Product Description
Solid construction and honest functionality make Shaker furniture one of the most popular and timeless design categories. Based on extensive research and personal experience with the last working Shaker community in Maine, this book traces the roots of Shaker design to Shaker belief, which inspired the clean lines, careful craftsmanship, and signature details that define the style. The author also discusses the less known Victorian period of Shaker design and shows how this style has influenced subsequent ones. A bibliography, glossary, and index are included. "As if the content isn't enough, readers will enjoy this book for its clean, upbeat writing. For anyone looking for a primer on the Shaker movement and the furniture it spawned, this is a good selection." - Antique Week CentralAmazon.com Review
Many appreciate the clean, simple lines of traditional Shakerfurniture, yet few know the people behind the designs or the spiritualbeliefs that play such an integral part in both their work and dailylives. In his book, The Shaker Legacy: Perspectives on an EnduringFurniture Style, author Christian Becksvoort, a contributingeditor of Fine Woodworking magazine and an experienced customfurniture maker and restorer who's worked for the last remainingShaker community at Sabbathday Lake, Maine, examines the Shakers'faith in relation to their furniture. Becksvoort believes that"understanding Shaker furniture requires understanding the faith ofthe people who created it." Their religious practices--the constantstriving for spiritual perfection in everything they did, the desireto emulate Christ and to live practically, "purely, free of vanity,greed, and pride"--permeate Becksvoort's insightful discussions of theShaker culture, their recognized inventiveness (inventions include thecircular saw, apple peeler, wash mill, and chimney cap), theirinfluence on other furniture styles, and finally the furniture itself,which is the focal point of the book. Highly perfected, free of vainornamentation, and utterly utilitarian, the furniture is indeed theShaker faith in physical form. In addition to covering theclassics--including the ladder-back chair, trestle table, and thebuilt-in--Becksvoort points out subtle variations in design thatexisted from community to community: the curved, cutout base of a caseof drawers was typical for the communities in Ohio, while bevel-edgeddrawer lips and straight, tapered feet on a blanket box point to theMount Lebanon community. Becksvoort's intelligent account of theShakers and their furniture, combined with hundreds of full-colorphotographs, taken on location at various communities and pulled fromarchives, make The Shaker Legacy a beautiful tribute to thesetalented craftsmen and their enduring design. --StefanieHargreaves ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A job well done
Well researched, well written and beatifully photographed, this is a carefully and respectfully written look at an often little understood and underappreciated aspect of American social and design history.

Truly excellent
This is a truly excellent book that should be on the shelves of all who work with wood, even those of you who, like myself, are not particularly keen on shaker furniture.

The first part of the book overviews the Shakers and their attitudes to working with wood, their seeking of elegant simplistic functional beauty and their enjoyment of the process of working with wood - these are an inspiration to the modern woodworker, all of whom I suspect share the same enjoyment of the process and attention to detail, regardless of their chosen style. The Shakers themselves are quite interesting, and their attitudes of constantly improving and making work easier, more joyful and freeing time for better pursuits than toil are a mantra we all should live by, perhaps. Although the Shakers were very minimalist, I believe many other great craftsmen of the past shared their attitudes and enjoyment of the process of making furniture.

The second part of the book details many fine examples of Shaker furniture. These are great items, well made, well designed, and even if the style is not your preferred one, they still may inspire you.

Note that it is NOT a "how-to" book as another reviewer pointed out, although if you have some skill you could easily reproduce the items in it ? more importantly, be inspired by them.

I have an extraordinary library of woodworking and furniture books covering all styles and all ages and I would definetely recommend this one as being in the top 10% - but I have to stress, it is not a how-to book, look elsewhere if you are looking for that.

Finally, thanks to all the other reviewers here who convinced me to purchase it, I had seen it in the shops before but passed it over (not preferring Shaker style). I will now go tick all your reviews as being helpful.

Did I mention it is absolutely full of colour photos, sidebars of interesting information and very readable and interesting?

Great Reference For Your Bookshelf
This book is an interesting and pleasant blending of American history, philosophy, furniture design, and woodworking.
I have read/studied several other books concerning Shaker furniture. This hardcover printing of Mr. Becksvoort's book has, by far, the finest and clearest photography and printing.

AMOST INTERESTING WORK.
I have many books, new and old, on various styles of furniture, their designers, and construction techniques. This was a great addition to my library. I have learned much from it. I appreciate the detail the author went to in this work. It is not your typical lightweight coffee table book, but shows an understanding of, and respect for, the various Shaker communities and their many contributions to our way of life, not the least of which is their beautiful furniture.

The Shaker Legacy
Aways had an interest in making Shaker Furniture;and it's origin .Found this Book very formative and informational;enjoyed. ... Read more

Product Description
This engrossing book is the first general history of the Shakers from their origins in eighteenth-century England to the present day. Drawing on written and oral testimony by Shakers over the past two centuries, Stephen J. Stein offers a full and often revisionist account of the movement:the powerful charismatic leaders, the years of maturation and growth before the Civil War, the subsequent decline in fortune, and its adjustments to twentieth-century society. Shattering the romantic myths that have been perpetuated about the Shakers, Stein portrays a group that is factious, practical, and fully human. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Definitive
As someone who drank the Edward Deming Andrews cool-aid practically from birth, I was delighted to find a detailed, well-sourced account of what we can know about the Shakers from Ann Lee to Frances Carr. So much warmer and human than a chair or box!

A classic reference
This book is an exhaustively researched reference with a detailed look at the Shaker experience from their earliest beginnings to the present day. The recent history of the Shakers is as interesting as the "classic" period of the 1800s.

the true word about the shakers
This book is for anyone who wants to understand "the shaker experience in America". I have to admit, it is a bit dry and text book like but this book is factual and dispells many myths that people have about the shakers. A must for anyone interested in this religion , in addition to visiting a Shaker site or museum collection

Necessary History
Ann Lee said "Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to live, and as you would if you knew you must die tommorrow." That sentiment carries much of the flavor of the American Shaker sect and acts as a guiding principle for understanding their history.

