Customer Reviews (1)

Full of valuable information about Moroccan carpets
It is extremely well researched and informative book. It highlights the beauty of the Moroccan weaving art. This book is in a class byitself just as Moroccan carpets are. ... Read more

Product Description
Kids discover the creatures galore that creep in kitchen crevices, live under floorboards, hide in closets, hang from attic rafters, and scuttle on cellar floors. Here are roaches and earwigs, centipedes, beetles, and dust mites, woodworm beetles, termites, house spiders, moth caterpillars, and even bookworms. They all like to live as guests in different parts of people's homes. For kids who are fascinated by bugs, the large and colorful books in this series describe insects, spiders, and an assortment of other creatures that creep, crawl, and fly—and that all live somewhere nearby. Descriptions are accompanied by much-enlarged color photos. Although kids will recognize many of the creepy-crawlies, they'll be inclined to think that some of the others are fugitives from a science fiction movie. Fortunately, many are harmless to people (some are actually beneficial), others are merely nuisances, and only a few are dangerous. In the pages of this two volume, kids will discover them all. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes the rebirth of a cultural tradition - the hand knotted Turkish carpets made in remote villages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An interesting introdution
An interesting and not expensive introdution to the oriental carpets .
Of course the matter cannot be developped in one hundred pages , but as first approach has a very good value ... Read more

Product Description
From ghost hunters to Santa and the Tooth Fairy, Miranda and her magical friends are spanning the globe in search of Ellery and the magic carpet. Real-life ghost hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson come to Miranda’s rescue at the haunted Ellis house. What starts out as a harrowing Halloween only worsens come the holidays. Ellery is out to ruin the season, and for the first time steals back Miranda’s magic carpet. Santa, Cupid, Father Time, Mother Nature, and the Easter Bunny are among those who search continent to continent, hoping to retrieve the magic carpet. Ellery’s wicked ways are at an all-time high, and it’s up to Miranda and this magical crew to save the holidays throughout the world. ... Read more

Product Description
In a race against time, Asterix, Obelix and friends set out from Gaul - by means of a magic carpet - to rescue an Indian princess. As usual, they create havoc along the way, but emerge (almost) unscathed. This is the 30th Asterix comic strip adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Asterix comic!
Despite the fact that this comic is written by Mr. Uderzo, as well as illustrated by him, it is quite as good as any of the classics, like Asterix and Cleopatra or Asterix and the Goths.The art is up to the old standards, the pacing and flavor remain the same, and the same excruciating-yet-oddly-satisfying puns are sprinkled throughout the text.It's a rollicking, good-natured adventure from first to last.

A couple of notes here. In the first place, it IS interesting to see an Asterix comic focused on Cacophonix, rather than just sticking the bard in an introductory cameo and showing him tied up at the feast at the end.In the second place, it's good to see Dogmatix, Obelix's pet pooch, play an active and sometimes important role in the story .... okay, so I'm a dog lover, but it is good to see another character being used, rather than just being an afterthought like he was in Asterix and the Belgians (my only quibble with that excellent comic).

The only other thing that strikes me is that certain other reviewers have remarked on the "ethnic stereotypes of Indian life" that appear in this comic.I'll admit that I'm hard-pressed to see this. I suppose that to the hypersensitive, merely mentioning India or Indians makes the book some kind of ethnic horror-show of lies and stereotypical fabrications. Lighten up, guys! Other than showing the Hindus bathing in the Ganges (which you can see in any National Geographic with an article on India) and wearing Hindu clothing (which is hardly a 'stereotype,' any more than showing a businessman wearing a suit) it doesn't show much of the "Indian way of life" at all. All this talk of stereotypes boggles me, since only the most convoluted, tortured logic could squeeze any type of ethnic slur out of the story.

All in all, a fine addition to a fun and light-hearted series! :)

Asterix in India
The Kingdom of the Ganges, ruled by the good King, Rajah Watzit, is in crisis.
Not one drop of rain has fallen during the monsoon season.
The evil Guru, Hoodunnit that if no rain falls before the end of the Monsoon season, then the Rajah's daughter, the sweet and lovely Princess Orinjade, must be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the gods.

