing! Many of the children/youth books now-a-days, lack the ability to capture and draw the imagination the way that Nesbit can.She was truly a remarkable author. I can't wait to dive in to more of her works.If only I had been introduced to her writing sooner. Clean, inviting and witty. ... Read more

Product Description
One woman's impulsive foray into sheep herding provides an unexpected education in God's shepherding love for His people.

Sharon Niedzinski and her family never expected their lives to change so quickly. It all started with an unsolicited call from their realtor-their dream farm had come up for sale. A new life in an old farmhouse seemed like the perfect adventure. As Sharon fixed up the house, she looked at the green pastureland outside, and a new theme emerged: "New England Countryside." She ordered a flock of white Columbia ewes to match the Waverly plaid wallpaper, matching curtains and blue carpet. She had no idea what she was in for...

While dealing with orphan lambs, tail cuttings and foot rot, Sharon began to experience firsthand the amazing truths buried in the many Scriptures referencing God as our Shepherd. Through hilarious, heart-tugging stories, the author tells how those truths radically changed her life and brought her closer to our hard-working, sweat-stained, real-life Shepherd-Jesus.

Customer Reviews (50)

Our Good Shepherd
I am yet to meet a follower of Jesus Christ who does not have a very special place in their heart for Psalm 23. Most of us can recite it by heart from our Sunday school days. Yet, Sharon Niedzinski, in her book `Heaven Has Blue Carpet,' truly opens our eyes to the treasure to be found in the analogy of the sheep and his Shepherd that flows throughout the pages of scripture. The book's sub title states that this book is a `sheep story by a suburban housewife' and whilst the cover of the book is very unassuming, it does not prepare you for the experience of discovering the intimacy and dependence that resonates from the text: `The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.'

Sharon skillfully takes you into her world of sheep herding and through her `shearing shed, good grain' on the job training experience and `chew on this' leaves you in appreciation and reverend worship of our Good Shepherd. It is funny, exhilarating, and informative, you almost feel like a part of the adventure. As I read this book I truly wanted to visit this farm and see with my own eyes the beautiful landscapes she describes and the sheep that had brought such wonderful revelation of the love of God for me.

I think of the parable Jesus tells Peter about gratitude and how the person who is forgiven much loves much. When we have been in church for a while, we have a tendency to lose sight of the depravity of man and we perhaps do not love as we ought to. Sharon 's story about Joey took me back to my depravity. Who would have thought that we could learn so much about humanity from sheep? What I loved most about this book is that it allows you to see our Shepherd and how he could leave the ninety nine sheep in search of the one that was lost. I too am persuaded that `Heaven has Blue Carpet.' What a wonderful opportunity to fall in love with Jesus all over again. A must read for all who love the Lord with an undying love.

Insightful and interesting
I really liked this book. As a suburbanite who knits, I wanted to read up on sheep farming out of curiosity. She raised sheep for meat and not for wool, but much of what she goes through is probably what wool sheep farmers also have to face.

Even more importantly, she gives insights into what sheep and shepherding are really like and draws parallels with Christianity and Christ, and that really touched me as I read this book. I didn't know any of the things she mentions about sheep, and so everything was new and interesting to me.

She has scripture passages interspersed in her stories to make points about how her experiences can be applied to a Christian's life. Most of the passages are very appropo and insightful, although near the middle and end of the book, sometimes I didn't quite see the connection between the prose and the scripture, and sometimes the scripture was a bit too much (I prefer less scripture and more prose when I read a book, that's just my personal preference). Also, sometimes her prose got a bit preachy near the ending, but that might be simply because she's trying to speak to people who are not Christians.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Christian I know. The insights she gives into the parallels between sheep and Christians are fantastic.

Heaven has Blue Carpet
This was one of the best books I have ever read. Besides learning all sorts of interesting things about sheep, I learned how much we humans resemble them in our behavior. It brought out the connection between a sheep and his shepherd and us and our Shepherd, Jesus. A friend lent it to me and I loved it so much I bought 2 from Amazon, one to keep and reread (I always need reminders) and one to pass on. The book itself was in pristine condition. Thanks, Amazon!

cute book
not wowed by it, it is a cute afternoon or two read about a woman who paints a nice picture of hearding sheep and compares them to her christain walk.I admit I didn't find a lot of humor in it but the concept as a Christain was good overall. Very simple and an easy bedtime read.

Maybe I expected too much from the book but i felt that it lacked something for me anyway.While there are some good points and antidotes I didn't feel the book was as good as I had hoped.