And that history is important, particularly if you want to understand the US during the nineteenth century. These highly successful communities managed to contribute to the fabric of a nation while living out their ideals of celibacy, simplicity of life, separation from the world, and community of goods.Industrialization and the US Civil War caused the circumstances that led to their inevitable decline, as the new country became more interested in class struggle than utopian visions.

Extremely interesting reading.

Excellant book, very interesting reading, informative
Having visited the Shaker Handcock site during 1997, I became interested in the Shaker experience. Found this publication to be well researched and written so that it kept ones interest and provided material that took thereader inside the whole concept and idea that they believed in. Wouldrecomend this book to anyone with an open mind and who enjoys differentsubjects and views. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

icon in the field
Replaced a coy I loaned and never received back.Although Kassay's book has been surpassed by Tim Riemen's, this one has masterful measured drawings and was THE book when published.Unlike other early books on Shaker, this one is fully correct in its information.

The best reference book on Shaker furniture
In my collection of Shaker furniture books this book by Shea is my all time favorite and the one book that I continue to reference for ideas time and time again.There are countless photographic examples of all the major types of furniture that the Shakers built(mostly eastern style but also included are Shaker examples from Ohio and other communities not found in the New England area).I have built a few pieces using this book to reference the drawings w/measurements that the author has provided (based on period pieces he measured).

If you are looking for one book on Shaker furniture to buy...........this is it!

Excellent but surprising
I found "The Book of Shaker Furniture" to be very enlightening.I had no idea that REAL Shaker furniture was so ugly. However, to give the author credit, if I wanted to reproduce a piece, I could do so from his drawings and pictures very easily. I also learned a great deal about the history and demise of the Shaker culture.

A Classic Beauty of Shaker Furniture and Lives!
The book presentation itself, is beautiful.Mr Kassay has over thirty years experience teaching industrial style, and it shows in his book.All of the photos are black and white, which at first, struck me as odd -- butMr Kassay highly successfully uses this medium to help convey the grace,simplicity and sleekness of the Shaker's furniture. In his excellentdescriptions, he provides the colors, type of current finish, and theoriginal, if known.

The measured drawings of the selected items are awork of art by themselves.They are beautiful line drawings with grayshading which gives a three dimensional presence.Mr Kassay carefully andcompletely exposes the hidden joinery that has often been omitted from theother classics of measured drawings of Shakerfurniture.None of theother books that I have read, come close to providing as much detail of theactual craftsmanship of the joints.

At first impression, my favorite ishis drawing and explanation of the Harvard side table with the under slungdrawer from the Fruitlands Museum. It's stability has always lookedquestionable to me, and he openly discusses it and I gained insight how tomodify mine to be more sturdy, but still very recognizable as areproduction of the original.

Instead of showing photos of one or twoexamples of each type of item,for example, candle stands, he shows four ormore.While he doesn't have measured drawing of each photo, he has atleast one measured drawing of each type and provides dimensions on theother pieces. By providing many examples of items, he relates a broadsense of all of the Shaker's candle stands, rather than portraying, "thisis the characteristics of this stand, look elsewhere for the bigpicture."

He also includes a good history of the Shakers.While theinformation is fairly common among the books about the Shaker's and theirfurniture, it makes his book a complete reference for new comers and forpeople who have only room on their shelf and budget for one book.

If thereader is interested in the beauty of the Shaker furniture, a beautifullydone book, and extremely well done drawings, this is probably the book!

A very good book about a most interesting furniture Style.
I'm, as a woodworker, an advanced amateur (I'm a CivilEngineer). One ofmy last works was a case with 27 (yes twentyseven) drawers of 15 differentsizesand a door. A few months ago, attracted by a photo in the cover,Ibought a book in London (England) aboutall the aspectof the ShakerCommunity and with a great surprise, I found there something very similarto what I had drafted and done. I didn't even know the existence of aShaker Community before. Do you believe in reincarnation??? So I becomeextremely interested and tried to learn more about all the aspect of theShaker furniture. I think this book has solved many questions I had and putin my mind many ideas. The drawings, in particular, are extremely clear andaccurate and made with a loving care. After having seen this book I' mworking to a sewing desk and to a woodworking bench in Shaker style.Certainly I didn't regret the money! Antonello Ruscazio - Sardinia Island -Italy ... Read more

Product Description
This book takes a look at the faith, philosophy, and way of life of the country's one remaining Shaker community. Lauber explores their spiritual and daily lives by weaving together proprietary Shaker quotations, interviews, and photographs. The result is a book that pierces many misconceptions, most notably that the Shakers and their faith are dead. Lauber places the topics of faith, community, work, and worship in the context of Shaker history and contemporary developments on the American landscape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An outstanding survey!
Chosen Faith, Chosen Land: The Untold Story of America's 21st-Century Shakers offers a fine study of Shaker faith and uses words and images form a journalist who was granted unprecedented access to the private lives of the last remaining Shakers. Her survey of these contemporary Shakers includes proprietary shaker quotes and presents myths and realities about the Shakers and their history. An outstanding survey!

Gorgeous book, gripping story
I live in Maine, not too far from the Shaker community that is the focus of this book, and it was fascinating to get a look "behind the scenes" at their lives and history. This book is beautifully written and the photographs - utterly amazing! I noticed one other reviewer said it could be a coffee table book - it absolutely can be. It's gracing my coffee table now and I've had many, many people comment on the beauty of the book as they (reverently, almost) leaf through the pages. The information is also top-notch - well researched and fascinating, and NOT dry. In fact, though it's a book about a celibate religious group, let me tell you, there's plenty of action and adventure. This book is enjoyable on many levels - visual, intellectual, and just plain old fascinating. I highly recommend it.