The only hope lies in the plan by the wise Fakir Watziznehm, who has heard that in far-off Gaul, there is a bard who's singing causes rain. So Watziznehm, flies on his magic carpet to Gaul where he enlists the help of Cacofonix, Asterix and Obelix (and who wouldn't want to rescue the gorgeous Princess Orinjade)

So our friends for the first time travel by air, and after an exciting journey, in which, among other things, they engage in an aerial attack on the Scythian pirates.
When they land in India, they have to deal with various snags, before they can save the Princess.

Asterix and Obelix really get to travel and explore exotic locations. And while the India, the authors of Asterix write about in no way of course, resembles the real Ancient India, neither the other Asterix albums resemble the locations our friends visit. It is all tongue in cheek, and pokes fun at everyone, but in a gentle way.
Asterix and the Magic Carpet is great fun.

Wonderful story with a dent in its side...
In this enthralling tale the lovable Gaulish duo hitch a ride on a magic carpet with the village bard, Cacofonix to the mystical land of India. And yet in this far away country, the natives have heard of the "villageof madmen where a voice makes it rain" - a man that the Indians coulduse to end the long spell of drought that they have fallen under. Finally!An audience that appreciates the (incredibly annoying) vocal talents ofCacofnix! But as luck may have it, the great bard loses his voice...

With the life of a princess at stake, a race against the clock to getthe bard's voice back and dodging evil fakirs at every corner, this is anadventure to remember - an episode in which the oft-neglected bard comes into his own.

Although the book was well laid out with a funny, interestingplot, some of the laughter comes at the expense of an ethnic stereotype. Aslong as it is understood beforehand that life in India doesn't follow sucha pattern, this book would be a whole bunch of constructive fun. For thatreason alone I felt the need to drop a star from my rating.

Most Asterixtitles are aimed at a teen/adult audience and they cleverly integrate manyhistorical events in to their plots. There is also a deeper satiricalpresence throughout these books, and for that reason I feel that childrenunder the age of 12 or so would not quite appreciate the humor. Theviolence is more along the lines of black eyes, dented armor and missingteeth, and hence should not worry a parent too much. This is another goodAsterix comic - I recommend it!

Great Story, Wrong India
A wonderful story set in an India that never existed except in the minds of western authors. It was lots of fun seeing cacofonix turn out to be the hero.

something different
At last Cacofonix is the real hero! They come to India! Like all books in the series, a real fun to read! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Top Tips from Carpetry�s First Son
An exhaustively detailed and masterfully researched survey of hand-woven rugs from Morocco, Baluchistan, and all points in between.The wisdom in this volume has been tempered over generations, as the author's mother was the matriarch of the industry, being to the Oriental rug what mother goose was to the child's rhyme, and being known by a similar moniker (a name by which carpet traders refer to one another to this day as a sign of respect).Her son acknowledges this by effusively praising his mentor and forebear throughout the book - skating perilously close to the line separating laudable filial loyalty from Oedipal excess. ... Read more

Product Description
Rose is Rose has long garnered attention from fans across the country and around the world. When the National Cartoonists Society named Rose creator Pat Brady Outstanding Cartoonist of 2004 it only confirmed what those readers already knew in their hearts: Brady rolls out one of the best strips in the business.

Red Carpet Rose is Brady's first book since he received the NCS honors. As the seven previous Rose is Rose books have done before, this one continues the tales of the hilarious Gumbo family: Rose, her husband, Jimbo, and their devilish, delightful, and demanding son, Pasquale. Brady deftly captures the innocent and ageless qualities of wonder and awe at the world's boundless experiences, as seen through the lives of his beloved characters.

Whether the Gumbos are sharing a simple family moment in the park, Pasquale is pushing his little-boy limits, or Rose is morphing into her Biker Chic alter ego, this Rose is Rose compilation of daily and Sunday strips delivers all the fun, laughter, and family-loving moments that mark Brady's work. This is cartooning at its best! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not quite the same with Wimmer handling the art chores
I will readily concede that it's certainly a difficult chore producing a daily comics strip and that joint efforts and ghost writers and artists are the norm in this artform.

That being said, Rose is Rose is not quite what it used to be now that Mr. Wimmer has become involved.

