Product Description
Ben Is Back!

Ben Franklin's inventiveness made him the greatest American genius of them all. Now, the spirit of Ben meets the challenges of 21st-century living in Ben Franklin's Almanac of Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice. With the 1,538 tips in this amazing book, you'll be able to do everything smarter, better, and cheaper-- just like Ben himself!

Try these for starters.

* Keep eggs fresh twice as long by keeping them in their carton-- not in the refrigerator egg holder-- and stashing them in the lowest part of the fridge.
* Make your panty hose last five times longer with a saltwater soak.
* Grow your best garden ever-- with toilet paper!
* Get your PC screen and keyboard spotless with a used fabric-softener sheet.
* Keep ice cream cones from dripping-- even on the hottest days-- by dropping a marshmallow into the bottom of the cone before adding ice cream.
* Rub off rust spots on your car's chrome with aluminum foil.
* Rid your pets of fleas by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to their food.
* Make your plastic containers smell fresh again with the daily news!

And look inside for more than 1,000 others! You'll get 365 days' worth of ingenious hints, practical solutions, and delicious recipes, along with a generous portion of Ben's witty maxims, historical tidbits, inventions, and advice. Packed with clever cleaning ideas, kitchen wisdom, smart gardening tips, savvy health hints, easy home-repair advice, weather wisdom, and, of course, money-saving strategies, Ben Franklin's Almanac of Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice is a book you'll turn to every day of the year.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Ben Franklins Almanac- used
I recieved the book I ordered in a short time and it was in excellent condition. A great buy at $1.00 plus shipping!! I highly recommend shopping the used section!

Start your new day with Ben
The almanac is exactly what the title indicates: wit, wisdom, practical advice, useful tips and fascinating facts. It is a pleasant and interesting way to start each new day with a cup of tea.

Great book to read every day
This Book is great to read for anyone with an inspired mind, I love the fact that you can read one page, full of facts each day of the year. Highly recomended.

Every day in every way we are getting a little bit better
Ben Franklin exemplifies one kind of American spirit. The historian Daniel Boorstin said that the greatness of America was in the small improvements it continually provided to everyday life, the spirit of invention. Ben Franklin built a lot of different kinds of better mousetraps, including bifocals, the postal service, and a whole way of thinking about improving the self day - by- day.
This Almanac is compiled in his spirit and contains many examples of his wisdom. It also is chocked full with practical advice for homemakers,and home- improvers.
Old Ben also had a sense of humor on occasion with his wisdom. "Fish and visitors smell after three days he told us" And when were in trouble we can always think of Ben's advice "Any port in astorm"
Some of the stuff here may seem corny , trite , boring . But different strokes for different folks as they say , and there is enough here for 'everyman' to get a little advice and a little
enjoyment of.
Happy Sunday, Monday ,Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday , Saturday.
And Gut Shabbos.

Ben Franklin's Almanac of Wit, Wisdom and Practical Advice
Excellent.Many practical suggestions and lots of sound advice. ... Read more

Product Description
GOOD CONDITION ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

FAN OF THIS BOOK FOR 35 YEARS !
My parents received this book as a gift when it was published in 1975. Since then, it has kicked around their home and been the source of fascination for our family and friends for thirty-five years.

Much of the information is as accurate today as when it was published. Some subjects have been expanded on or debunked (like the very amusing "predictions section - oh! how disappointed those seers must be not to have witnessed Americans living in Moon colonies or to have survived New York City's submergence under the sea).

Other sections are eminently practical, such as that on different edible fruits and vegetables and their benefits and history, or the presidential profiles, or the Labor/Leftist angled history of the US year by year, many of whose facts are glossed over or little known these days.

As a kid I loved the section on mysterious events though many of those listed have been debunked or partially explained now.

There is a huge section of sports, articles on the history of sex, an excellent and informative essay by Dick Gregory on nutrition where he explains the digestive tract in automotive terms, a history of television, the 14 permutations of the calendar from 1776 through 2000 - the list goes on.