More than fine furniture!
A great read! A thorough and respectful look at a misunderstood religion. Beautiful photography. Anyone with an interest in the Shakers should read this book.

A part of Americana
"MUST READ" for Americana history buffs, Chosen Faith, Chosen Land brings to life a seldom seen part of New England history. The author through a carefully crafted weave of photographs and stories brings insight into the Shakers and their founder Ann Lee. I found the paths Mother Ann chose to follow in her life, and the effect it had on an individuals who followed her, brought to light the human need for a personal connection to God, and the sacrifices we will make to achieve it.

Amazing Photography, Excellent Read
Amazing photography, excellent read.This is more than just a coffee table book.This is a book to be shared with the entire family.Reading it will help solidify the foundations of your own spirituality and faith. Chosen Faith, Chosen Land is not only history - it is "herstory", the story about Ann Lee and the foundations of the oldest religion founded in America.Long live the Shakers and their "postmodern" faith. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive reference documents the full scope of furniture from Shaker communities in New England, Ohio, and Kentucky. Furniture produced throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, ranging from free-standing tables, chairs, desks, boxes, and case clocks to built-in cupboards and cases of drawers, is shown in over 1,000 images, 698 in color. An extensive text provides a detailed account of Shaker history, culture, and religion. Further, it examines Shaker design and tools, reporting new research on the Shaker color palette. Using primary source materials, this book examines designs from specific Shaker communities and individual cabinetmakers. Endnotes, bibliography, glossaries, and technical terms make this beautiful reference required reading for everyone with an interest in Shaker design and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful Book
I bought this book as a present.The receiver has really enjoyed the book and said it has exceptional drawings of the furniture.

Destined To Become The Standard In Its Field
"The Complete Book Of Shaker Furniture is DESTINED TO BECOME THE STANDARD IN ITS FIELD.
A comprehensive survey of the entire 150-year range of Shaker design arranged to show the works of 14 Shaker communities, it combines lavish illustrations, including 117 in full color, informative background essays, updated research largely based on original sources, and detailed construction analyses....."
[from the book of the front flap]

Great book
I'm obsessed with Shaker furnitue and architecture. I'll get around to reviewing all of my books in time. I think I have every Shaker book printed!

This one isn't "Complete" but there's an aweful lot in here. I look at "complete" more or less as meaning "most" variety of furniture. I didn't take it literally.

This is one book that gives a lot of weight to Shaker built-ins as well. Of which I'm trying to re-create so I've been referencing this book a lot lately.

I do have other books, some of which focus more on details and drawings with potential variety in drawer configurations for example, others more on color and simple photos etc.

So far it 's been one of my favorites in terms of the wide variety of material it contains. An overall wonderful photo and text reference to existing furniture.

Excellent book, beautiful pictures; but see my warning below
Probably because it is one of the newer books on Shaker furniture, this one seems to be the most accurate on the provenance of the many surviving Shaker items.It appears they have done an excellent job of decipheringwhere a piece was made regardless which village it was found.

THERE ISWARNING HOWEVER!Don't be fooled by what they mean by "The CompleteBook."They use the word complete to mean, that in addition tocovering the "Shaker Golden Years" of 1830 to around 1850, theyhave included items from the 18th to the 20th century.

Withapproximately 400 beautiful illustrations, they can't possibly cover everyimportant piece of Shakerdom.To my disappointment, they did not discussthe particular 12 to 20 foot benches of two slightly differing styles thatI have seen pictured in the meeting room at Sabathday Lake.Nor did theyshow the small wall clock at Sabathday Lake that I wanted to knowabout.

The authors certainly accomplished their goals of descibing thevarious, differing forms used by the different locatations over theapproximate 150 years covered.

For me the final test is, would I buy itagain -- Abosolutely. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

great divorce by Woo
Great book~!!! well researched and well written andvery interesting and eyeopening history to learn about one women's tough and courageous fight. Thouroguhly enjoyed~!!!

Thought provoking, superbly researched, and reads like a thriller
Of how many impeccably researched histories can it be said, "I couldn't put it down!" Illyon Woo has meticulously pieced together mostly original sources into a book that has the sweep and pace of great drama. She does not invent, but has sources for details right down to the weather and the condition of roads. (I know this because I read both her Sources and Acknowlegdments sections, so curious was I about her methods and so reluctant was I to let go of this book!) As for the story told, it is an extraordinary commentary on the roles and rights of women, the struggle of a new nation to create and then bend and amend its laws, the power of marketing (yes, even in the early 19th century), and the peculiar nature of Shaker culture. Woo says in her Epilogue that the sui generis nature of Eunice Chapman's story has made it a footnote to legal history. But Woo rescues the footnote, showing how both the Shakers and Eunice's struggle against them were peculiarly American, and can tell us much about how we - American women and men of all religious stripes - live today. And why. Whatever Woo writes next, I'm there.

Review of The Great Divorce, by Andy Ross
I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Divorce. It is the well written, and clearly well-researched and even handed, story of a very determined and intelligent young woman who had the misfortune to make a poor choice in marriage at a time when women had few rights before marriage, and even fewer after. Her dysfunctional and alcoholic husband eventually became a Shaker, and forcibly took their children to a Shaker community, which compounded her difficulties. The story of her getting the first legislative divorce in New York state, and recovering her children, and the aftermath of it all, is quite amazing, with numerous twists and turns. Much historical background on the Shakers is set forth, which I also found of considerable interest. I would highly recommend this fine book.

Great read!
I don't ordinarily gravitate toward history books, but "The Great Divorce" is a perfect combo of fine literature and chick lit. It's the complete package: love, sex, scandal, divorce, heartache, loss and, ultimately, triumph. Plus, a fantastic, vivid journey through early 19th Century America.