Laundry the Rose Way
Rose, Jimbo and Pasquale Gumbo are back (and let's not forget Clem and Vicki) in another collection of daily strips.Rose and family continue their way through daily life as only they can.Only here can making tea become a romantic moment or guardian angels carry school books.

While Rose is part of the most loving family in comics, the romance is turned down a little in this collection (unlike in RIGHT ON THE LIPS).The love is there but with less kissing.Pasquale seems to have become a little better adjusted and doesn't get his feelings squashed by Clem so much.All in all a very good collection. ... Read more

Product Description

New Jersey in the 1980s had everything Jancee Dunn wanted: trips down the shore, Bruce Springsteen, a tantalizing array of malls. To music lover Jancee, New York City was a foreign country. So it was with bleak expectations that she submitted her résumé to Rolling Stone magazine. And before she knew it, she was backstage and behind the scenes with the most famous people in the world—hiking in Canada with Brad Pitt, snacking on Velveeta with Dolly Parton, dancing drunkenly onstage with the Beastie Boys—trading her good-girl suburban past for late nights, hipster guys, and the booze-soaked rock 'n' roll life.

Customer Reviews (11)

Very entertaining

I really enjoyed this book. Ms. Dunn is funny and manages to share her experiences with the rich and famous without harming any celebrities in the process. She's down to earth and likable. Anyone who likes rock history or bios -- or Stephanie Plum-- (Janet Evanovich's hilarious fictional character) will probably enjoy this slice-of-her-life from Jancee Dunn.

A wonderfully honest, engaging and quick read!This is one of the few books that makes me laugh out loud!
Although I'm a generation older than Jancee, I was able to relate to her stories and self-deprecating humor.This is one of the few books that made me laugh out loud!

Fun and Informative!...
I just loved this book! It's been sitting on my wish list for quite awhile, but having just finished a Tudor-era book about Henry VIII's sixth wife, I decided to go with something a little 'lighter' for my next book. This was perfect!

Ms. Dunn is funny without trying to be, and tells her stories without the pretentious attitude of a name-dropper. She simply shares her experiences and quirky moments with some of the hottest celebrities out there, but you never feel like she's bragging. She talks about growing up in suburban New Jersey with her very stable and normal family, and the transition from that life, to the life of a Rolling Stone writer (among other things) whose living in New York City, interviewing the most famous people in the country.

Ms. Dunn is very down-to-earth, and is not afraid to embrace her inner-nerd :) She writes as if she were sitting in front of you sharing her experiences. I can't wait to check out her newest book to see how she tackles fiction! In the meantime though, I absolutely recommend 'But Enough About Me'. A great read all around!

Very good for what it is
I'm really conflicted about this book.I like biographies, and as a long-ago faithful Rolling Stone reader, I would seem like the target audience for this book, with the notable exception that I'm male, and perhaps that's why it didn't entirely work for me.It's a memoir, and like any memoir, the author is entitled and expected to put in mundane details.The author provides many little looks into her childhood and early adult years, and perhaps that's all you can ask of such a book.But I would have liked to see less about her, and more about Rolling Stone and its journalistic culture, more analysis of how celebrity is made and covered.If you'd like to read a story about the coming of age of a small-town woman in the 1980s, this is a great book.If you're less interested in her and more in Rolling Stone and journalism, not so much.

love, love, love this book
jancee and her family are fabulous!!!! i just loved them!!!! who could not love her dad?!!!her best friend julie is a go too!!!!one of my favorite chapters is the food parading "party" julie takes her along to..and i also loved her sister reminding her wyland could care less about her so get out of there!!they are far more compelling/endearing/interesting than any of the celebrities she interviews. i've passed this along to friends/family and it always delivers!! excellent/fun little book!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Text for a Course
This is a beautiful book with careful drawings and magnificent color photographs. It is a serious scholarly work. An ideal text for a course on Oriental Carpets.