The only reason I gave it five stars is becaue I felt that it was not my cup of tea but I could see how someone else would be delighted by the author and the message.

cute book
I enjoyed the book but it was a bit fluffy for my taste.The author paints a rosey picture of hearding sheep while expounding on Christain princicipals (the sheep are stubborn and willful where part of this anaology comes in)

I found it a cute "chick book" and while I was not wowed by it , it is a good way to kill an afternoon or two.Not too heavy handed but I admit I had a hard time finishing it. ... Read more

Product Description
Murray Eiland's Oriental Rugs has long been the standard introduction to oriental rugs. The authors have extended the range of the book by incorporating new material on Chinese and Indian rugs, and the text has been completely revised. The plates of all the illustrations have been remade, and many of the rugs shown are new to this edition. The book's focus is the nineteenth- and twentieth-century weaving of the Middle and Far East. This is introduced by a brief history of carpets, followed by a discussion of weaving techniques, dyes, and design. Traditional practices are described, along with modern innovations, such as computer-aided design. The use of synthetic dyes and the recent revival of natural dyes are given a balanced appraisal. The importance and methodology of technical analysis is firmly emphasized. The endmatter includes extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index. The book includes more than 330 color illustrations, the majority of them new to this edition. They show classic pieces along with others that are more likely to be available to readers. Where possible, the captions include a structural analysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Beautiful book, thorough monograph on oriental carpets
Caveat: You won't know a thing about rugs until you start to shop around, until you start touching them. You'll have to look at the knots, at the foundation and the edges, and run your hands over the pile. You'll need to feel the difference between a silk weave and a wool weave. That said, this book gives a thorough informational grounding in the topic.

The book starts with an account of what little is known of the origins of carpet making. The next chapter describes how carpets are constructed. Weavers make short knots that form the visible pile; the pile is woven on an invisible foundation of warps and wefts. There are many types of knots, and surprisingly many types of warps and wefts as well! The book then explains what materials are used--mostly wool, cotton, and silk--how they are spun into yarns, and how they are colored, with either natural or synthetic dyes. The colors are of course central to a carpet's designs, which is the topic of the following chapter.

The authors then proceed to review the great carpet making regions. There's a huge chapter on Persian rugs, followed by a chapter on Turkish rugs. These are followed by shorter chapters on the rugs of the Caucasus, India & Pakistan, China, Turkestan, Tibet, North Africa, and the Balkans.

Rugs are like wine, or like any fine object. One cannot learn the topic from a book, one must learn from the things themselves. A good book though is invaluable in reducing how long it will take to feel comfortable with the topic.

One last word. There are 348 illustrations of extremely high quality, making the book itself a very beautiful object. It's a great coffee table book.

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo

Best introduction you can buy
This is a classic, serious reference book on the different styles of oriental carpets. All geographical areas are covered so it is a great introduction to the field. It is probably the only book you need to buy unless you become serious in collecting carpets.

There is a disconnect between the pictured carpets in the book and the carpets you will find in a carpet shop. The pictures are of older carpets. It would have been nice to have a stronger bridge to what is actually available for purchase today. The hardest issue buying modern oriental carpets is not to overpay. Sure there are fakes, but if you go to a reputable dealer that is not a major problem. However, even reputable dealers are hard to pin down on price. Don't expect any such information in the book.

A good start
This book is a good introduction to rug basics, with rich illustration and good coverage of the main carpet-producing regions in Asia and the Middle-East. However, the book leaves much to be desired as a genuine tool to help one actually collect rugs.It gives out basic information in a general lecture-like fashion (which is not necessarily a bad thing), but does not really make an effort at reaching out to the reader in terms of the actual experience of buying/handling/trading carpets (which is definitely a bad thing).One glaring weakness is the paucity of information on Central Asian rugs outside of Turkmenistan (arguably because the book was written at a time when Central Asia was not as easily accessible as it is now).There is also, it must be said, a somewhat superior tone to the writing that is not necessary and does take away from the pleasure of reading on the subject.Still, all things considered, this is a valuable book to own.

Great way to get introduced to the world of rugs
This is an excellent way to learn about rugs from top to bottom -- it eases you slowly into a comprehensive knowledge of rugs. I feel that this will help me greatly in my work - I just started doing customer service for a rug company. Great buy to anyone who wants to be educated thoroughly on the business of rugs.