Gripping read; excellent period detail
Woo does a wonderful job combining story telling with history.I read this book in three days, and stayed up later than I should have each night in order to find out what happened next. In addition to the gripping story of a woman's fight to win back her children from her estranged husband and the Shakers, the book skillfully provides a fascinating portrail of life in the 1800s and the options (or lack there of) open to women at this time. ... Read more

Product Description
Why was Red Shoes, the most formidable Choctaw warrior of the eighteenth century, assassinated by his own people?Why does his death haunt Auda Billy, an Oklahoma Choctaw woman, accused in 1991 of murdering Choctaw Chief Redford McAlester?Moving between the known details of Red Shoes’ life and the riddle of McAlester’s death, this novel traces the history of the Billy women whose destiny it is to solve both murders--with the help of a powerful spirit known as the Shell Shaker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Excellent and fun read with enjoyable characters
I disagree with the negative comments about this book.It is very readable with fun and interesting characters.I plan to teach it to undergrads and have no doubt they are smart enough to read it easily.Overall, Howe does a wonderful job of showing a Choctaw family in the late 20th century, with their families and living in a not overly-idealized Southern Oklahoma town.

Using Howe's novel in lower level undergraduate courses
After analyzing Howe's Shell Shaker, I believe that this novel is teachable in either a composition or survey level course.It contains fabulous material for textual analysis and beyond-the-text analysis.The readability of the novel is difficult, but not impossible.The novel does, however, carry great risks.I would expect this novel to disturb many students in content and form.Including Shell Shaker on a syllabus would also limit other material options for a survey or composition course from the perspective of the time (Shell Shaker isn't a quick or easy read) and from the perspective of the non-major students who wouldn't likely want to tackle another text of this difficulty.From my experience, I would assert that this text is more fun to study than to read, so the payoffs could be equally as high as the risks.Students who are able to engage with the text either in formal textual analysis, sociohistorical analysis, or cultural analysis can reap the benefits of learning about discussing literature in terms of a single work or how it is validated or marginalized in relationship to other works in the course and about how this work comments on and validates or marginalizes our own views of colonialism and American culture at large.Shell Shaker is, finally, a novel that is teachable but one that I would place on a syllabus with caution and only after seriously weighing its value against the other course selections because, in spite of the high potential for reward, most of the risks are on the students' side of the equation.

Amazing!
LeAnne Howe is one of the most talented writers I have read to date.Her characters are amazing, her voice is distinct and powerful, her stories are fantastic.I've been a fan of LeAnne for years and her work just keeps getting better and better!

A tie between two generations
LeAnne Howe's "Shell Shaker" is a novel that ties the present and the past generations together to show the importance of a community.Two political leaders, one from the 18th century and the other from the 20th century originally intend to do well for their communities but are later overtaken by greed.Both political leaders, Redford McAlester and Red Shoes, divide their communities by making war.With the help of the spirits the members of the communities must individually make sacrifices for the benefit of the whole community in order to obtain a balance between the tribes.The emotions of the characters in this novel range from romance to violence and murder.I enjoyed this novel because the characters have such an extensive list of emotions which caused me to identify with them as well as sympathize for them, therefore making each character seem real.

shell shaker
This book was really interesting. Being from France, it was really my first interaction with a Native writter or even with the Native' world. I had to read this amazing book for my Native American Class, this book really open my eyes on the Native World and the skills of Howe is simply amazing and she is simply a wonderful narrator. I would recommend anyone to read this amazing book.

Sincerly,

Nicolas from Nice, France ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first salt & pepper shaker book for Gene Florence. Over 5,000 full color photos are featured. Categories include advertising products, animals, Christmas, decorative, ethnic groups, famous characters, gambling, glass, heads, lamps and lighting, metal, miniature, musical, nodders, Occupied Japan, plastic/celluloid, pottery, religious, risque, souvenir, sports, steins, transportation, Western themes, wood, and World's Fairs. Famous potteries are represented - Lefton, Holt Howard, Vandor, Shawnee, and more. Depression glass shakers are also included. 2007 values. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

S&P collecting
I almost didn't buy this book since the reviews were fairly low, but thumbed through it twice upon receiving it...I think it one of the best books in my collection.It covers most materials used in making S&Ps, identifies a lot of the makers, (Shawnee, Occupied Japan, Hazel Atlas, etc.), the photography is good, & I'm very pleased with the information it has given me.I know it will become a well thumbed book for searching.

Great Gift Book - Very well received
Book was a big hit with a growing collector - some shaker's categories could be expanded upon with more detail and photos - but overall a success...

Not pleased
This was the first book I bought on Salt and Pepper Shakers.I didn't find it helpful at all.Unless you just want a collection of S&P books, don't waste your money.

Nice Starter Book
The book has tons of pictures.Some of the sets shown are not "true" sets.It is a great book to get a general idea of all the many themes of salt and pepper collecting.High end and low end are all well represented.It was fun to see sets I never knew existed that I would like to have.It gave me more stuff to look for in auctions.It's always fun to add to collections!

Erroneous Valuations.
The monetary valuations of Salt & Pepper Shakers in this book are virtually useless to either a collector or seller. I have never seen a book so totally unresearched on both pricing and product description. The majority of the photos of the S&P's do not describe the material utilized in their construction, so one is left wondering if they are looking at plastic, metal or other material.
No person interested in Salt & Pepper collecting should buy this as their first book. If you do, you'll be in for a big surprise when you try to buy an S&P that has been valued in this book for $12, but is belling for $48.
For the more seasoned collector, it does have some decent pictures, but is more or less a rehash of better produced S&P Collecting books.
If you've been collecting S&P's for over 6 months, you'll realize that this is a piece of utter tripe; execpt for the photos of the S&P's. ... Read more

Product Description
Today, few Shakers are left, but their legacy--the beautifully proportioned buildings, the exquisite baskets and the classically crafted chairs--lives on in their creations--and in Shaker, the first comprehensive book on this remarkable society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Connecting the spiritual with the temporal
June Sprigg's great introduction to the Shakers has happily been reprinted. It is a most beautiful book.