Questioning Oriental Carpet Authority
Dr. Gantzhorn's book is both a fabulous bargain, with over 600 beautiful color plates, and a ground-breaking work of art history scholarship.If you are open to an iconoclastic view of carpet weaving history, i.e.,history which differs from the official one, you owe it to yourself toconsider Dr. Gantzhorn's carefully researched and documented thesis.

guarded praise
a mildly goofy interpretation that claims ArmenianChristian origin for oriental carpets, ill organized, with excruciating page layout, but the sources consulted and the rich illustration make an interesting read and aswell an incredible bargain ... Read more

Product Description
Written under Sotheby's supervision by a well-known expert and illustrated throughout, here is the definitive guide to locating and selecting the oriental carpet that's right for you. The book covers the entire range of interest to collectors, and it also offers advice on maintaining one's purchase. 82 2-color illustrations; 16-page 4-color photo insert. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

As much about life as about rugs
Denny has a great deal of insight into rugs, but almost everything he talks about translates to other fields.I put the book down, smarter about what's on my floor and smarter about navigating the material world. ... Read more

Product Description
(ages 8 - 10) Is high society ready for Total Tomboy Zibby, or will there be a Decorum Disaster?

In the fifth installment of the "Zibby Payne" series, we find Zibby's classmates showing off some bad behavior during a field trip. The teachers decide the unruly group needs some manners help fast! Amber, Zibby's sometimes friend (but more often rival), volunteers to lead etiquette lessons to whip the sixth graders into shape. But Amber quickly gets carried away with the minutiae of manners, and forces the girls to learn things such as how to use a fish fork and curtsy she's turning them all into mindless princesses! Zibby finds creative ways to ditch the classes and even forms the "Total Slobs But Loving It" group. It's not that she is a fan of bad manners it's just that she knows Amber's Etiquette Uprising is based on appearances and material things.

Amber's celebrity magazines inspire her to throw a gala ball complete with fancy gowns, a red carpet, and enough pomp to rival the Academy Awards! As more girls get on board, Zibby decides to fight back. Of course, in true Zibby style, she goes way over the top in trying to convince her friends to attend the "Come as You Are" anti-gala. In the middle of the red carpet face-off, she learns what good manners are really all about. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great character, terrific focus on manners
This is a very entertaining book -- I've become a great fan of Zibby.Alison Bell mixes a retro-feel with current trends, language and situations to create a charming and appealing world for Zibby and her friends.I particulary like the focus on manners -- and what kind of manners are important (a great lesson for kids) -- embedded in a bouncy, amusing story.

I'm always on the look-out for engaging, well-written children's literature and the Zibby Payne series hits the mark. ... Read more

Product Description
Be ready the next time the spotlight is on you!
 
She’s interviewed “glamazons,” watched stars shine (Sharon Stone in a Gap T-shirt at the Oscars) and bomb (Jennifer Aniston in dreadlocks, Cher in an Egyptian headdress), and witnessed many a celebrity rise to the top only to come crashing down a mere year later. And she’s both reveled in kudos and despaired over criticism of herself.
As the daughter of Joan Rivers and with years of face time with the Hollywood elite, Melissa has learned far more than your average person about what it takes to be a star—not just on the red carpet, but in life. For the first time, she shares the lessons she’s learned along the way and teaches you how to embrace your big moments, be it a graduation, a first date, a job interview, a prom, or a wedding.

Pulling from inspirational and humorous tales from her probing chats with red-carpet royalty and episodes in her own life, she lays out nine essential rules to seize momentous times with graciousness, fun, preparedness, confidence—and, of course, drop-dead gorgeous style that flatters you. (Hint: It’s not always the top designer brand that’ll scream stardom.) The walk down the red carpet, as Rivers so colorfully relates, can teach us all some basic but essential lessons in fashion and in life.

With miles of red carpet under her belt, Melissa Rivers has seen it all, from the biggest oops! moments to those unforgettable times when a star truly did shine. She knows exactly what it takes to be a star—both on the red carpet and in life.

Based on her insider knowledge and her personal experience under Hollywood’s glare, Melissa shares tips and techniques for embracing your momentous times and being at your best when the focus is on you, including:
 
•  The simple trick to being the hit of every party
•  How to escape from a date that’s become a train wreck
•  The celebrity secret to looking radiant, rain or shine
•  A success strategy that beats pure talent every time
•  The one rule about people even the superstars are afraid to break
•  How to apologize or run into your ex and keep your cool ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

not too deep, but is a "positive thinking" coaching book
Come on people, let's not be too hard on Melissa for putting out this book.It has some good points about being comfortable with who you are and not taking too much crap from negative people.

