Review of Living with Dogs: Collections and Traditions, At Home and Afield (Hardcover)

I am an avid collector of dog memorabilia and motif items and this book was an inspiration! My husband just thought I was obsessive about dog objects! Your book gave me new ideas for old dog items that I never wouldhave thought of.The photography is beautiful and the subjects are warmand true. I know that I am not alone in my endeavor to collect and displaywhat I love!

Product Description
Man's relationship with the world of dogs is not only universal, but also frequently all-encompassing, influencing how we live, what we collect, and how we spend our leisure time. Living with Dogs explores the multitude of ways that dog owners share their lives with their pets. In 26 delightfully written stories, a witty, admiring text, and 400 full-color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and A Passion for Golf capture the experiences of dogs and people--at home, in the country, in the city, and even at work, with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that remind people of their devotion to their pets.

The authors visit passionate owners, breeders, trainers, and collectors across the country and offer a look into their dog-filled lives. Profiles include an interior designer who has amassed a lifetime of canine art; a collector with a house full of four-legged porcelain figurines; a bibliophile with an outstanding assortment of dog-literature first editions; an artist who specializes in dog portraits; and a veterinarian who proudly displays antique tools of his trade. The authors also focus on other aspects of dog devotion, including the Philadelphia All-Terrier Show; a hotel decorated with canine appointments; a New England camp exclusively for dogs; a boutique devoted to canine accessories; the American Kennel Club; and a Manhattan gallery specializing in 19th-century dog art.
Whether they are devoted to a particular breed or have simply fallen in love with dogs in general, the people featured here have succumbed to the "Slipcover School of Dog Management,allowing their dogs the complete run of their livesas well as their hearts.
With an extensive resource list that includes dog art galleries, dog shows, kennel clubs, breeders, supply houses, and more, Living with Dogs is the ultimate tribute to canine companions.

In 26 stories and 400 full-color photographs of homes, collections,galleries, meets, shows, kennels, and camps, Living with Dogs celebrates the devotion and passion of the millions of Americans for whom a life without dogs is not worth living.



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Review of How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine (Paperback)

I spent a few hours reading this book and was rewarded with 7-foot high tomato plants with big flavorful fruit, beautiful herbs (a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary were just the thing for a New Year's coq au vin I still remember fondly), beans, peas, lettuce, flowers and more, all from four 4x20 garden beds.All (organic) fertilizing is done before planting, and I only have to weed *twice* a year.If this sounds like the kind of gardening you'd like to do, then this book will show you how.(The automatic watering I came up with myself - buried soaker hoses made from recycled tires a couple of inches deep in the beds and hooked them up to a hose on a timer.)

Contrary to a couple of comments, I didn't find the book at all difficult to understand - quite the opposite.Here, try one great idea on for size:

The roots and leaves of each plant fill a circle.(The book tells you the size of that circle for just about every common garden plant, plus more than a few uncommon ones.)Space your plants so that all the circles are just touching.(You can picture what this looks like by using coins.)That way, each plant has enough room to grow and thrive, while at the same time all their roots and leaves form a "living mulch" that crowds out weeds.

This really works - as I said, I only have to weed twice a season.And how difficult was that to understand?This book is full of great, clearly explained ideas like that, with all the information you need to put them into practice yourself.And someone gave it two stars because it uses *line drawings*?Please.

The reviewer who called it a gardening Bible had it exactly right.If you're thinking of buying a gardening book, do yourself and your garden a great big favor - make it this one.

Product Description
A classic in the field of sustainable gardening, HOW TO GROW MORE VEGETABLES shows how to produce a beautiful organic garden with minimal watering and care, whether it's just a few tomatoes in a tiny backyard or enough food to feed a family of four on less than half an acre. Updated with the latest biointensive tips and techniques, this is an essential reference for gardeners of all skill levels seeking to grow some or all of their own food.



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