Kakaku：1995 saved$19.95
Everyman Chess
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (I doubt the reviewer from Oakland's evaluation) 『I doubt the other reviewer's evaluation
I have not read this book but I'm a hardcore 1.d4 practitioner that faces the QGD everyday. I was compelled to write a commentary because the other reviewer complained about there being three annotated games with the "ridiculous 8.Rb1." There is nothing ridiculous about this move that I play very often for the purpose of beginning the minority attack, an important plan that is a major component of the white side of the QGD. The book may give the impression that some of the lines are drawish and this makes sense since it is a very old opening and has been played at the championship level since the beginning.
The book got rated 7.5 out of 10 by Randy Bauer, a respected chess book aficionado whose reviews can be found at chessopolis.com (under "Randy's Revealing Reviews)." He says that the book would be more helpful to someone who is already an experienced practitioner of most of the lines - "The breakdown on key plans for both sides is mostly limited to quick listing of lines, and many players just learning a variation need more." Perhaps that's why the reader from Oakland disliked it. I should add that Bauer gave Mathew Sadler's book on the QGD an 8, and this is a book that won a chess book of the year award. So to get a 7.5 from Randy is definitely an achievement!
I myself rated this book with 4 stars based on Randy's system since I myself did not read the book. I would have avoided the rating system, but the site would not allow me to post without including it.
If the QGD is a new opening for you, I suggest Gambit's "The Road to Chess Improvement," by Alex Yermolinski. In just one chapter, he thoroughly explains in plain English the four major plans (including the minority attack) for white in the exchange variation (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 - there are of course many other transpositions). The book in general is a great read for any d4 player. It also was the runner-up for the chess book of the year award that was given to Mathew Sadler's book.』
(Disappointment) 『I have been very disappointed by this book, perhaps because it promised much more than it delivered. First, despite the editorial comment, it does not even attempt completeness. Entire important systems, the classical Orthodox as played by Capablanca and Alekhine among them, are mentioned only in short annotations or passed over with the justification that they are "out of fashion" - as if I was buying this summer's swimsuit catalog! This becomes almost absurd when one finds that on the other side, there are 3(!) complete annotated games with the ridiculous 8.Rb1??! against the Tartakower. And, again contrary to the editorial claim of objectivity, a bias for Black is perceptible, not so much in the evaluation of positions as in the choice of games. I didn't make precise statistics, but Black must have scored well over 50% in the games in the book. One gets the impression that the QGD is a particularly sharp and fighting defence :-/』 『The Bg5 lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined include some of the most popular and important opening systems at all levels of play. Here, for the first time in many years, a strong and experienced grandmaster covers all lines of this opening in objective fashion. Lalic fully acquaints readers with the main lines, and prepares them to face unusual systems and rare gambit ideas with confidence. Among the lines covered are the Exchange Variation, Tartakower Defense, Lasker Defense, Cambridge Springs and the Classical Orthodox Defense, all of which have been used at World Championship level. This book contains comprehensive coverage of an important opening system written by a top-class grandmaster with strategic guidance for both White and Black.』
IPhone 3G used's review (A really good overview....) 『As to be expected Lofts as given each queen a wonderful sense of history and turned each into an individual person and not just a kings consort, or person from long ago. She brings them to life and the whole book is a good, easy quick overview of the queens from the very beginning to Elizabeth II.』
(Not bad, but there are better ones) 『Lofts is known for her popular historical novels, but she shows herself here to be generally competent at popular history, as well. On the other hand, there have been many good biographical surveys of the female sovereigns and consorts of English kings, so the competition is considerable. Boadicea gets a few pages, but the chapter-by-chapter coverage begins with Matilda, daughter of the count (not "earl") of Flanders, wife of William of Normandy, and continues to Elizabeth II, who celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977. Because all the forty-five subjects get nearly equal time, this volume is most useful for the lesser-known, such as Adeliza of Normandy (Henry I's second wife), Anne of Bohemia (queen of Richard II), Catherine of Braganza (Charles II), and Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (William IV). There is no bibliography, but the narrative is extensively illustrated, and even the adulation given the present queen doesn't grate too badly.』