It's rare that something that looks at first glance like a "coffee table book" that should be admired largely for its pictures but that also contains such a thoughtful and illuminating text.

There is no other book that shows as clearly how the Shakers connected practicality and simplicity with elegance and harmony of design. The photographs are subtle, understated but quite lovely to linger over.

It's easy to dismiss the Shakers as a fringe group, and few up us would embrace their doctrine of celibacy. But June Sprigg documents the appeal of their fundamental values: Do all your work as if it was to last for 1,000 years, but live your life as if you knew that the Judgment Day was coming tomorrow. Her ability to articulate this apparent paradox makes this a spiritually moving book.

Buy it as a gift for anyone interested in design, or with a serious interest in religion. And be sure to order two copies--you'll want one yourself.

Connecting the spiritual with the temporal
June Sprigg's great introduction to the Shakers has happily been reprinted. It is a most beautiful book.

It's rare that something that looks at first glance like a "coffee table book" that should be admired largely for its pictures but that also contains such a thoughtful and illuminating text.

There is no other book that shows as clearly how the Shakers connected practicality and simplicity with elegance and harmony of design. The photographs are subtle, understated but quite lovely to linger over.

It's easy to dismiss the Shakers as a fringe group, and few up us would embrace their doctrine of celibacy. But June Sprigg documents the appeal of their fundamental values: Do all your work as if it was to last for 1,000 years, but live your life as if you knew that the Judgment Day was coming tomorrow. Her ability to articulate this apparent paradox makes this a spiritually moving book.

Buy it as a gift for anyone interested in design, or with a serious interest in religion. And be sure to order two copies--you'll want one yourself.

A beautiful book...
Shaker: Life, Work and Art is a beautiful book.I first saw acopy several years ago and was disappointed to learn that thehardcover version was out of print. The book has short narrative sections that provide insight into Shaker history, work, and communal and spiritual life.One section captures a "typical" day in the life of the Brethren and Sisters.The enlarged font is easy on the eyes and the top of each narrative page is headed by the famous Shaker wall pegs.The narrative sections are separated by numerous pages of high quality, well-captioned color photographs of Shaker crafts, furniture, and architecture.Lots of beautiful pictures! The Shakers legacy still seems to have a profound impact on our contemporary lives in spite of (or perhaps because of) the simplicity of their work and their unusual communal way of life. Although this book does not present a comprehensive history of the Shakers, it does an admirable job of providing an insight into the lives of these interesting people. This book is deserving of any coffee table and should get a lot of attention in your household.END ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring dozens of color photographs of contemporary Shaker gardens, an ecologically minded manual includes quotes from the Shakers' original gardening manual and individual journals and detailed discussions of medicinal and culinary herbs. ... Read more

Product Description
The largest, most comprehensive and colorful guide to salt and pepper shakers ever published! A companion volume to The Complete Cookie Jar Book, published in 1991. The Complete Salt and Pepper Shaker Book shows more than 1600 sets of figural shakers in full color. The collection includes those by American potteries such as Rosemeade and Ceramic Arts Studio that have never appeared in a book before. Company histories, measurements of shakers, and pictures of marks and paper labels are among the book's innovative features. As some salt and pepper shakers currently attract hundreds of dollars, this book is a must for collectors, dealers, and appraisers. Look inside, even if you have never held an interest in salt and pepper shakers before, and this book will open your eyes to a wonderful collectible. A price guide is included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Complete Salt and Pepper Shaker Book by Mike Schneider
Schneidly Whiplash has done it again!He and his wife have such a wonderful talent for showcasing the values of collectibles!!!!

Best of the Bunch
Probably the best reference book to date on collecting shakers.Chock full of pictures and information cover to cover.

Best S&P book around
This book is what I would term user friendly.It isset up in such a waythat you can easily access the information you need.In the back of thebook is a listing of many importing companies and information on them. This is my favorite of all of the shaker books.

This is the best book available on the subject.
If you are going to own just one book on salt & peppers, this is the one in which to invest.It is quite comprehensive and very well organized.

This book will add spice to your collection!!
Mike Schneider keeps raising the bar a little higher--so high that Sergei Bubka couldn't vault over it.When I got the book I showed it to friends and that was the acid test.Over and over I heard, 'My grandma had thatpair,' or ' We have those in the basement...they're worth that much?!?' These people were enthralled with the book. Mike Schneider's book runs fromroutine shakers to really obscure ones to ones that are absolutelyunbelievable.The prices are true and the colors are crisp. Mr.Schneider's previous work caused me to be sure I got this volume--and asalways I am very pleased with his efforts.Schiffer Publishing has arising star. ... Read more

Product Description
In Simple Gifts, June Sprigg tells the story of one of America's last Shaker communities--Canterbury Shaker Village, in Canterbury, New Hampshire--during its twilight years, and of its seven remarkable "survivor" women, who were among the last representatives of our longest-lived and best-known communal utopian society. As a college student Sprigg spent a summer among them, and here she gracefully interweaves the narrative of their lives with the broader history of Shakers in America as she shows us how her experiences there affected her own life and opened the door to her creativity.

Gleaning information from old records and journals that she pored over that summer and later, Sprigg brings to life the generations of Canterbury Shakers from the eighteenth century to the present--their customs, their architecture, their spirituality. She also explores the social and cultural forces and the internal imperatives and tensions that caused membership to decrease, all of which, by 1972, brought the community to crisis.

Chronicling the daily life of the village as she found it, Sprigg uncovers the affirming energies of the Shakers--the prominence of mutual love and respect, the devoted tradition of mothering surrogate children, and, above all, the surviving women's spirited eccentricities. She reveals the Shakers as individuals--their personal histories, their wildly different beginnings, what they gave up to join the Shaker community, and, more important, what they gained.

Through her lively text and drawings and her intimate connection with the community, Sprigg brings us close to its people with a book that both enlightens and inspires.


