Product Description
This book provides practical instructions in the making of posies and bouquets with descriptive captions, artwork borders and full-colour photographs throughout. Part of "The Little Scented Library" series, the book gives the reader a host of traditional recipes and gift suggestions as well as imaginative new variations. There are original and pretty ideas for creating a fresh wedding garland, or a Christmas wreath of scented foliage. Scented endpapers are a fragrant reminder that outlives the special occasion. By the author of "Arranging Dried Flowers", "Flowers", "Container Gardening" and co-author of "The Complete Book of Dried Flowers". ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides practical instructions in the making of fragrant herbs with descriptive captions, artwork borders and full-colour photographs throughout. Part of "The Little Scented Library" series, the book gives the reader a host of traditional recipes and gift suggestions as well as imaginative new variations. Scented endpapers are a fragrant reminder that outlives the special occasion. By the author of "Arranging Dried Flowers", "Flowers", "Container Gardening" and co-author of "The Complete Book of Dried Flowers". ... Read more

Product Description
Each volume of this series concentrates on one particular natural source of scent or specific craft or theme. In this book step-by-step photographs, accompanied by simple captions, provide practical instructions for the production of pot pourris, scented colognes, herbal lotions, natural soaps and fragrant sachets from roses. ... Read more

Product Description
A chance landing on a Polynesian island brought Joanna Lawless into Mark Sterne's life. Against his better judgement, he accepted the guardianship of the beautiful nineteen year old orphan and brought her back to England with him, to face the problems of civilized life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

It made me homesick for a little town that never existed.
Leacock wrote in the introduction that Mariposa represented seventy or eighty different towns throughout Canada. The residents were composite characters of people he knew. Leacock did a great job of making the town seem alive. I wished I were there for the picnics, the cruises on the lake and the poker games. The plots of vignettes were good. The writing was too cute sometimes. His classical references were over my public school education at times. The characters were drawn fairly well. What the author did very well was the throw away descriptions of the characters. He would almost insult the characters he was describing in such endearing terms that I immediately felt drawn to the character.

Leacock was amazing talent. The book wasn't deep, but it was a fun, enjoyable ride down memory lane.

very nice book
Nice book. But in this edition, there is no chapter title on each page, so it's a littledifficult to track the chapters.

funniest book i've ever read
no hype. i couldn't stop laughing as i was reading this. and i mean laughing out loud. in a cafe. with everyone staring at me. but i didn't care. and i couldn't help it if i did. it's just too hilarious.

It Soothes the Soul
There is at least one author who may remind you of Stephen Leacock, namely Garrison Keillor of Lake Wobegon fame, but Leacock should be recognized as the ultimate master of quaint, bucolic humor. Leacock, who died in 1944, became arguably the most prominent Canadian humorist of his day (and probably of all time). What is ironic about that claim is that Leacock worked for most of his life as a professor of economics. We do not usually equate economics with humor, preferring to think of that profession as one of bow ties and supply and demand charts. Throw that presumption out the window and pick up a copy of "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town," Leacock's best known work available through the New Canadian Library series.

For me, one of the funniest sections of the book was the introduction written by Leacock, where he gives you some background about himself and his profession. This short piece of writing quickly gives you an idea of the type of humor you will find in the actual sketches: a very sly, very quiet and clever type of humor that often takes a while to sink in. Leacock does not rely on rim shot jokes or manic posturing in his writings. Instead, he creates the fictional Canadian town of Mariposa and populates it with small town archetypes that are wonders to behold.

All of the characters are hilarious in their own way: Mr. Smith, the proprietor of the local hotel and bar, full of schemes to earn money while trying to get his liquor license back. Then there is Jefferson Thorpe, the barber involved in financial schemes that may put him on the level of the Morgans and the Rockefellers. The Reverend Mr. Drone presides over the local Church of England in Mariposa, a man who reads Greek as easy as can be but laments his lack of knowledge about logarithms and balancing the financial books of the church. Peter Pupkin, the teller at the local bank, has a secret he wants no one to know about, but which eventually comes out while he is courting the daughter of the town judge. All of these characters, and several others, interact throughout the sketches.

Leacock has the ability to turn a story, to make it take a crazy, unexpected twist even when you are looking for such a maneuver. That he accomplishes this in stories that rarely run longer than twenty pages is certainly a sign of great talent. By the time you reach the end of the book, you know these people as though you lived in the town yourself, and you know what makes them tick.