In fact, thirty-five years later and I still find new articles to read in this 1000+ page book! This book was a gateway for all kinds of useful but occasionally obscure information and ideas and I still refer back to it, and I still track down and purchase some of the books noted in the book review section. Some so-called "new" information today was already covered in this book and the others it notes years ago - but every generation seems hell-bent on re-creating the wheel, I supppose.

The price now is absurdly cheap. You will get more out of your five dollars or so than can ever be guaged in terms of money. There are also volumes 2 and 3 which are all different and new for there times in the late 1970s available here at Amazon.

Don't be put off by the other review's comments regarding the "hippy-ness' of this volume. While it does have a leftist slant (and that's not a bad thing) remember how dirty and polluted the USA was when this was published, how we had just crawled out to the light from the darkness of Watergate and realise that this book was attempting to offer some practical answers for living in a world that seemed to be collapsing (much like today, in fact).

Hardly "hippy-ness" - more like common sense. In fact, the section on nutrition alone contains so many examples of information that was already well-known by the mid 1970s yet was forgotten (or deliberately obscured) by 1981 and the beginning of the Reagan era. I was there, I know.

Do check it out, for the price you simply can NOT go wrong.

A Pleasure
How often do we say "a pleasure doing business with you" anymore, seldom.Service and merchandise are both often disappointing.Not with this seller.The item arrived before it was due and in the exactly in the condition advertised.I would do business with them again at any time, because I can honestly say "It was a pleasure doing business with you."Also, if you a trivia lover you will get lost in these massive collections of little known facts presented in a manner which is anything but dry.How sad that the authors lost interest and stopped writing them, though there is a single book titled "The 20th Century People Almanac" which I just ordered which may contain which has occurred in the world since the last almanac was published 1984.

Truth or Fiction?
My favorite article in this book is about all the "bootleg" '57 Chevys sold in used car lots across the USA. Never found any other article/evidence to coroborate this story--truth or urban myth?

Don't know--but tons of articles with nuggets like this poulate this hefty volume--like others here, you'll be reading & re-reading it for years to come....

Informative, Readable, Fun
This superbly readable almanac has loads of interesting tidbits and narratives, and is as relevant today as when it arrived in the mid-1970's.The authors look at such varied topics as world events, history, science, politics, U.S. Presidents, psychic predictions, religion, authors, sex, inventions, etc.Whatever your taste, there is almost certain to be many things of interest to you in this readable and informative book.The authors also have a properly skeptical view of politicians, politics, and propaganda. You can pick this book up for a couple minutes or for several hours, read it in one long sitting, or use it constantly and briefly as a source of reference.The book should be of keen interest to trivia buffs, and though slightly dated, is very much worth having even in this day of internet information.

The father/son author team of Irving Wallace (1916-1990) and David Wallechinsky wrote easy prose that proved very popular with readers.They followed up this winning 1975 effort with PEOPLE'S ALMANAC Volume 2, plus THE BOOK OF LISTS and THE INTIMATE SEX LIVES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE.

It's like Wikipedia in book form
My parents gave me the money for this book when I was in junior high school.I lost it but found another at a used bookstore in Chicago.I still have that copy and refer to it quite often.The epitaphs are my favorite:("Here lies Lester Moore/four slugs from a .44/No Les/No Moore."or "Here lies Ann Mann/who lived an old maid/but died an Old Mann.")We need a new version to tell us about all that happened in the last 25 years! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Information,please;not spin!!
An hour with TAAP is more informative than a year of watching CNN. If you want the truth about the people who make decisions in your behalf, read The Almanac of American Politics. The book is a fair, comprehensive account of politicians without the manipulation of the networks and their biased reporters. Barone and Cohen take the responsibility of informing their readers of what goes on in Washington; they have no interest in selling cars and beer; but more importantly, they have no interest in who gets elected. If you want to find out the truth, read TAAP, if you want others to do your thinking for you, watch network TV.

