An excellent instruction and reference manual for indoor gardening. Well written, clear instructions. I've been using her methods for 30+ years and geAn excellent instruction and reference manual for indoor gardening. Well written, clear instructions. I've been using her methods for 30+ years and generally have good success with my plants....more
I got this book in hopes of understanding my cat's behavior better, but it did not deliver that result. The "new feline science" mentioned in the subtI got this book in hopes of understanding my cat's behavior better, but it did not deliver that result. The "new feline science" mentioned in the subtitle is mostly genetics, and that was interesting. It tells us more about where domestic cats originated (Middle East), but it doesn't say much about feline behavior. There is a little research into cat behavior going on, but not nearly as much as there is for dogs, and most of what the author did mention seemed to come to no real conclusion. There was a lot of guessing, supposition, and generalization, that wasn't particularly useful for the cat owner.
One thing I did find especially interesting was right at the end when the author discussed the downside of the current trend to sterilize as many pet cats as possible. He believes that may result in negative results in general cat personalities. The cats that get along best with people are the ones being neutered, so their genes are not being passed along. Instead more and more litters are relying on one or more parent from the feral populations which are less people friendly.
Not a complete waste of time, but a big disappointment....more
First, this book is only available as an e-book, but don't try to read it on a Kindle or small e-reader. It is full of illustrations, screen shots, anFirst, this book is only available as an e-book, but don't try to read it on a Kindle or small e-reader. It is full of illustrations, screen shots, and tables, most of which are totally unreadable on a Kindle. The author is a Mac fan, so the book was probably designed for the iPad. It works reasonably well on my similar sized Android tablet, but most of the screen shots and tables are still somewhat difficult to read. There may not be anything the author could do about this problem. As a how-to, the book certainly needs the illustrations and screen shots. It may just be a shortcoming of digital publishing, which is still in it's infancy. Maybe it should be read on a full computer.
That being said, the book is well written, well organized, and pretty complete, but short and easy to read. Mr. Kawasaki certainly was able to communicate his enthusiasm for Google+ and inspired me to try several things I haven't tried yet. The book also includes a plethora of links to further information. ...more
An excellent book, especially for those who are caring for aging parents or may soon be doing so. It is well written, painfully honest, and well reseaAn excellent book, especially for those who are caring for aging parents or may soon be doing so. It is well written, painfully honest, and well researched. She tells an engaging, though sad, story, and provides lots of advice and resources. I think most of us assume we'll be able to manage when the time comes, but we really know very little about the problems and stresses or about the systems available to help us. This book helps immensely with that lack. [3/22/12]...more
You might think I gave this book 5 stars because the food described is all so decadent and delicious, and you would be right.
But there's another reasYou might think I gave this book 5 stars because the food described is all so decadent and delicious, and you would be right.
But there's another reason. All the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow and they contain special instructions when necessary. And there are excellent introductory sections containing general explanation and instruction, such as ingredients, techniques, and alternates. She is obviously a master baker, loves what she does, and understands that a recipe must be more than just a list of ingredients....more