From the Hardcover edition.Amazon.com Review
"This is a simple story that means the world to me,"June Sprigg writes by way of preface to Simple Gifts, hermemoir of a summer spent with the last seven residents of a NewHampshire Shaker community. It's a fitting motto for the serene,unadorned lives of these women--"members of an endangeredspecies," as one of the elderly sisters wryly says--and of thejoy they brought a girl who at 19 was "half in and half out ofthe egg." Although the Shakers took vows of celibacy, theirreligious tradition always included caring for children--especiallythose society refused to provide for--and after so many years, thesisters were delighted to have a girl to dote on once again. For herown part, Sprigg found much-needed guidance as she made her owntransition into womanhood: "What might have seemed like theunlikeliest of friendships--me at nineteen, a miniskirted collegesophomore, and six Shaker sisters in their seventies, eighties, andnineties, soft and wrinkled as old plums--made sense, perhaps to ourmutual surprise." As Sprigg spends the summer guiding tours,working alongside the sisters, and poring over old journals, aportrait emerges of a community that remains vital even during itstwilight years. Perhaps more importantly, Sprigg finds a spirituallineage that stretches from one generation to the next--even, sheimagines, coming to rest in a non-Shaker like herself. More than justa profile of a historical curiosity, this memoir tells the stories ofseven remarkable but very different women, and in the process offers ainvaluable testimony to the life of the spirit put into joyouspractice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

beautifully written book
This book is NOT just for those with an interest in the Shakers. I picked it from the library shelf at random while looking for something else, and I am so glad I did. Those who enjoy learning from their elders, those who are trying to make sense of religion, and those who love a good memoir may want to give this book a try. I loved the author's positive outlook. She treats her subject with great sensitivity, warmth, and attention to detail.

Caught me by surprise
I was looking through the library for a book on the Shaker way, specifically, what it might be like to be a Shaker, what goes on in their minds, and why they live(d) the way they did. This book is a truly engaging read from cover to cover -- the warm, conversational tone of the narrative kept me reading, and the insights into the Shaker world are priceless. Rather than taking a dry, anthropological view of the vanishing sect, or waxing new age, the author simply tells her own story beautifully, evoking the feeling of what it would be like to visit that time and place. I know very little about Shaker ways, which is why I picked up this book, and I'm very glad I did. From the humorous visits with the neighboring miniature makers to the serene white-washed (and even pink!) walls of the buildings to the gentle smiles of the Sisters, this memoir was charming and a great read. I couldn't put it down.

Shaker Nut
I grew up close to the only surviving Shaker village in the world and my interest in this interesting people is alive and well.I enjoyed this book for the glimpse of people who remain alive within the pages of books written by those who lived and worked among them.I would agree, this book is meant for those with an interest in the people and their everyday lives.It is a great way to prelude a visit to the Canterbury Village where everything is made real.

Plain and simple
Well, there isn't much to say about this book other than it was a cozy, meandering read that doesn't take a lot of energy or concentration to read.Nothing happens in this book, either.However, I learned something aboutthe Shaker way that I hadn't known before.It was entertaining in thatrespect, but nothing more.Would probably only appeal to those interestedin Shakers.

A Real Charmer
June Sprigg is a perceptive, compassionate, and poetic observer of Shakerlife as she shared it in the early 1970's. Her representation issympathetic but doesn't "whitewash" the human frailties of thepeople she encountered. Her descriptions of the beauty of the naturalsurroundings in which she lived and worked are superb, delicate, and rich.The work is further enhanced by her sweetly simple pencil sketches of thevillage and the Shakers she grew to love. Perfect reading for summer--orany other time. ... Read more

Product Description

Shaker buildings have long been admired for their simplicity of design and sturdy craftsmanship, with form always following function. Over the years, their distinctive physical characteristics have invited as much study as imitation. Their clean, unadorned lines have been said to reflect core Shaker beliefs such as honesty, integrity, purity, and perfection. In this book, Henry Plummer focuses on the use of natural light in Shaker architecture, noting that Shaker builders manipulated light not only for practical reasons of illumination but also to sculpt a deliberately spiritual, visual presence within their space. Stillness and Light celebrates this subtly beautiful aspect of Shaker innovation and construction, captured in more than 100 stunning photographs.

Customer Reviews (1)

Shaker delight
Architect/educator Henry Plummer once again trains his eye and camera lens on the effects of light--in this case, the beautifully simplistic architecture and detail of the Shaker constructions. The book's title is well chosen, as are the buildings and the views included, all of which are in color. It is a pleasure to know these structures still exist and are maintained. Having personally visited many of them--and having taken my own photographs--it is a delight to see the material through another's eyes/lens in a more controlled view and at particular times of day when the sun does its work! ... Read more

Product Description
In the executive offices of the four major networks, sweeping changes are taking place and billions of dollars are at stake. Now Bill Carter, bestselling author of The Late Shift, goes behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the television industry, capturing the true portraits of the larger-than-life moguls and stars who make it such a cutthroat business.

In a time of sweeping media change, the four major networks struggle for the attention of American viewers increasingly distracted by cable, video games, and the Internet. Behind boardroom doors, tempers flare in the search for hit shows, which often get on the air purely by accident. The fierce competition creates a pressure-cooker environment where anything can happen . . .

• NBC’s fall from grace—Once the undisputed king of prime time, NBC plunged from first place to last place in the ratings in the course of a single season. What will be the price of that collapse—and who will pay it?

• CBS’s slow and steady race to the top—Unlike NBC, CBS, under the leadership of CEO, Leslie Moonves, engineered one of the most spectacular turnarounds in television history. But in this ruthless world, you’re only as good as last week’s ratings . . . .

• ABC’s surprising resurrection—Lost and Desperate Housewives—have brought ABC the kind of success it could only dream of in the past. So why don’t the executives responsible for those hits work there any more?