For Political Junkies Like You and Me
The most complete collection of information available on American politics. The level of detail is unmatched. The Sunday morning pundits would be lost without it.

A Must Have for 2008
In this huge politcal year the Almanac of American Politics belongs on the bookshelves of anyone that has at least a passing interest in politics.
Mr. Barone can be a little too conservative for my tastes, but this years edition seems to be a little more balanced. Perhaps he's been humbled by recent events and decisions by the Current Occupant of the White House.

There are no adequate adjectives
Mr. Barone and his collaborators continue to produce the benchmark political work of our time, and we get it updated every two years. What a treat to be able to go to this piece of work and get the unadorned skinny about an individual and the region that he represents.

As balanced as I've ever seen it
Here it is again - the political junkie's biennial facts fix.Since the 1970s, all the demographic information, statistics, maps and historical background you could expect in a single volume have been available in this one.That hasn't changed with the latest model, and there's still no rival when it comes to having all the facts in one place.

What has changed?As longtime readers know, Michael Barone's conservative bias has been palpable in a number of past volumes (probably peaking along with Republican dominance of Congress in the mid-90s).It has decreased in recent issues, but it's hard for us liberal readers to avoid seeking - and usually finding - examples of Republican rhetoric thinly disguised as fact.I'm pleased to report that this edition is better than most other recent ones in that regard.One can't help but suspect that the 2006 elections made Barone want to chortle about the bleak 2008 prospects for all the new Democratic members - but for the most part, the analysis of past and future elections is straightforward and facts-based, for Democratic and Republican members alike.

Certainly, there are still points where you can at least see the bias wanting to come out.For example, the entry for Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) manages to tell the truth about why Casey's father was not allowed to address the 1992 Democratic National Convention - sort of.You can tell Barone wants to repeat the standard Republican lie about it being entirely due to the abortion issue, but instead he argues only that the decision was "certainly related to his stance on abortion but also brought on by his skepticism about Bill Clinton."Close enough, but then, the incident is mentioned again in discussing Sen. Chuck Schumer's DSCC chairmanship in terms that probably do cross the line into rhetoric-land.The more blatantly snide comments (chiding liberal voters for not supporting right-wing black or female candidates, for example) are, however, pleasantly absent this time around.

The analysis is sometimes a bit dry as a result of the relative evenhandedness, but I don't suppose that's really something we should complain about.Political junkies on the left and right alike will probably enjoy flipping through this copy. ... Read more

Product Description
Specially edited and designed for younger readers, The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids is loaded with the kind of wacky and wonderful stories, facts, and activities that kids love. More than fifty feature articles cover topics of interest both at home and at school: weather, astronomy, gardening, history, the outdoors, nature, sports, and much more. Guaranteed to be a classic and certain to become an entertaining resource that children, parents, grandparents, and teachers will enjoy! Here is a sampling of topics that are covered:How to Grow a Giant PumpkinHow to Hypnotize a Frog, a Chicken and a LobsterHow the Donut was Invented--For SureThe Only American FairyThe History of SportsHow to Tell Time By the Stars ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Old Farmer's Almanac
Excellent!! Not just for kids!
Great information and jammed packed with facts and interactions.
I would recommend it to anyone.
More folks should share with their kids and bring the attenetion back home and away from games on the xbox etc.
Great for parent and kids to share together! Great Bonding!

Fun Book For the Child With Insatiable Curiosity
This is a fun book for kids who love facts.It is also great to stock in a classroom for information and casual viewing.I think kids and students will love it. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

One of a kind - Great Book!
If you want to know about wolves - a lot about wolves - this is the book!
The price makes it almost free - I would pay $200 for this book if I had to.

well written
insightful and touching. Teaches you history from their perspective and many interesting facts you never knew

a piece of the puzzle about wolves in our world
I am a cancer patient with many side effects. I have deovtd my second career since cancer to the study of wolves. Collecting data and wolf books has shown me that each piece of the writing about wolves connects and makes a collective understanding of wolves and the human condition and how we approach sharing our world with wolves and other creatures in the environment. THis bok shows the readr how to understand the human approach to both control of where wolves live and how they live. It also opens the door to the intimate nature of the pack and how the wolves within a pack grow, learn and survive.