(Terrific pictures with light histories) 『This is not an in-depth review of all the Queens of England, and Lofts says that up front. Lofts gives each queen between 2-5 pages of treatment, highlighting the main events of lives we know about only through historical documents and hearsay. Most of the more interesting facts about the queens is omitted; Lofts generally sticks to her facts and does a good job doing so. It is wonderful to have a ready reference, especially for some of the lesser known queens. Sadly, though, Lofts repeats a few since disproven tales and even repeats some of the wilder ones as fact rather than speculation. Lofts also has some facts incorrect, such as stating that Mary Tudor was the born of the first pregnancy of Katherine of Aragon, when in fact she was at least the third pregnancy if not the fifth. Still, the book is well-done, overall historically accurate, and absolutely gorgeous for its pictures. If you're looking for depth, this isn't it; but if you are looking to be entertained while skimming a bit of history, this definitely fits the bill.』
(fascinating) 『I was 9 when I first found this book in the library and fell in love with it. Norah Lofts took history and biography and told the stories of England's queens with humor, wit and charm. I spent hours with this book and never forgot it. If you can find a used copy don't hesitate to buy it.』
(Eleanor of Aquitaine) 『I found great, understandable information on Eleanor of Aquitaine when I was writing a big research paper. It is full of information.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Accidental History) 『Lutyens, the architect of Queen Mary's Dolls' House, also designed the city of New Delhi and the Viceroy's House, one of the largest and most unique palaces in the world. Sadly, he was one of the world's greatest artists, but is remembered only for this (comparatively) tiny tourist attraction.
Tourists, architectural students, and historians should buy this book. This is the only thorough analysis of any of Lutyens' buildings, and as such, is an important historical document above and beyond its tourist appeal.』
(Probably the best book until they make a virtual reality show.) 『I was so enchanted by Royal Collection Official Guide Book to Queen Mary's Dolls' House that I ordered this one figuring (correctly) that there would be other unique pictures. This is the better of the two books - nearly three times as long and filled with more pictures, especially detail shots of the tiny furnishings and decorations. I am charmed by Cripp's method of showing scale: he poses the tiny cricket bat next to a regulation cricket ball, and the little golf clubs next to a real golf ball. This also includes a section on how the house is aging: fading wallpaper, damaged paint, etc. All of the pictures, except for a few that are historic, are in color. This is unfortunately out of print, and may be more expensive, so the purchaser will have to weigh issues of cost and availability for themselves. I think that either would do as a souvenier.
If someone is really interested, I would recommend getting both books. The Royal Collection Official Guidebook is a pretty good buy at $11.95 and a nice supplement to this one. A very few of the shots are in both, but not enough to make them redundant to the person who wants all the information they can get. Generally, the duplicate shots are slightly large in the S-W book. To compare and contrast the two, while the S-W book has more of everything, the RC book still has some unique shots. The photographs in this book take in the entire room, while the RC book often shoots the room at an angle, cutting off part of the room, but what is shown is sometimes in better focus and a bit larger. To compare the shots of the Queen's bedroom, the Stewart-Wilson shot shows the entire bedroom. The Royal Collection shot, at an angle , reveals some additional details such as the fire screen and the chinoiserie cabinet, but cuts off the exteme left-hand side of the room. (Her Majesty has apparently been rearranging her decorative items since the S-W book.) The S-W detail of the 18th century pietre-dure table concentrates on showing the design on the top. The RC detail shows more of the table and the objects normally on it. The historical sections, revealing how the house came to be built are the most different, and the RC book has more pictures of people who participated in creating the doll house and of the room in which it now sits with the Phillip Connard mural. The captions are overlapping, but not identical, and so one gains more information by having both.』
(More Corrections) 『To further correct the first reviewer, the Doll's House is certainly not a copy of Windsor Castle. It is nothing like it. Windsor Castle is a CASTLE - stones and very old, and big. The Doll's House is an "ideal home" of the early 1020's - albeit intended for royalty and not for your average Joneses.』
(Fantastic book) 『With a couple of corrections of the first review, I'd like to make sure that it's known that Queen Mary did not commission this dollshouse. It was the original brain child of the Princess Marie Louise, who spearheaded the creation of the house. Queen Mary was "extremely surprised" but agreed. The initial shell of the house was erected in Lutyen's office, then removed to the drawing room of his house in Mansfield Street in London.