There is a lot of negativity and depressed, insecure people out there that will sap all your energy.Stay positive.

maybe for a 12 yo girl
I got this from the library expecting some celebrity "dirt", and possibly some interesting tidbits.None...in fact, just the opposite...she kissing *ss, big time.The target audience here is a 12 yo girl.How did she get a book deal?

More Substantive Than The Title Suggests
This is a good book, full of great life-lessons and anecdotes and as a whole is much more substantive than the title or cover suggests.Like her mom, Melissa writes about how she and others get through bad times using humor and good old fashioned persistence and perseverance. I really enjoyed it.

Really Ridiculous
I think Joan Rivers is great, but her daughter.. not so much. As much as she denies it, this girl was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and has definitely ridden her mother's coattails to 'fame.' It's very hard to take this book seriously because the 'author' isn't someone you can idoloize. If you do happen to idoloize her -perhaps you're her friend or her mother. The book is peppered with advice - and that term is used loosely - on how to be your best self. She name drops quite a lot, contradicts herself at times - telling the reader to do something which she has never done, or did wrong, and she had a ghostwriter help her write this drivel. It comes down to this: Melissa is never her best self, she doesn't take her own advice, so why would others follow her poor example? It's too bad that anyone can get a book deal these days because some books, such as this one, are really just junk.

Missed the Boat
I didn't expect great writing or probing psychological discussion, but I looked forward to fun celebrity stories and some photos. No photos, very few celeb stories. Somehow what should have been a little article for a teen rag got expanded into a very lame book.Shame on Random House for publishing it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The modern Turkoman rug and the Turkoman people
George W. O'Bannon was a legendary figure in the oriental rug communityand he was taken from us at much too young an age. He was a knowledgeable man, especially about all things Turkoman, as well as wise.

This book may be somewhat dated by the wealth of information that came into printyears after the publication of this book especiallywith the "Turkomania" that followed the Textile Museums famous show on Turkoman weaving but it is nonetheless a valuable book that has a lot to teach. The focus of the book is modern Turkoman weaving and can almost be seen as a time capsule from the days when George was a rug dealer in Kabul.

George went on to be very active in helping to foster the appreciation of antique rugs for a new generation and his writing credits include beingat one time the editor of "The Oriental Rug Review".

For the layman this bookwill give insight into a new world. For the collector this book offers some great wisdom. ... Read more

Product Description
I am a doctor of physical therapy and a kinesiologist who specializes in helping my clientele obtain the perfect posture to keep them feeling great, and looking like a star, to make them look as if they are walking their own red carpet.Why is posture so important? Because it is a statement of who you are, and it is important to have good posture to express to others and yourself that you are confident and to be respected.How you present yourself when you walk into a room for the first time can be significantly dependent on the posture that your body displays as you enter, stand and sit in the room. This can make a lasting impression on fellow business associates, employers, and even a possible mate. I am sure that you have heard that first impressions mean everything. Poor posture can make a person appear less confident. Whether you are a celebrity or not, your posture is a statement of who you are. So whether you are venturing out in front of a sea of admirers or going about your daily activities you really can feel and look like you're on the red carpet!My book will help you obtain better posture through helpful advice and exercises to make you look and feel great. You will have to provide your own red carpet!So why the book? Living just around the corner from Hollywood, it always amazes me that in a town so conscious about fashion and what everyone is wearing or not wearing, there is very little attention given to how one's body makes a fashion statement. It doesn't matter if you are wearing the best dress from the top designer if you have bad posture. All too often, I see young teens and adults emulating a star's posture when the body position itself is dreadful. I want to be able to reverse this trend of bad posture. It is time for a change, yes we can! All the exercises pictured are performed by my own clientelewho have benefited from these exercises and have displayed good posture throughout their daily lives. I truly thank all of them for willing to be pictured in this book, and they all wanted to be in the book because they wanted to help convey the message of how havingRed Carpet Posture can make you look and feel like a star no matter who you are! ... Read more