Bought as present
I brought this as a present for my husband and he loves it.It seems to be very informative about wolfs for those who are interested.

good introduction
I give this book a four star because it is only a good introduction to the study of wolves and their world. The facts presented are listed as if in a thesis paper, so it is not considered well written, and it did not tell me much I did not already know, even though I've never formally read any other books on Wolves.The illustrations are good and it is a good pointer for resources to look into if you are interested in pursuing studies in this awesome animal. ... Read more

Product Description
From the creators of the best-selling The Little Big Book for Moms comes another treasure for mothers: Mom's Almanac. Part reference, advice, and resource guide, and part cookbook, keepsake, activity, and crafts book, this almanac is packed with information and fun. It is brilliantly designed to showcase more than 300 pieces of vintage children's illustrations from beloved artists such as Jessie Willcox Smith, Kate Greenaway, and Maud Humphrey. Mom's Almanac will be organized into seven themed chapters:1.The Bare Essentials - All the best basic information for mom, organized for easy reference with sleep and growth charts; first air and stain removal lists; potty training and discipline tips; age accomplishments; and developmental guides. Includes recommended books and web sites for further information.2. Feeding Time - This chapter is a book in itself! It includes basic nutritional information and advice for a family's healthy diet; handy lists and charts, such as perfect pantry list, food storage charts, and freezing charts; and recipes and ideas for meals, snacks, and treats.3. Having Fun - Suggestions, ideas, and activities for having fun, from stocking a dress-up box to raising you own butterflies; from star charts to quick retelling of favorite fairy tales; from great playground and car games to birthday party activities. 4. Stepping Out - Wondering where to go with your kids? This chapter is filled with top 10 and favorite lists, web sites for information, and suggestions for everything from easy outings to trips to cities and national parks.5. Seasons and Holidays - Activities, recipes, and ideas for enjoying special times of the year with your children, including Christmas cookies and Halloween slime gelatin; nature walks in spring, and preserving leaves in autumn.6. Preserving Memories - Tips and ideas for capturing all the magic of childhood for posterity, including how to take great pictures, select items to save, make baby or school-year scrapbooks, and create rituals to treasure.7. The Best of Everything - Lists for everything from music and movies to books and toys for different age groups. Includes off-beat favorites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

absolutely LOVE this book!
I got this book as a present at my baby shower and at first glance thought nothing of it.After getting it home and reading it, I LOVE it.I love the illustrations, the information and the flow of it.I think it really made a wonderful baby shower gift, especially for a new mom!i now buy it for my expecting friends.

FORGET the 'Baby' Books This is ALL you need!
My husband bought this as a gift for me.After waiting for years for our first child I needed LOTS of gifts while I was pregnant to prepare the home for his arrival.

THIS BOOK IS BY FAR THE BEST!!!! Not just for baby info, but for the formative first years.It has it all!Good baby food recipes, baby necessities list, baby and toddler first aid, fun games to play with your newborn into the toddler years, how to begin family traditions, and MUCH more.

The style of the book is delightful.Yes, the pictorals are from the twenties-forties, but all of the information is current.A much more useful book than any regular baby/new mom book on the market (I should know, I own a ton of them).

I plan to buy more of these as gifts for every new mom I know.

Don't be fooled by the cover or the pictures!
This is such a unique book. I just received it from a friend. First I thought how odd to give someone an "Old" book about children. But the information in it is up to date the pictures are just classic children's pictures. TONS of information from baby to child from foods to games to making holidays special. I'm so glad I received this book. I can't wait to use it as a resource! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good book, fairly comprehensive.
While this book isn't perfect in terms of contribution to US history from non-white ethnic groups, it comes pretty close.It's very informative, well researched, fairly balanced, and the format is organized by date chronologically with comprehensive coverage in a compact volume.It covers history from the Vikings landing to the 2004 presidency on issues from major artistic and scientific contributions to legal milestones and famous influential people (with real pictures).Along with other books on more specific histories of different ethnic groups of the US, this book will round out your collection and perspective.A good buy!