It was unveiled to the press, once completed, in the Mansfield Street house, then moved and reconstructed in the Palace of Arts at Wembley. It went from there to Windsor Castle, then to an exhibition at Olympia. In February of 1925, the house was returned to Windsor Castle. The Daily Mail donated a glass case through which we can now view the dollshouse in Windsor Castle.
This wonderful book has photographs of the letters written by Princess Marie Louise to all the firms and manufacturers involved in the dollshouse creation, as well as numerous photographs of the interior and furnishings. Pictures of tiny dollshouse ledgers, keys, and even a garden snail grace this book.』
(An extraordinary dollhouse explored in depth) 『England's Queen Mary--grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II--commissioned the construction of her extraordinary dollhouse (or "dolls' house" as it is referred to here) in 1921, during her own reign. It resides at Windsor Castle, as it has since being constructed there. Designed by Edward Lutyens (famous for his graceful furniture), the house is a reproduction of Windsor Castle right down to the last nail--almost literally.
David Cripps' photography beautifully captures the interiors of this amazing dollhouse, from the grand to the plebian. Here is the linen closet, each batch of towels tied with different-colored ribbon to denote whether they were intended for the nursery, the staff, or the kitchen. Here is a lacquer cabinet with gilded stand, dovetailed working drawers, and gold-leafed decoration. Here is a bed, complete with pillows, bolsters, sheets, blankets, and even a tiny walnut-handled bedwarmer. The toilet, complete with toilet paper discreetly placed in a bowl alongside, really works. The toothbrushes are made of ivory and have bristles made from the hair of a goat's inner ear. In the cellar, bottles of Chateau Margaux are properly corked and waxed and labeled. The pantry shows real bows of Fry's Chocolates sharing space with McVitie&Price biscuits, barley sugar candies in hefty glass candy jars, and Frank Cooper's Seville Marmalade in squat jars tied with brown paper and string.
The garage houses a miniature bicycle with brakes "in perfect working order," not to mention a Rudge motorcycle and sidecar, a seven-seater Rolls Royce limousine-landaulet, a Vauxhall, a "Sunbeam open tourer," and two Daimlers. Gorgeous royal crests are hand-painted on each. The house even has its own petrol pumps and fire appliances, as was normal for large houses in that era.
The house's garden is splendid despite the absence of a single living thing. The lawn, made of cut green velvet, boasts several tiny mowers (both motor-powered and not), and the nearby garden has its own lovely benches, hoes, spades and the like. There is even a robin's nest, complete with eggs, and a tiny, tiny snail.
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing in the house is the book collection. Famous authors were asked to contribute their own works. Arthur Conan Doyle obliged by submitted "How Watson Learned the Trick," an original 500-word short story done in his own handwriting. The bookplates for each of the books were designed by beloved Winnie-the-Pooh illustrator Ernest Shepard. Rudyard Kipling submitted not only two poems, but illustrated them himself as well. Other well-known authors who gave their own works to the Queen's house included G. K. Chesterton, Joseph Conrad, Robert Graves, Aldous Huxley, Hilaire Belloc, Rose Macauley, W. Somerset Maugham, and Vita Sackville-West. Topping off the fine works of this distinguished crowd are the leather-bound autograph books--one each for famous folks from stage and screen, famous folks from the military, and famous politicans.
There is even a room for storing the scepter, crowns and other regalia--all featuring flawless gemstones!