Bitterly Dissapointing
The book reads like a paean of love for all things Anatolian and Caucasian, and is positively dripping in its oily bias for these regions. Perhaps a title like "A Complete Guide" might be a little misleading in light of the author's evident disdain for city-made Persian goods, and a complete dismissal of Turkish curvilinear rugs altogether.

Its technical analysis reads like a poorly prepared undergraduate work, drawing conclusions that are risible at best, embarrassingly self-indulgent and irresponsible at worst; the untried conjectures of a dilettante.The text does serve some small function as an emetic, however.

P.R.J. Ford's "Oriental Carpet Design" is vastly superior to this tired and dusty old dinosaur. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Khiva - the place for exotic adventure
Alexander's book is a great introduction of the storied city of Khiva as it is today. It's a book well worth reading. For those looking for a more historical view of Khiva and the forces that shaped it, check out Pilgrims on the Silk Road: A Muslim-Christian Encounter in Khiva. It's a good compliment to Alexander's book, offering both adventure and context for this marvelous part of the Silk Road. ... Read more

Product Description
An element of drama has always attended Rupert Everett, even before he swept to fame with his outstanding performances in such popular films as My Best Friend's Wedding and Shakespeare in Love. He was in Moscow during the fall of communism; in Berlin the night the wall came down; and in downtown Manhattan on September 11th. By the age of 17 he was friends with Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger, and since then he has been up close and personal with some of the most famous women in the world: Julia Roberts, Madonna, Sharon Stone, and Donatella Versace. From the eccentricities of the British upper classes to the madness of Hollywood, from the Russian steppes to an Easter egg hunt in Elizabeth Taylor's garden, Everett reveals himself as a consummate storyteller and a charming guide to life in the fast lane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

bitchy and unpleasant

2.0 out of 5 stars bitchy and unpleasant, 27 Dec 2009
By N. Brett (Wiltshire, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)(REAL NAME)
I started this book a year ago, and only just picked it up in order to finish it. That in itself should tell you that I was neither that impressed or that engaged. In the interim period some of his public behaviour (in the UK charity Apprentice) made him appear very lightweight indeed.

Rupert Everett offers us an autobiography of an average actor, a very gay rake and wanders through a bohemian decadence while offering us bitchy gossip as he minces through his life.

Yes there is the odd bid of interesting gossip (Madonna and Sharon Stone come to mind) but generally, while actually quite well written, this will not endear many of us to the actor. To me he came over as an unpleasant parasite, very little moral fibre or affection is shown and everyone is described as a "queen" and he adores most people as much as they apparently adore him.
The only time he shows any emotion is when his dog dies, even when he describes charity work, it feels as if he is going though the motions rather then having any passion for the charity concerned.

So maybe my judgement was clouded by not liking Rupert Everett very much before I read this, but having read it, I like him a little bit less.

looked forward to listening to it
This was a great 'read' for a road trip. Full of celebrity gossip and snappy language. The colorful bites Everett flings at actresses such as Kathleen Bates , Sharon Stone, Madonna and Julia Roberts are clipped by 'oh, but she IS a DARLING!' and a second follow up of the actresses wonderful points.

For instance RE says Madonna had star quality unlike any celebrity he had ever met, but her eyes were so far apart another millicentirmeter further would have made her look deranged. Sharon Stone comes off as just plain looney--but then she has beautiful skin. Funny scene on New Year's Eve at Versace's house in Miami when Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow dish J-Low.

Everett hobnobbed with the pop culture/Hollywood/ fashion gliterrati of the 80s and found himself living in happening places, such as South Beach, when it was the center of the nouveau riche/ hip social world.He saw a lot of ups and downs and friends die of AIDS. His viewpoint is not ust snappy but also tender.

One criticism--not a mention of what was going on in the bigger world --other than in his world of show biz, gay life, and celebrity life.

Fine read!
This book is written in a strange literal style of English Brit.

I never realized that Rupert was a creator?? He really didn't get any breaks until My Best Friend's Wedding. Before that he did theatre and starred in some rarity of films! Okay! Luv ya!

I never realized how painful it was for him to finally admit that he was *poof*? He slept with so many fishes (thank you Men on Film, ie. Blaine) and blokes. While at his religious boarding school, he prayed to God and asked Him -with a vengeance- why he loved other boys? If it wasn't for his fiancé's miscarriage, he would've remained in the closet and miserable living a lie! Everything happens for a reason.