"...a nation of paradox..."
This is simply an excellent reference work -- but also a
wonderful general reading work -- filled with the detail
and chronology -- and flow of American history.It is
difficult to try to convey what the experience of using
this work is like.The "history" of the United States is
presented in crisp, clear, but meaningful style and
point.Each year of the history of the United States
(starting with the 1st section of the CHRONOLOGY, cited
as 1010-1013, but actually beginning with the date of 986:
"Norse navigator Bjorn Herjulfson is blown off course
while searching for Eric the Red's coastal Greenland
settlement, founded in 986."[There is a bit more to
this citation -- the delightful irony, of course, is
the subtle inference that the discovery of "America"
has always been a sort of accident, or unintentional
error...]is filled with the citations of events for
that year arranged in chronological order.
Though there are numerous citations, by day-month-year,
in the work, concerning not just what is happening in
the English colonies, but also in the surrounding land
adjacent to the colonies, the main thrust after 1607,
is to concentrate the citations on the events within
the colonies, and later states.But still, the flow
of the work is what is so amazing -- for one sees the
events unfolding before one's mind on a day to day
basis (instead of reading a clipped general sentence
or two in a general American history book).
This work is divided into 5 major sections -- each
introduced by a noted writer.The "Introduction" is
by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., the General Editor.
Schlesinger beings his "Introduction" in a very
provocative fashion: "'In the beginning,' wrote John
Locke in the _Second Treatise on Civil Government_, 'all
the world was America.' Locke intended only a metaphor
for the state of nature that preceded the establishment
of civil society.But his metaphor evokes much more.

It implies a way America was first seen in Europe -- as
a new beginning, a break in the long, sad continuities
of history, a fresh chance for fallen humanity."
From there, Schlesinger writes of the major sources of
paradox which he sees in American history. The first
paradox, he says, is that though Americans seem to live
by experiment (William James's "pragmatic tinkering"),
they also show a recurrent weakness (Schlesinger's term)
for ideology. The second paradox lies in the antagonism
between the American affirmation of equality and the
American tolerance of inequality. The third paradox
is the continuing tension between order and violence
in American life. The fourth paradox lies in the question
of conformity versus diversity. And the final paradox
has to do with the nature of the American experiment
itself -- how Americans, themselves, have seen their
vision, or mission, or goal.
Schlesinger discusses each of these sources of paradox
in the "Introduction."The 5 sections of the work are:
Founding a Nation (986-1787), introduced by Gordon S.
Wood -- Testing a Union (1788-1865), introduced by
Marcus Cunliffe -- Forging a Nation (1866-1900),
introduced by S. L. Mayer -- Expanding Resources
(1901-1945), introduced by Richard C. Wade --and
Emerging as a World Power (1946- ), introduced by
Robert H. Ferrell.
An example of the sort of detail which is available
in this marvelous reference/general reading treasure
is this set of citations -- under the year 1762:
3 November 1762 War:In the secret Treaty of

Fontainebleau, French monarch Louis XV deeds to Spain
all French territory west of the Missisppi River and
the Isle of Orleans in Louisiana to compensate Spain
for her losses at the hands of the British [in the
French and Indian War/Seven Years War]. The French
are anxious to bring an early end to the Seven Years
War. (p. 97)
Then on p. 174, under the year 1800, comes the citation:
1 October 1800 International: In the secret Treaty of San
Ildefonso, Spain cedes Louisiana to France at the command
of Napoleon Bonaparte, who envisions a French colonial
empire on the North American continent. [This ownership,
of course, allows him to sell it to the Jefferson
led government, as the Louisiana Purchase (1803), when
Napoleon's dreams of empire die in Haiti at the
hands of Touissant L'Ouverture.]
There is also an excellent Index in the back to
find people, places, and events in the CHRONOLOGY.

