Customer Comments

This hardcover book by Prudence Mapstone and Jonelle Raffino is directed at beginning, intermediate and advanced knitters/crocheters in freeforming. It is also understood to be inspirational for Freeform experts. This approach at three levels will delight beginning freeformers, who will get a thorough and well-illustrated start in freeforming. Good step-by-step and level-based instructions on embellishing existing garments with flowers, leaves, stars and fringes will delight the more advanced knitters/crocheters. However, for fringes there exists the comprehensive and more informative "Flamboyant Fringes" online booklet by Prudence Mapstone. Information on materials, tools, as well as a glossary and abbreviation list are included. The three stages of difficulty make the book very helpful for beginners and for those a bit advanced but not for the experienced freeformer. For the latter the book is too conservative, tame, modest and uninspirational compared to other publications by Prudence Mapstone. In my view, this book is good for beginning and intermediate freeformers.

To pass the time waiting at yet another airport gate, I took the book TINKERS by Paul Harding with me. His debut novel, it was published in January 2009 and has 192 pages, a small book indeed, but a forceful, spellbinding and impressive one, a book leading to contemplation and soul-searching. The story tells about a tinker, Howard, a man mending broken pots and pans, a man standing for a vanished lifestyle, when time appeared to run at a slower pace and yet the days were full. And it is the story about another man, the late tinker's son George, who is slowly dying, in the house he built and amidst his family and all his lovingly repaired antique clocks, his entire life achievements if you will. The book deals with the relationship between a father and a son, and although Harding writes in great prose about the subject of the last days of life and impending death, it is truly a comforting book, somehow giving the reader solace by knowing what a rich and fulfilled life the characters enjoyed. A moving, spiritual story, told in a strong narrative voice.

This is a book to remember, a book describing the indescribable, a book for healing my own memories. It is emotionally stirring and overwhelming. I cannot in the least support the comments of Kirstin - in my view, it is not a 'fantastic' book as everything is the grim truth, it is not 'easy to read' if one has either shared Irmgard Hunt's life experience or can vividly imagine it, it is not wonderful (how can it be) and one certainly does not feel like one is there: nobody can really "feel like you are there" unless you were there - and the author was (and so was I). I think this book should be recommended reading in schools and universities to make people think and reflect on what could have been their fate. It is touching the deepest and most innermost feelings someone can have about life and fate. One should be aware of the fact that such a fate could have happened to anybody who did not fit the accepted pattern. I have nothing but praise for the author for sharing her couragous and so very necessary memoir, for history's sake and for the present and by all means for the future. Thank you Irmgard A. Hunt.

As Powell's Book Store ask their readers not to give away any surprises I was sad to notice that the Store itself gave away the essence of the book, i.e. answered the question whether parents would be able to forgive the killer of their son. The book itself is well written, a bit verbose, but keeps the tension level throughout very well and I would recommend it as a good entertainment read with some food for thought.

I have been a knitter for 40 years. I think that one should mention that most patterns in this book are not for beginners and that it is helpful to have someone around for fitting, just because every butt and bust is different as Annie Modesitt so rightly states.