His book confirms that he was proud of The Next Best Thing, and not ashamed of it- in my opinion he was? He's gay/queer and proud!!!

What a Boring Read!
I have to tell you that I had the highest expectations for Mr. Everett's autobiography, but found it to be one of the dullest tomes that I have ever read - and I have read many.There are few redeeming factors in his writing; and it would have been helpful too if the editor/publisher had proof-read the galleys for typos.It's really a sad tale of a performer that was happy to be around the edges of performance, but I gather had a core of self-defeatism - but had extreme talents and a background to be a break out star.Perhaps it's because Mr. Everett is an extremely talented musician and actor - not to mention one of the most handsome men in the world - that he squandered his bountiful gifts and then unfortunately told the tale in a manner that would bore the most ardent fan.He is spreading himself too thin.Red Carpets is a rag tag tale of his associations with some famous (such as Andy Warhol - my mother, actress Jean Parker, met Mr. Warhol in 1973, and was terrified by him)who he describes as a blank poseur, or really blank; and a bunch of Euro Trash and vapid, talentless hangers on.

I'd really like to see Rupert try again - keep his pithy remarks but for god's sake learn to tell a story.

Bob Hanks, Redondo Beach, CA

Exactly what I expected.
The book is entertaining and interesting (to me).The man lives the life of a movie actor, and that's what the book details clearly.Reading it gave me fresh insight into show business.I appreciate that Rupert is a relatively young man to write an autobiography, and that if he writes another in 30 or 40 years it may show a life reflected upon by a more mature man. ... Read more

Product Description
The inspiring true story of a prizewinning foreign correspondent longing for a child, two small Iraqi girls in need of a mother, and what love and grief can teach us about family and hope.

Zahra, age three, and Hawra, only a few months old, were the only survivors of a missile strike in Baghdad in 2003 that killed their parents and five siblings. Across the world, in London, foreign correspondent Hala Jaber was preparing to head to Iraq to cover the emerging war. After ten years spent trying to conceive, Jaber and her husband had finally resigned themselves to a childless future. Now she intended to bury her grief in her work, with some unusually dangerous reporting. Once in Iraq, though, Jaber found herself drawn again and again to stories of mothers and children, a path that led her to an Iraqi children's hospital-and to Zahra and Hawra and their heart-wrenching story. Almost instantly Jaber became entwined in the lives of these girls, and in a struggle to advocate on their behalf that reveals far more about the human cost of war than any news bulletin ever could.

Beautifully written and deeply moving, The Flying Carpet of Small Miracles presents a genuinely fresh insight and perspective from a woman who, as an Arab living and working in the West, is able to uniquely straddle both worlds. In its attention to the emotional experiences of women and children whose lives are irrevocably changed by war, Jaber's story offers hope for redemption for those caught in its cross fires. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Children and War
I just finished reading The Flying Carpet of Small Miracles: A Woman's Fight to Save Two Orphans by Hala Jaber. The story is the author's account of her attachment to two small victims of the war in Iraq. A Muslim woman who is a British journalist married to a British photographer, she meets the children on an assignment. This assignment requires a photo of an orphan and a story that combined with the face of the child, will move people to send aid to the many small victims of the war.
These are the victims we rarely think about but who are killed and maimed as often as the adults. And if they do escape death and disability, are often left orphans, many too young to survive alone. Eunice Boeve, author of Ride a Sahdowed Trail

I slogged through this to the bitter end.. .
In response to the previous reviewer, I can certainly understand why more people aren't reading this book:It is an exercise in self-indulgent drivel.

While the brief stories of the "collateral damage" of war on children and families is poignant, the book is all about the author and her "angst."The fact is that she made a commitment to two little girls, one of whom died and the other of whom she couldn't manage to face for five years.Meanwhile, she pursued her career and wondered whether she could actually be a mother and did retail therapy, buying diamond rings (because, you understand, ALL Arab women love to adorn themselves. . . ) and feeling "guilty" the whole time.Then -- surprise, surprise!When she finally reunited with the child, the grandmother wasn't willing to relinquish her to this dilettante.

Really, Ms. Jaber -- If you want to do something and promise to do it, then DO it.Many people have and do, in all kinds of trying situations.Otherwise, please spare us your self-righteous justifications.