The details are endlessly fascinating and the house and its furnishings so well-constructed that without a tennis ball or coin or some other everyday real object, you easily forget that everything your eye falls upon here is miniature. For those who cannot get to Windsor Castle themselves to view the house in person, this book offers a very fine tour.』
『A lavishly illustrated introduction to a British national treasure examines the highly detailed articles of Queen Mary's dolls' house, providing blueprint diagrams of every floor, content lists for each wing, and more.』
Kakaku：180 saved$1.80
St. Martin's Griffin
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Library Journal Review) 『The following was written by Library Journal:
Freudenheim, Ellen. Queens: What To Do, Where To Go (And How Not To Get Lost) in New York's Undiscovered Borough. Griffin: St. Martin's. 2006. c.336p. maps. index. ISBN 0-312-35818-0. pap. $17.95. TRAV Freudenheim, who wrote about the New York City borough of Brooklyn in Brooklyn!: The Ultimate Guide to New York's Most Happening Borough, now tackles Queens. She organizes the book by neighborhood, with each section containing information on how to get there, things to see and do, history, shopping, restaurants, and points of cultural interest. Walking tours and brief essays by community members are also included. Small, detailed neighborhood street maps are helpful for finding attractions and navigating the area. Freudenheim presents some very compelling reasons to visit, such as the ethnic food, world culture, and proximity to New York's airports (you'll be passing through, anyway), and further provides practical information like tips on decoding Queens' complicated street addresses. Not every restaurant or attraction is covered and reviews are brief, but the guide is packed with useful and entertaining information and nicely fills a niche by covering the borough exclusively. Freudenheim's enthusiasm for Queens is contagious. Recommended for libraries with large travel collections, particularly for those collecting New York travel guides.--Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins』
(Library Journal Review) 『Freudenheim, Ellen. Queens: What To Do, Where To Go (And How Not To Get Lost) in New York's Undiscovered Borough. Griffin: St. Martin's. 2006. c.336p. maps. index. ISBN 0-312-35818-0. pap. $17.95. TRAV Freudenheim, who wrote about the New York City borough of Brooklyn in Brooklyn!: The Ultimate Guide to New York's Most Happening Borough, now tackles Queens. She organizes the book by neighborhood, with each section containing information on how to get there, things to see and do, history, shopping, restaurants, and points of cultural interest. Walking tours and brief essays by community members are also included. Small, detailed neighborhood street maps are helpful for finding attractions and navigating the area. Freudenheim presents some very compelling reasons to visit, such as the ethnic food, world culture, and proximity to New York's airports (you'll be passing through, anyway), and further provides practical information like tips on decoding Queens' complicated street addresses. Not every restaurant or attraction is covered and reviews are brief, but the guide is packed with useful and entertaining information and nicely fills a niche by covering the borough exclusively. Freudenheim's enthusiasm for Queens is contagious. Recommended for libraries with large travel collections, particularly for those collecting New York travel guides.--Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins』
("New York's Best Kept Secret.") 『Ellen Freudenheim's "Queens: What to Do, Where to Go (And How Not to Get Lost) in New York's Undiscovered Borough" is a delightful guidebook to an often forgotten part of New York City. As the author points out, "were it to secede from New York City today, Queens would be the fourth largest city in America." If you enjoy diversity and value history and culture, Queens is the place for you: 120 languages are spoken here, ethnic food stores and restaurants abound, and Queens features cultural institutions, historic sites, and sports venues that are well worth a visit. Like so many formerly underappreciated parts of New York City (many in Brooklyn), Queens is being rediscovered and is on the upswing.
After an informative and witty introduction, Freudenheim devotes thirteen chapters to neighborhoods from Astoria (named after the wealthy fur trader, John Jacob Astor) to Woodside. Within these chapters, she covers the basics: where the neighborhood is located, how to get there, its history, things to see and do, where to shop, points of cultural interest, restaurants, and nightlife. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are lively anecdotes and essays, some written in the first person by Queens residents. At the back of the book are sections about JFK and LaGuardia Airports, tours you can take, and recommended Web sites. The detailed and well-organized subject and alphabetical indexes make the book easy to navigate.