A great reference book
This is a great book packed with useful information. It is a useful book for people who study United States history as well as fo those who want to have ahistory reference book. ... Read more

Product Description
Printer, author, philanthropist, abolitionist, scientist, librarian, diplomat, inventor, philosopher, self-aggrandizer, and social wag, Benjamin Franklin is one of the most fascinating characters in all of American history - a quality that was not lost on the man himself, as his autobiography makes plain.

Avoiding the strife of the American Revolution entirely, Franklin focuses his incisive wit on the culture and society of colonial Philadelphia, weaving a mostly true mythology of humble origins and hard work that created the concepts of "The American Dream" and "the self-made man."

Originally published in French in 1791, and translated into English and published in London in 1793, this is considered the great autobiography of life in colonial America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome book
I bought this book because I checked it out from the library and liked it so much that I wanted a copy for my library. Excellent book. Ben Franklin was truly a amazing man. Even if you aren't interested in business like me, this book has so many lessons to be learned relating to all aspects of life that it is well worth it. I really think it is well written and I like the brief introductions that are given at the start of each chapter. Well organized too. ... Read more

Product Description
Dare to explore—from modern day adventurers to close calls and narrow escapes. Amazing animals will take readers into the wild and into the water. Discover cultural connections from food, currency, literature and lots more from around the world. From globe trotting geography—maps, travel, and famous landmarks mean we’re on the move to learning to go green and help out our threatened earth, this book is filled with chapter after chapter of fun and fabulous factoids! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

My Precious Little Treasure
I love this book!!!!!!!!!! One of my VERY favorites. I also get NGK magazines. I was SO excited when I saw they were coming out with this. It's really interesting and I especially like the "Five Cool Dides Who Changed the World" part. Considering I'm a history freak, anything history was read at full force. Something every kid should read.

History Freak Kid

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010
This is another excellent publication by National Geogtraphic.It is full of interesting and fun facts that children and adults love.This is a very educational book that helps children and adults learn about intersting and historical people complete with 500 incredible photos.It also contains games, puzzles, homework help and answers to all of these as well!It begins with a "Stump Your Parent" page that engages young people and makes it a group reading exercise that is interesting and educational for all ages.This little book encourages children of all levels.Younger children love the pictures and the stories that go with them and older children become interested enough to want to search the internet for more information!I recommend this book to all parents and teachers who are willing to spend 10 minutes a day on a topic in this almanac starting with President Obama as the first African American President in the section labeled "Your World 2010," and including other sections that include: Awsome adventures, Amazing Animals, Culture COnnection, Geography Rocks, Going Green, History Happens, Wonders of Nature, and Super Science. National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

My daughter's treasure
My 7-year old daughter loves the book. She takes it everywhere she has a chance to read - to all car trips, school recesses, doctors appointments, etc. It is loaded with interesting facts, information that moves her to do more research on some topics. It really enriches her scope of interests.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010
Not received as described.Dinged up corners, bent cover...will not order from this vendor again!Wasn't in new condition but it was too late to do anything about it as this was for a gift to someone & I didn't have time to send it back & wait for another copy.

Highly recommended!
My daughter LOVES this book--the pics are amazing and the info is just enough to keep her interested without being overwhelming! ... Read more

Product Description
The further adventures of the Bear family also include information on holidays, weather, and the seasons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Book
I got this book when I was a child.I was recently at my brother's house and he made mention of the book and how much he enjoyed it as a child.I didn't want to part with mine, so I found this one at Amazon and purchesed it for him.I had it sent directly to him, so I myself didn't see it.He said that it was in good condition - just the cover was a little marred.He loves it and is eager to share it with his kids.