This BOOK is a miracle
I cannot understand why more people arenot reading this WONDERFUL book.Perhaps they don't know about it.It will be my pleasure to tell you about a great book.I do not lightly give a book 5 stars(I wish there were 6 stars).Hala, the author,is a British journalist, a Muslim, married to a British photographer.Her assignment is war torn Iraq. More specifically her assignment is the Iraqi people, referred to by the press as "collateral damage."The collateral damaged were beautiful children and families. In many cases whole families were wiped out by allied bombs.I was amazed that the "accidents"were much much much more extensive than I ever imagined.Itis necessary to read between the lines to know how sadden Hala is by the war.She is not openly critical of theallies, remember she is employed by the British press. Many of her articles focus on the wounded and orphaned children.Several of these children are closely followed and updated to recent time.She writes beautifully.She has a story to tell, a very personal story.She is involved emotionally by her Muslim faith. This is a heart read.You will cry, laugh,and rejoice.When it isfinished, you will wish for more.

Even Handed Yet Emotional View of War
I was captivated by this story.Should be required reading for all cadets going to officer candidate schools.Should absolutely be read by any leader thinking about engaging in a "war of choice".Actions have consequences.Wars invariably have many horrific consequences.This story of how a Western journalist's life is shattered by events in the latest Iraq war is an eye-openner.By limiting the scope of the book to a couple of tragic incidents, and interjecting her personal challenges, the author has allowed the reader to go beyond the general statistics to the particular with heart-wrenching results.Well done.

The Flying Carpet of Small Miracles
I read this book in two days, that is how enchanting it was.I felt like I was beside Hala the whole time, as she takes a journey through Bagdad and reveals the tradgedies and miracles that take place along the way.This book will make you open up your mind and see the war from a different perspective.Truly Inspiring!! ... Read more

Product Description
It's Maeve's chance to be a star -- and to see up close and personal what fame and fortune can do to a person. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Everyone knows that Maeve's dream is to be a famous actress someday, so when her father, who owns the Movie House, tells her that the New York Film Academy will be running a summer film camp right in their theater, Maeve feels ready to explode from happiness. Their new business partner is Walter von Krupcake, whose television commercials star not only him, but his daughter, Madeline. Imagine attending film camp with a real actress!

With the investment of the "Krupcake King," the Film Academy will be sprucing up their Movie House and bringing in the world renowned film director Artemia Aaron to direct the camp...as well as her son, the child star Apollo Aaron, who will also be taking part in the camp activities. This chance to work directly with true professionals is the opportunity that Maeve has been waiting for, and she can hardly wait.

Right from the first day of camp, Maeve is impressed with Madeline and the glamorous lifestyle she leads, so she's honored when Madeline chooses her to be her new friend. While Madeline has a gigantic house, hunky servants, a limo to ride around in, and a seemingly endless supply of expensive, collector's-item dresses, Maeve figures that she can learn a thing or two from her new friend.

Luckily, Madeline really seems to value Maeve's natural talent and big ideas on what they can accomplish in the camp, so Maeve feels no hesitancy in sharing her time and effort. But what happens when the student movie can only have one star, and both girls want the position?

This BEACON STREET GIRLS special adventure, starring Maeve, feels appropriate on all levels when taking Maeve's character into consideration. With a dramatic premise, a rather obvious emotional conflict, and an over-the-top finale, regular readers of the series will enjoy watching Maeve turn the tide of the situation to her own favor.

Reviewed by:Allison Fraclose

Perfect fit
Traits you could use to describe me:
1) An actress
2) Top favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn
3) Dream roles include Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady"
4) Loves classic movies (and quoting from movies)

The main character in Maeve on the Red Carpet shares each of these traits with me. As I read, it was a little startling - I mean, is this author stalking me or something?!

If you have any of the above things in common with me and Maeve, you will probably like this book. It's really cute, fun, and fast-paced (albeit predictable). The book is pure fluff - if Harry Potter is a four-course meal, this is only cotton candy. But since I adore stories about filming and aspiring actresses, I adored this book. Especially since the heroine and I had so much in common. ;)

Sure to be a hit with tweens and film junkies.
The Beacon Street Girls series is part of a brand designed to empower "tweens", and help them with the transition from "toys and boys." The books feature five middle school age best friends, all from diverse backgrounds, and with distinct interests. They go to school on Beacon Street in Brookline, MA.

The books are (according to the publisher) "shaped by leading experts in adolescent development and current research on how to positively impact girls' self-esteem." Although I'm generally a bit leery of books that try explicitly to get across a particular message, I like the Beacon Street Girls books. The characters are well-drawn and realistic. They make mistakes, and learn from them. They suffer from pesky younger brothers, difficulty with math, and divorcing parents, among other ordinary tribulations. Despite their differences, they are loyal to each other. And their stories are fun!