Despite all of the crazy antics in Mariposa, Leacock never lets the reader lose sight of the fact that these are basically good people living good lives. There seems to be a lot of feeling for the citizens of Mariposa on the part of Leacock, which comes to a head in the final sketch in the collection, "L'Envoi. The Train to Mariposa," where he recounts traveling back to the town after being away for years, with all of the attendant emotions that brings as recognizable landmarks come into view and the traveler realizes that his little town is the same as when he left it years before.

I suspect there is a historical importance to "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town." These writings first appeared in 1912, a time when many people living in the bigger Canadian cities still remembered life in a small town. In addition to the humorous aspects of the book, the author includes many descriptive passages concerning the atmosphere and layout of Mariposa, something instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up in such a place. Nostalgia for the simpler life of the small town probably played a significant role in the book's success.

I look forward to reading more Stephen Leacock. While much of the humor in the book is not belly laugh funny, it does provide one with a deep satisfaction of reading clever humor from an author who knows how to tickle the funny bone. You do not need to be Canadian to enjoy this wonderful book.

the funniest book i've ever read
Like the heading says, this is the funniest book I've ever read.Leacock was a comic genius and this is his best work.Buy it, read it, love it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Tipping Point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.In this widely acclaimed New York Times® bestseller, Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, and looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. An intellectual adventure story and a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world.Description in Spanish:En esta obra revolucionaria, que sigue ocupando los primeros puestos en las listas de ventas de Estados Unidos, Gladwell analiza la trayectoria de varios productos y tendencias de gran éxito hasta descubrir cómo y por qué se alcanza el punto de inflexión a partir del cual algo se convierte en un fenómeno de masas: la clave del éxito. Gladwell nos presenta a personas responsables de difundir nuevas ideas y tendencias -los creadores naturales del boca a oreja- y examina la moda, los programas infantiles de televisión, la conducta de los fumadores y hasta la publicidad directa, con el fin de dilucidar el proceso del contagio de ideas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excelent!!
Es un libro que hace revisarse a uno mismo desde los puntos de vistas acostumbrados a ver las cosas.

Retomas la importacia de las cosas menos importantes pero que al final sabes que haran un gran cambio en tu vida ... Read more

Product Description
Hitler has escaped. Twelve of them, to be precise, each cloned from the original and hiding in the bizarre American underground. Hiram Grange has been tasked with hunting them down. The only problem: he's hit rock bottom. His worst binge ever --- a mad dance with absinthe, opium and depression. HIRAM GRANGE & THE TWELVE LITTLE HITLERS continues the misadventures of the scurrilous boozer and malcontent Hiram Grange. Though afflicted with a laundry list of dysfunctions, addictions and odd predilections, Hiram Grange stands toe to toe (and sometimes toe to tentacle) with the black-hearted denizens of the Abyss, dispensing justice with the help of an antiquated Webley revolver and a Pritchard bayonet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A little too crazy
Hiram Grange in cool.At least, he was cool in the first book Village of the Damned.In this one, he's on one crazy bender.And I guess that's the problem.It was hard to go on this bender with him because I didn't get it.He's dying, little bit by little bit, and he continues to choke down pills and booze and drugs...

So it started getting a little hard to take or sympathize with.He wasn't looking for the next score -- he was looking to get enough drugs to nearly kill himself and all the people around him.

It was hard for me to go on that ride with him.

The ending was a real shocker -- and I don't know how they'll proceed in the next books.

So why four stars?Because I still like this character and this world.I like that it's CRAZY and yet only novella length (I wouldn't like this guy if it were a full novel).It feels like a guilty pleasure -- a quick, fun read.

Ryan McFadden
Author of Women of the Apocalypse

I really loathe Hiram after this one.
Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, the second book in Shroud Publishing's Hiram Grange series of novellas, is, on the surface, a string of twelve vignettes, each dealing with the capture and/or extermination of one of twelve clones of Adolf Hitler that escaped from the World Trade Center when the towers fell. These vignettes are connected by a one-man opiate, psychedelic and alcohol binge unparalleled in the history of the planet. Hiram Grange, not the most sympathetic protagonist to begin with, has clearly fallen farther than he ever has before.

I gave the first installment in the series a modest review, but upon further consideration I realize that Jake Burrows, the author of the first novella, was operating from a distinct disadvantage: he not only had to tell his story, he had to introduce Hiram and the entire series at the same time. Scott Christian Carr, the author of Twelve Little Hitlers, doesn't have that monkey on his back. He starts grinding Hiram into the dirt from the get-go: he's lost his home, narrowly missed a conviction on stalking charges and is squatting in someone's home while they're on vacation. It keeps getting worse from there.