• The end of the news as we know it—In a stunningly short period of time, all three of the major network news anchors—Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings—signed off, leaving executives scrambling for a way to keep network news relevant in an era of 24/7 information.

• Crazy Like Fox—They’re outrageous, unconventional, and occasionally off-putting, but more and more people are watching Fox shows. Most of all they keep watching American Idol. How did Simon Cowell snooker himself into a huge payday? Stay tuned . . .

In Desperate Networks Bill Carter digs deep inside the industry, delivering utterly irresistible “dish” that you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the perfect book to read when there’s nothing on TV. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Great READ
A MUST READ for anyone who's in the television industry. It's a great read and great way to familiarize yourself with the big TV players in the industry.

surprised me
Since I don't watch a lot of TV and have only watched one of the shows the book focuses on (heard of most of the rest of them though), I didn't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. However, it was a fascinating read of the inner workings of the television business.

It's written very well though one must question how the author obtained the information to say "so-and-so thought X" since he describes rather minute details of people's reactions and inner thoughts. I'm not sure he he did numerous interviews and then wrote them all up in a narrative or what but regardless, I took some of it with a grain of salt but enjoyed it all nonetheless.

It gives a good portrait of the minds of TV executives: they seem to be a hard hearted, shamelessly greedy, and self-absorbed bunch. When I watch TV now, I feel like a pawn in their game as what you're seeing on TV is not so much the idea of a writer as it is a pandering to advertisers.

Great look into the television industry
This book is a great insight into not only the network television industry as a whole, but also provides a very interesting look at the history of your favorite television networks and shows from the past few decades.

This book focuses on the lives of the heads of the four respective networks.Even though they were names that most have never heard of, they are the ones responsible for deciding what we are going to watch on television.

A great read for people like myself who have no knowledge of the behind the scenes workings of network television.

An in-depth look @ network TV in the 21st century!
Having devoured Carter's 1994 book The Late Shift (a fascinating story of the Leno-Letterman late night TV battle) when it was released, I can safely say he's done it again w/this fascinating glimpse inside the 4 networks and the decisions that helped shape primetime TV in recent years...especially fascinating are some surprising facts revealed along the way, such as how:

- CSI was nearly passed up by CBS in favor of a detecive dramedy called "Homewood PI", which was to star Tony Danza
- The "results show" on American Idol was created out of necessity so all viewers could vote (its UK equivalent, Pop Idol, is able to tabulate all votes immediately after the show airs b/c the country's entirely contained within one time zone, unlike the States)
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus was considered for the role of Susan on Desperate Housewives
- Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire, had it not turned out to be one of Fox's biggest fiascos, would've become a franchise that included a sequel, a "reverse" version that had a wealthy bride picking from a series of prospective grooms, etc.

All told, a great read for anyone who wants to know more about the ever-changing face of primetime TV and the backstories of current hit shows!

A Desperate Writer's Attempt to Kiss Up to Networks
Bill Carter has spent years covering TV for the New York Times and in order to keep his inside sources, he needs to kiss up to them.This book is filled with inside stories gleaned from the first five years of the new millennium and some of the stories are interesting.But the writer has the bad habit of using over-the-top adjectives about the network bigwigs he is covering.The bigger the person in power, the bigger the superlatives used to the point of it being laughable.

In the end CBS chief Les Moonves, who is called "genius," comes across as inept and power-hungry.Once the writer's bias is stripped away the real story here is that those in charge of network TV have no clue how to program hit television shows. In virtually every case of a major success, the network leaders initially scoff at the program but then take credit when it becomes a hit. And none of these rich, elitist programmers seem to know what mainline American viewers want to watch.

Bottom line--the book has interesting stories for those who are addicted to how networks program prime time.But the author's writing style is stilted and lacks credibility.There are a number of factual errors and the reader should beware that what is presented as fact is actually the author's filtered view of an industry that he needs to kiss up to in order to keep his job. ... Read more

Product Description
Seasoned with Grace offers anauthentic, illustrated, firsthand profile of away of life and worship that continues tofascinate the hundreds of thousands of peoplewho visit the Shaker communities and museumseach year.These simple recipes will be welcomed and used by everyone who appreciates trueAmerican cookery and the graceful Shakertradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

POLITICALLY ACTIVE FRIENDS
Truly satisfying work is sometimes centered in old methods, values and attitudes.Recipes laced with a gentlewoman's confidence.

Shaker Living
When I looked at Eldress Bertha Lindsay's Seasoned with Grace: My Generation of Shaker Cooking, I had the impression it was primarily a cookbook, with additional context given through details of the Canterbury Shaker community. Because of that, I ended up being somewhat disappointed with the book. If, instead, you're looking for information about how the Canterbury Shaker community lived and ate during Eldress Lindsay's lifetime (1905-1990), I think you'll find this a very handy and fascinating book.

With the Shaker emphasis on living separately from the 'World,' I had expected to find that the recipes would represent a simpler, vegetables-and-meat type of fare. Thus I was quite surprised to find quite a few recipes that were much closer to what I remember as stereotypical pot-luck fare when I was growing up: casseroles using concentrated cans of cream of mushroom soup; brownies; and 'salads' made of vegetables and fruit suspended in gelatin.

It's really a matter of expectations. If you know in advance that this is a book meant to relate twentieth-century Shaker life, giving you the chance to sample a few recipes along the way, I think you'll find it's just what you're looking for. If you're expecting the kind of book you probably picture when you hear of a Shaker cookbook, however, you'll likely be disappointed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The best cultural experience...
I'm a history buff, and this book is one of my favorites. This is a wonderful opportunity to educate both deaf and hearing individuals about individuals who are deaf.For too long, deaf movers and shakers havedisregarded.Even if they were given recognition, there'd be only one linesaying: "..and he is hearing impaired."There is more to theseindividuals.With this book, I am able to visualize the experience ofBeethoven, and chuckle at the situation imposed on Deaf Smith. The bookcaptures the human nature of renowned deaf individuals.