This installment, part of a series of "adventure" titles that each feature only one of the five Beacon Street Girls, sends Maeve to movie camp. It reminds me a tiny bit of Noel Streatfeild's books (Theater Shoes, Ballet Shoes, etc., though with quite a bit more privilege). Near the start of what promises to be a boring school vacation week, with all of her friends away, Maeve learns that her father has arranged to host a New York Film Academy film camp in the family's theater. A wealthy sponsor has offered to pay for improvements to the theater, and a famous Hollywood director will be leading the camp. Maeve is over the ceiling thrilled, despite that fact that her annoying younger brother, Sam, will also be attending the camp.

When camp begins, Maeve learns a lot, works hard, and is a bit star-struck by the pampered daughter of the wealthy sponsor (who, in an amusing throwaway joke, knows the famous "Venice Doubletree"). The other kids are more down-to-earth, though the Director's son turns out to have real acting experience. Through her interactions with the other campers, and their parents, Maeve learns some hard lessons about trust, friendship, and betrayal. I must admit that I saw the betrayal coming a mile off, and I think that many readers will, too. But the point isn't so much the betrayal itself, but the way that Maeve reacts to it, and eventually bounces back.

I also enjoyed Maeve's relationship with her little brother. He follows her around with a movie camera and drives her crazy, but also stands by her in unexpected ways. Here's one of my favorite exchanges:

""Good," Sam answered. "Because I think you're the best actress in the whole world!"

I looked at Mom, who just shrugged. Sometimes little brothers could surprise you by saying the nicest thing and make you feel totally guilty for ever thinking of them as an annoying pest. Then other times...

"Last one to the theater's a rotten egg! Haha, that's you, Maeve," Sam suddenly cried."

I think that fans of the BSG books will enjoy this installment. It's nice to have a chance to focus on just one of the girls, and get to know Maeve and her family a bit better. And Maeve is fun to spend time with. She's overly dramatic, and annoyingly obsessed with her appearance, but she's not afraid to work hard or to admit her mistakes. And her genuine enthusiasm for movies is irresistible. The details about how a movie is made are interesting, too, and should be a hit with kids who are film junkies. I give Maeve on the Red Carpet four stars!

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on June 25, 2007. ... Read more

Product Description
When Neal and Julie agree to help Eric straighten up his basement, they never imagine that they're in for more than getting a little dusty. But as the three kids follow a soccer ball into the small room under the basement stairs, the floor suddenly evaporates to reveal a rainbow staircase to another world!

Before they have a chance to look around, they are caught in the midst of a battle. Shiny red men riding giant lizards are shooting arrows straight at them. They are saved by Princess Keeah of Droon who tells them the red men are warriors for the evil Lord Sparr. She promises to help them get home if they will carry a message for her.

The message is delivered successfully but the brave Keeah has been captured by Lord Sparr. Equipped with a cape of invisibility, a six legged camel/horse, and a talkative spider-troll named Max, the three children manage to sneak in and rescue Keeah.

Astride a magic carpet, Julie, Eric, Neal, and Keeah fly to the stairs that will take the three "Upper World" children back home. The kids are astonished to discover that no time has passed back in their own world. But even as they marvel at their adventure, they realize that Princess Keeah has left them a secret message: Your dreams will tell you to return! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

My daughter's favorite series!
My daughter loves this series. The Secrets of Droon is her favorite series and Tony Abbott is her favorite author. She started reading them when she was 6, after reading a number of other series, including the Magic Tree House. But it was The Secrets of Droon that got her hooked on reading. She loves all the fantasy, magic, interesting characters, adventures and stories in the books. She owns all of the books in the series and always re-reads them, mixing them in with series and books by other authors. These books are great for imagination and for planting love of reading in children.

If, in addition to fantasy, adventures, and magic, your child likes time travel, then he or she will enjoy Time Surfers by Tony Abbott, as well. This series is another favorite of my daughter. She owns all the 8 books in the series and loves re-reading them.