Carr's writing style takes a little getting used to, but once you're in, you're in. The ending was a true, completely-out-of-left-field shocker, and was somewhat traumatic to read. I have to say I really loathe Hiram after this one. So far, the Hiram Grange series is delivering the goods: none of your assumptions are safe, and none of the standard storytelling conventions are sacred. 4.8/5.

Hiram Grange is My (anti)hero!
I loved Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, and I was eager to dig into the second book in this series, Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers. It was definitely worth the wait. Hiram is a strange fellow, but even with all of his eccentricities (a fevered obsession with Jodie Foster for one), he comes across as a real and tragic antihero despite all of the odd goings on in the book. Scott Christian Carr expands on Hiram and his universe on his hunt for the 12 Little Hitlers of the title. Carr is an excellent writer, able to provoke horror with ease. He's funny too, a master of dark and sometimes off kilter humor. His talents blend well and they are a perfect fit to the pathetic yet lovable Hiram. I'm not going to say anything about the plot - you have to read it to believe it.

Hiram Grange is certainly one of the most interesting characters I have ever read, and I'm looking forward to seeing what all of the other authors in this series will do with (to) him. Bring on the next book!

BookReview.com Review
The Hiram Grange series continues with the second installment: Twelve Little Hitlers. Here we see a new threat to the fragile balance between our reality and the evil dimension known as The Abyss as it releases twelve clones from the most heinous historical figure of the 20th century loose upon the world. Hiram Grange - debauched protagonist and saviour of reality - has the task of tracking them down and eliminating each clone before they can make their mark.

Whilst the premise is hardly unique (think Ira Levin's Boys from Brazil) Twelve Little Hitlers has something that sets it apart. What we have is a story that kind of takes a back seat to the manipulation and ultimate downfall of its central character. As Grange lurches from one drug and alcohol binge to another, the surefire means of holding his psychological ills at bay become a means of seduction and misdirection; leading him to commit the ultimate, shocking act of violence in the final pages.

There is no doubt in my mind that Scott Christian Carr's punk-punching narrative has taken what may have been a lukewarm premise and lifted it into the ether. In The Village of the Damned - Grange's first outing - we were introduced to Hiram's addiction, in Twelve Little Hitlers we are dragged by the scruff of the neck, nailed to a seat in the front row and forced to bear witness, up close and personal, to the point where the horror is not so much propagated by the demons of the tale, but by the demons all too prevalent in life itself.

A masterful,commanding piece of fiction, Twelve Little Hitlers is a must for ardent horror fans and contributors to the craft,alike.

Dave Jeffery

Powerfully written
I finished this book in a day.The author, Scott Christian Carr, flushes the anti-hero, Hiram Grange, out for all to see.The 2nd book, Hiram Grange & the Twelve Little Hitlers, takes the reader through alcohol/drug induced binges and all-out-murder while seeking the most chaotic versions of one of the most hideous men of all time. Carr is able to handle all this and still hook the reader into feeling for all the characters.The ending is a complete shocker.This is a very well written book.I can't wait for the next book.This one is going to be a tough act to follow. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides practical instructions in the making of sachets and cushions with descriptive captions, artwork borders and full-colour photographs throughout. Part of "The Little Scented Library" series, the book gives the reader a host of traditional recipes and gift suggestions as well as imaginative new variations. Scented endpapers are a fragrant reminder that outlives the special occasion. By the author of "Arranging Dried Flowers", "Flowers", "Container Gardening" and co-author of "The Complete Book of Dried Flowers". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

about the book
An elegant and practical guide for creating lush arrangements for every occasion. Step-by-step methods explain how to make two types of bases -- rigid and flexible -- on which wreaths and garlands are built. ... Read more

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Part of a series that pairs leading Australian thinkers and cultural figures with important themes in life, this essay contemplates obsession. Discussing topics such as love, Marcel Proust, soul mates in fiction, numerical palindromes, and bloodlines, among other fixations, this personal examination explores the fine line that divides enthusiasm from obsession and wonders if obsessions lead to a retreat from life.

Product Description
This book provides practical instructions in the making of garlands with descriptive captions, artwork borders and full-colour photographs throughout. Part of "The Little Scented Library" series, the book gives the reader a host of traditional recipes and gift suggestions as well as imaginative new variations. There are original and pretty ideas for creating a fresh wedding garland, or a Christmas wreath of scented foliage. Scented endpapers are a fragrant reminder that outlives the special occasion. By the author of "Arranging Dried Flowers", "Flowers", "Container Gardening" and co-author of "The Complete Book of Dried Flowers". ... Read more