The writingstyle's appealing, and I certainly think more history writers use this bookas an example of quality material... ... Read more

Product Description
Excellent work by noted authority examines in depth the unique quality of Shaker craftsmanship. Fascinating discussions of sect’s origins, their communal villages, deeply religious faith and other aspects of Shaker life accompany 83 photographs revealing the quiet refinement and functional perfection of Shaker chairs, rockers, candle holders, dining tables, chests, storage cabinets, wash stands and sinks, desks, and many other fine examples of the sect’s handiwork.
... Read more

Product Description
A possible drug-running operation in a staid, old-fashioned, middle-class Cleveland neighborhood soon has Milan Jacovich racing against time to save an old friend and the city itself. Reprint. K. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ex- Clevelander "Returns Home"
Growing up in Chagrin Falls (not far from Shaker)left me with an interest in northern Ohio. Great fun to read about familiar landmarks as a setting for Milan Jacovich's exploits as recorded by Les Roberts. ... Read more

Product Description
*Pleasant Hill Shaker furniture is second to none in it's design and beauty

*The featured technical illustrations are works of art that will instruct and inspire the reader like nothing they've seen before

*Contains previously unknown facts about Shaker furniture and the Shaker way of life

With its beauty and simplicity, Shaker furniture has inspired generations of furniture makers like no other style in the world. This book details the construction and design of some rare and never before seen Shaker furniture created in the village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. Painstakingly illustrated with drawings and photos of the furniture, this book reveals the joinery and design secrets that make Shaker furniture timeless. Readers will find full-scale details of the joinery and special details about the furniture as well as a charming history of the village of Pleasant Hill. Put simply, this is a beautiful book--the exquisite measured drawings and nostalgic photography make it a perfect coffee-table book and an inspiration for woodworkers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Beautiful
I love pictures of shaker furniture. My husband wants scale drawings. In this book we got both.

Excellent Work
I've just recently begun studying Shaker furniture and I am very pleased with this book.It covers a wide range of pieces from the Pleasant Hill community and it provides some good background on each piece.The photographs accompanying each piece are also excellent.I highly recommend this book if you are interested in learning about Shaker furniture.

Great gift for a woodworker
This is a good book with amazing photos.The background story is very informative.

Shaker furntiture has always appealled to me and seeing the pieces in a traditional setting is an extra.

I would recommend this book.

Pleasant Hill Shake Furniture
I have read the book through twice now and it just keeps getting better and better.I have read extensivly of the eastern settlements but knew very little about the western groups.I enjoyed seeing the differences as well as the similarities in the way of life and the furniture.The book was a nice balance of how life was day to day and the furniture they created.This is the second book I am aware of written by an experiencedwoodworker so the insights are of more interest than the usual picture/history book we see so many of.The other is by Chris Becksvoort, which I have equally enjoyed.

I also enjoyed the drawings by Kerry's brother.I think those added greatly to the book.I know when I look at an old piece of woodworking I am some time before I can see the structure in the design.The drawings help me to see this much cleared and sooner.

All in all, I highly reccomend this book be added to the libraries of the serious funiture builder or collector as well as those interested in history.It gives an overall view of what was going on in that part of the country at that time and how the Shakers reacted to it. ... Read more

Product Description
The first complete site and map inventory of a communal society--showing a surprising array of consumer artifacts used and sold by the Canterbury Shakers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

New Perspectives
"New Perspectives" says it all.Starbuck presents the results of his research and archaeological fieldwork in a concise manner that is understandable and interesting to follow.This is not a small task, given the amount of work that has been completed and painstakingly detailed.

The resulting data is depicted through the use of a balanced number of professionally crafted charts, tables, drawings, maps, and photographs that bring life to the past and raise questions about our interpretations of what has been previously written related to Shaker life.Although the skillfully written text evokes questions, the author does not browbeat the reader with an overabundance of statistical data or single-minded conclusions.Instead, the reader is left to examine the results of the work conducted, wonder at the details presented, ponder the results, and consider a "new perspective" on the "old" story.

Neither Plain Nor Simple
The title, "Neither Plain Nor Simple", may be controversial. However, through archaeology, the author has been able to discover many new insights into Shaker life. This book has shown meticulous research and scholarship.
The greatest strengths of this book are the base maps and site reports that describe the entire Shaker built landscape. This is not a book principally about Shaker history. Rather it is a book about Shaker archaeology and what can be learned by mapping a landscape.

Poor scholarship!
Starbuck's interpretation of archaeological data at Canterbury Shaker Village is self-serving -- simplistic at best, and in fact, nothing new.His book is an effort to put a sensationalist spin on the archaeological evidence which he interprets as indicating that the Shakers were more "worldly" and materialistic than popularly thought.He all but states that the Shakers were a community of hypocrites.

In fact, the Shakers were not perfect, but the story is much more complex than Starbuck presents.No one ever denied that the Shakers were involved in dynamic commercial relations with the World - they were not self-sufficient and were not adverse to applying new technology to make their work more efficient.They were also, however, tempered by a very strong faith that called for moderation.They were human and balanced their lives as best they could.

But Starbuck jumps to immediate conclusions.In his self-centered analysis, he very briefly mentions that other theories have been brought forth to explain the archaeological evidence, but unfortunately, he immediately passes these off as "sentimental."To offer one of a number of examples, he blatantly fails to take into account that the Shakers, a celibate order, sustained their population by conversion, and, as a communal group, those entering the Shaker life brought all their worldly goods with them.In the spirit of economy and thrift, what else could be expected than that the Shakers would then put those goods to use and throw them away when they were through with them?They certainly would not have carted off and secretly buried the refuse that would make them appear more worldly to future archaeologists!

He would do well to consider the archaeological evidence in light of extensive historical documentation and other theories than his own. ... Read more