A strong entertaining and moral saga
I have been reading this series (and this individual book over and over)ever since it came out more than a decade ago and have loved every single book(there are 44). No one is going to say that this is a very deep or intense set of books because they serve a greater purpose. For young readers they serve as introductory chapter books that's language both accommodates and challenges. The language matures during the series so that the reader does notfind them easier and easier. The best part however is the content of books, although each book can serve as entertainment by itself, the series in whole can serve as thousands of pages of fun adventure. The "secrets" referred to in the title are mysteries slowly presented in the first books and grow challenging the reader to try and piece them together. Being a child(7) when I started reading the series, I know how fun they are to read and how compelling the characters are. The main charactersmanage to maintain a life of frolicking adventures while remaining respectful to their parents, working hard in school and being kind to whomever they meet. Abbot's strict adherence to stories with happy endings stay true no matter how dire the situation that the children are in. In the battle of good verse evil that this book and the entire Secret of Droon Series the good guys always win the day(although not necessarily the book) and the bad guys lose but don't get killed or anything violent like that. Moreover this is a series that rejects sadness, and whose characters both good and evil never die. In October 2010, the final book of the series was published, which although sad for those who love the series, was true to the series fierce ethical structure. I recommend this book and the following 43 books strongly for any child and for any parent that wants their child both educated academically and morally while also being entertained.

Great book for imagination!
My daughter enjoyed the book even though she said it had too many old English words that were confusing to her...

The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet
We are a group of fourth graders and we did not like the book called The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet. Here are the reasons we disliked the book. The first reason is that it felt like a child wrote it. Another reason is that it was not exciting at all. On the cover it said The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet, but it only talks about the magic carpet at the end of the chapter. We would recommend this book to a second grader because it had very short chapters and there were only five sentences on each page. They will like the characters too.These are the reasons we did not like this book.

My triplet 6-year-olds loved this book!
We've done the Magic Treehouse books, the Rainbow Fairy books, the Moody Judy, Junie B. Jones and other series and I asked the school librarian, what next? She recommended my girls try this first book from the Droon series. They weren't sure when I brought it home, but they were HOOKED. They fought over it so much that I finally read it out loud to them (which was way more fun than a lot of the other books which I just CAN'T read aloud to them or I wilt from sheer boredom). We read it cover to cover straight through - any pauses were met by pleas to continue. They are reading book 2 now and loving it just as much. They are in first grade and the books are so very exciting compared to much of what they've been reading up until now. There are a few scarier characters - the red Ninns and the evil guy (forgot his name) but they did all right with them because the kids win in the end through wit and bravery. I'm thrilled to have found this series. ... Read more

Product Description
E. Nesbit’s rip-roaring sequel to Five Children and It follows the wondrous adventures of Robert, Jane, Cyril, Anthea, and The Lamb as they discover a clever phoenix and a magic carpet that can take them anywhere they wish. With an introduction by popular fantasy author Bruce Coville, this classic novel will be sure to please. ... Read more

Product Description
Handmade rugs are perpetual objects of desire, sought after for their expressive designs and intricate combinations of pattern and color. Whether hand-knotted or handwoven, their tactile quality completes any well-furnished interior. A rug often occupies fully a third of a room and, if antique, is also often its most expensive single item, yet there has never been a book presenting decorative carpets as an integral component of interior design until now.
 
Decorative carpet expert Alix G. Perrachon has, for the first time, compiled a book to guide all interested in placing handmade carpets in contemporary spaces—from individual homeowners to interior designers and their clients. Inside, thirty-two of America’s most celebrated designers—including Penny Drue Baird, Samuel Botero, Clodagh, Jamie Drake, David Easton, Thomas Jayne, Juan Montoya, Suzanne Tucker, Bunny Williams, and Vicente Wolf—discuss in animated terms how, and which pieces, they choose from the infinite array of handmade decorative carpets available in the market today. Their selections are illustrated with luxurious images drawn from their own work, revealing rugs ranging from Agras, Aubussons, and Axminsters to modern Tibetan and transitional designs in every style of interior from traditional to contemporary.
 
In addition to engaging, accessible text and 300 full-color illustrations, The Decorative Carpet provides purchasing and care essentials, presents the twenty most popular types of rugs used by designers today—along with a brief description of the defining characteristics and history of each—and includes a glossary and suggestions for further reading, providing all the tools necessary for all those eager to explore the intriguing, expansive world of handmade decorative carpets to begin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Everything you should know about Oriental rugs
This is a "one stop" book. Not only do you learn a lot about different types of rugs but also get to enjoy their uses in professionally decorated homes. It is an easy book to read, go back to for reference and get ideas from. Beautiful as well as informative. I highly recommend this book which is more than a "coffee table" book.
Congratulation to Alix Perrachon. ... Read more

Product Description
When King Balash's precious diamond is stolen, the grief-stricken king can no longer rule, and the country falls into chaos, until a clever young boy comes up with a scheme to bring the jewel's radiance back into the palace. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very nice story of children helping a cause
Nice story, beautiful pictures, good for a lesson on how children can do important things to help their community.