Even if you plan never to set foot in Queens, this guidebook is fun to read solely for its entertainment value. The author has a brisk and spunky writing style that makes "Queens" a browser's delight. Turn to any page, and you will find a fascinating tidbit of information presented with wit and verve. Did you know that jazz great Louis Armstrong lived in Queens for for twenty-eight years and that his house is a National Historic Landmark open to the public? I love New York (especially Brooklyn), but Ellen Freudenheim tempts me to board one of the many subway lines leading to the "hidden gems" of Queens.
』
(Who knew?) 『I'm told Queens is the new Brooklyn, and as a long-time Brooklyn resident I thought, Fuggedaboudit! But that was until I read Freudenheim's book. Wow. And I thought Queens was famous for Shea Stadium, the old Worlds Fair and two airports. I stand corrected, and after reading just one part of the book I'm hungry. Having already wet my whistle at the beer garden I think I'll head over to Flushing for some authentic Asian cuisine. I suggest you read this book and head to Queens too, before all the trustafarians and folks priced out of Brooklyn and Manhattan over-run the place.』 『
Discover Queens, New York City's Best-Kept Secret! Manhattan is touristy; Brooklyn is turning mainstream; and Queens is now the up-and-coming borough in New York. With food from every corner of the world, major sporting venues, quirky nightlife, and rich history and cultural institutions to boot, Queens has just about everything a visitor couldwant. This handy reference explores Queens neighborhood by neighborhood, and even those familiar with the borough will discover new hidden gems that they never knew existed.
This guidebook includes: * Detailed coverage and maps of the major neighborhoods like Astoria, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Forest Hills, and Sunnyside * Daytrips to interesting but more far-flung spots in the borough like Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge * The best restaurants serving every possible type of cuisine * Cultural attractions and nightlife spots worth the subway fare from Manhattan. * Contributions from major figures in the community, including the president of Queens College and the director of PS1.
Kakaku：160 saved$1.60
Mariner Books
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (a delight) 『I had this collection of short stories thrust on me by one of my favorite ex-students when I was complaining that "there was nothing new good to read". She told me to stop whining&give it a try&I am VERY glad that she did. From the funny-but-heart-wrenching title piece to the wonderful portrait of Darwin in heaven (he is doing just fine until he is joined by a totally Tiggerish Richard Feynman!) Whitty never misses a beat. I read the whole book in one sitting&am waiting for more with some impatience. These are short stories for Thinking People who still have a sense of humor!』
(Amazing new writer!) 『A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga is that rarest of birds: a first collection of short stories that educates as well as entertains. Whitty's extensive familiarity with the natural world make each one of these stories sprout from the page and root in the mind like well-tended plants. From Antartica to Africa to Tonga Whitty carefully guides us through subtle dramas where flora, fauna, and homosapiens try to co-exist in a world that is both sad and almost unbearably hopeful. A wondrous find.』
(smashing) 『wow! I loved this book. Julia Whitty is an artist. She paints these lush, passionate, mysterious gems. I found her weaving of nature, characters and story telling so compelling I couldn't put it down until the end----and even then I didn't want the spell to be broken. She is so orginial and so touching. Please, somebody tell me she has another book coming out soon.』
(smashing) 『wow! I loved this book. Julia Whitty is an artist. She paints these lush, passionate, mysterious gems. I found her weaving of nature and chacters and story telling so compelling. I couldn't put it down until the end and even then I didn't want the spell to be broken. She is so orginial and so touching. Please, somebody tell me she has another book coming out soon!』
(Novel readers will love these short stories!) 『I read novels and non-fiction, I don't like short stories and rarely read them. Well . . . that was true untill I picked up Julia Whitty's short story collection, A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga. What caught my eye was the title (being a tortoise lover all my life) but what captured my intrest and kept me reading was Whitty's unusual weave of people, animals and beautifully rendered scenes of exotic places. Whether viewing ice age art in a French cave with The Story of the Deep Dark or under the Antartic ice cap with Jimmy Under Water, I was so completely involved with the stories that I didn't want them to end. These ten stories with Whitty's unique outlook on life and nature have captured my heart and introduced me to fantastic short story writing. I look forward to her next collection and hopefully a novel soon.』 