Excellent intro to Persia
I recommend this book, and books like this one, to all parents who wish tointroduce other cultures to their children. The story is simple and welltold. The illustrations are absolutely fabulous and are faithful to thePersian architecture.
If I may respond to the reviewers, folk storiesdo not always follow the Hollywood goodguy-badguy plot. This story doeshave morales: We should not get attached to material things because theyare not permanent, friendship is more important that diamonds, a little kidcan come up with a great idea, great achievements are made by workingtogether.
There is some truth to the legend too. A carpet dubbed as`Bahar of Khosrow' (spring of Khosrow), existed at the Palace of Ctesiphonewhich is referred to in Persian scripts as the `Arch Palace of Ctesiphone'.The carpet was 450 feet long and 90 feet wide, made for Sassanid kingKhosrow and for this reason it was named `Bahar of Khosrow'.In the book,the king character is named "Balash", which was the name of fiveof the Sassanid kings.
One minor critique though, the Sassanid dynastywas pre-islamic. The illustrations in the book, both the architecture andpeoples costumes, are obviously post-islamic. :-)

Visually beautiful, engrossing tale
This beautifully written and illustrated tale for children ages 5 to 10, shows the power of childrens' kindness and ingenuity in a cleverly written story set in ancient Persia. Told like an old folktale, this storyengrossed my two boys, ages 7 and 10, who thoroughly enjoyed the richimages the story and the pictures created. A good purchase for home or theclassroom studying different cultures. ... Read more

Product Description
The Celebrity Experience combines the best practices of the business world with those of the celebrity world to create a practical and proactive guide for anyone who wants to bring their business’s internal and external customer service to the level of star treatment. Based on the unique ways celebrities are treated, the book shares techniques you can use to treat your customers to a red-carpet experience, guaranteeing repeat business and stellar word of mouth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Enjoyable Book
This book captures everything true customer service should be about.This book will give you a ton of ideas how to make each and every client have a memorable experience that will result in a lot of referrals for you.You only need 2 books in my opinion to have a successful business: 1) How to Win Friends and Influence People and 2) The Celebrity Experience.Each will give you the tools and INSPIRATION to roll out the red carpet for your clients.What goes around comes around!

A Must Read for Any Business Owner
In today's market, personal touch, great customer service is a must.Today's consumers are able to find what they want with a click of a mouse.If you want to retain customers and your employees, you've got to let them know they're appreciated.

Lot's of great examples, enjoyable book to read.And it gave me ideas and inspiration how I can do better in this department.

The Celebrity Experience
Every small business owner, human resources department,and everyone in the services industry should read "The Celebrity Experience", and refer to it often!Donna Cutting cuts through the red tape, and reveals lots of delicious ideas for giving your customers a red carpet experience, thus increasing your bottom line.In a world that is highly competetive, if you apply these principles, you find yourself on the A-List in your customer's eyes.

Must have customer service book!
Nothing in the Celebrity Experience was rocket science. But everything in this book are things YOU can do if you work in the service industry to provide great customer service for those you serve. The stories are relevant and easy to relate to. The insights Donna provides are priceless! With each section offering ACTION tips you can immediately implement, you can use this book as a guidebook for providing great customer service for your organization.

You don't have to be in the service industry for this book to be relevant to you. Many of the stories shared are things you can relate to if you've ever gotten great customer service. My favorite is the "consider it done" phone at the Gaylord Opryland that Donna discusses in great depth. Donna recounts stories of picking up the phone to "consider it done" and the person on the other end going to great lengths to ensure everything is taken care of to your satisfaction.

Fun stories...actionable tips...and common sense! BUY THIS BOOK!

You need to own this book!
I really enjoyed reading this book because it is packed with real life examples of businesses that utilize red carpet customer service. And I have personally seen positive results and more income in my business by using the tips in this book.

Donna combines easy to implement action steps with solid company wide strategies to make your customer feel special.

She also reminds us how we can be sure we are doing our part as an A list customer too.

For any business owner, this book should definitely be on your bookshelf. And given to each team member in your company.

Such a delightful book!

Teresa Morrow
Owner of Key Business Parnters ... Read more