『Bringing a unique perspective and a singular voice to contemporary fiction, A TORTOISE FOR THE QUEEN OF TONGA features lush, poignant stories about the natural world. Here are mammals, historical figures, everyday people who discover the liberating properties of memory and knowledge in the face of captivity and loneliness. We meet a forlorn tortoise forced to live among humans. We witness orcas at Ocean World staging a revolt, using celibacy as their weapon. In a French cave, a young computer animator draws parallels between Cro-Magnon and modern women. One story even travels to heaven, where Charles Darwin seeks the source of human happiness. Whitty joins her authority about wildlife and her rich imagination to spectacular effect. Drawing on twenty years' experience with making nature documentaries, she takes readers inside the minds of animals and people struggling to overcome their limitations. In a voice as magical as it is informed, A TORTOISE FOR THE QUEEN OF TONGA bridges the mythical and the mundane, the animal and the human. Julia Whitty is a brilliant new storyteller in American short fiction.』
Kakaku：799 saved$7.99
Tor Science Fiction
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The evolution of Venera Fanning) 『In this sequel Schroeder follows Venera Fanning as she evolves into a more balanced woman than she had been. In the process he explores many of the implications of living in a world like Virga. Extraordinarily well thought out and creative. The whole trilogy is a must read.』
(Not Free SF Reader) 『The second book of a series, although I hadn't read the first when I read this, so the character of Venera Fanning and the precarious situation she found herself in to begin with was new to me.
As a spymaster and agent type of the hardarsed and coldblooded variety (except occasionally as concerns her bloke) you see that she is sort of used to this sort of thing, and sets out trying to manipulate the new setting she has pretty much literally fallen into.
Schroeder's bizarre setting makes sun of it fun with the mini town/world type settings and microbattles with a few people per side, plus the odd wooden airship.
I liked the first book more, but here, the character of Venera is rather more sympathetic when she is the main character, as opposed to just one of as in the earlier find out what is actually going on with the technology supporting their environment novel.
3.5 out of 5』
(Out Nivens Niven II) 『This is a well written descendent of Larry Niven's Ringworld and Bob Shaw's Orbitsville. The essential features are an immense, exotic, and technologically formidable habitat in an extrasolar system combined with some kind of action/adventure plot that reveals the interesting features of the habitat and its occupying human societies. Schroeder does well on both counts with an ingenious space habitat and a decently written story line. The habitat is well articulated and the plotting does of a good job of displaying a variety of human cultures occupying the habitat. The plot incorporates a theme of personal transformation on the part of the protagonist that boosts character development.』
(terrific thought provoking science fiction) 『Venera Fanning is falling into the large artificially contained nothingness of Virga. Finally, after what feels like eternity, she lands on the ancient nation of Spyre, an orb whose cylinder shape is rotting to the point that this planet is doomed.
Venera quickly does what she does best alienate people although she finds a few allies almost as amoral as she is. Trusting no one, she knows she must respond rapidly to determine who can insure her survivability on this strange world even if it means some of her new cohorts are expendable. However, Venera also possesses the Key of Candesce that can change entire worlds, but her prime goal remains to live until she can avenge those who sent her into free fall even as she understands that her first encounter arrival causes a civil war between the status quo and the reformists.
The second Virga science fiction saga (see Sun of Suns) is a terrific thought provoking entry that is loaded with action yet causes the audience to ponder deep philosophical concepts. For instance as the amoral Venera plots vengeance and causes a civil war, readers will consider what is human in light of rebellious artificial intelligence and how human culture evolves around its environment especially the Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome concept for turning Manhattan into airless space.
Harriet Klausner 』 『
Venera Fanning was last seen falling into nothingness at the end ofSun of Suns. Now, inQueen of Candesce, Venera finds herself plunging through the air between the artificial continents of Virga, far from home and her husband, who may or may not be alive. Landing in the ancient nation of Spyre, Venera encounters new enemies and new friends (or at least convenient allies). She must quickly learn whoshe can trust, and who she can manipulate in order to survive.Queen of Candesceis her story.
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