I loved it, my children love it, they're children will love it...
The last review was of the actual COPY that man bought, not of the book itself.This review is here to defend it's honor and bring it's star rating closer to where it should be.His complaints belonged to the seller, not here.He even talked about his daughter's loving memories.A misplaced review for a sweet book.

Very poor physical condition
This book was beaten up, ratty, torn and with an ink inscription to an earlier owner inside the front cover. The poor condition was bad enough. If I had known there was someone else's name scribbled on it, I would not have made the purchase. My adult daughter fondly remembered this book from her childhood and it was a gift not only for her, but also for her twin children. I am extremely disappointed and disgusted. ... Read more

Product Description
A delightful anthology of curiosities that honors the gardening life.

Celebrating the garden in all its splendid diversity and rich history, this collection of facts, ancient wisdom and customs, tips, and recipes features more than 1,000 entries-remarkable information about flowers, vegetables, fruits, trees, herbs, insects, birds, water, soil, tools, composts, climate, gardens and gardeners, myths, superstitions, and biodynamics.

Woven into this wealth of knowledge are famous quotations, anecdotes, traditional sayings, lines of verse, and words of rural wisdom. It's a wonderful gift for any gardener, whether they're tending a window box or a full-fledged farm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Small on real facts......ok for fun.
This is not a how to grow an incredible garden book. It is a book filled with small verses of recipes, quotes,weeding tips and an occasional growing tip.
It is just a fun little book. It is not the Be all, End all, Gotta have it book for hungry to learn gardeners. It is geared more for a small cute coffee table book or maybe something to set in the magazine rack next to the toilet.
When I purchased it I was hoping for more growing tips.I was under the impression it was a Gotta Have It BOOK. So I wont be growing an incredible garden again this year Ill just Learn the rights to a nice garden like everyone else.

Never judge a book by it's cover
I was skeptical about this book when it arrived. When I discovered that it originated in the U.K. I pushed it aside and began re-reading other gardening books that I had purchased thru Amazon.com.
Then one rainy day when I was tired of re-reading and I was unable to work in the garden due to heavy downpours of rain I started to read "Curious Gardener's Almanac" and from page 5 or 6 I was hooked. I seldom put the book down until I had finished it. I finished it the same night; I did not go to sleep until I had read the entire book.
I did not think that a gardener in England could relate to a zone 8 gardener in the U.S. I was WRONG!
The information in this book is valuable to any gardener, anywhere.

The Curious Gardener's Almanac: Centuries of Practical Garden Wisdom
In 2003, Niall Edworthy and his family purchased a home in West Sussex, England. It had a yard, a shed and a vegetable patch. He describes his first attempt at growing vegetables as a disaster. He bought a couple of books, asked advice from neighbors and the second year was merely pathetic. He decided to get serious about this gardening business and took a course, bought more books, bothered everyone who was willing to talk gardening and ended up with a ¡°half-decent¡± garden the third year.

He has distilled all of the garden wisdom he collected from courses, books, other gardeners and his own experiences into a marvelous little book, ¡°The Curious Gardener¡¯s Almanac: Centuries of Practical Garden Wisdom¡±. It¡¯s neither a narrative nor a real almanac. Even the author has difficulty defining exactly what it is.

It¡¯s arranged by season, but you can dip into it at any point. Along with the usual plant lists, natural pest deterrents, and recipes, he includes historical information in the introduction of plants, the origin of many of their names and interesting facts such as ¨ø of the world¡¯s eggplants are grown in New Jersey. How about the invention of the wheelbarrow? Or how to test soil temperature? He suggests using your elbow but originally one dropped one¡¯s pants and sat. My favorite was his compost recipe which contains human urine. Seriously.

Each season is introduced by quotes and more quotes are scattered throughout the text. There are the usual suspects, Thomas Jefferson, Celia Thaxter, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Prince Charles and there are the unexpected, Cervantes, Galileo, Charlemagne, the Koran. Also offered are proverbs from Greece, ancient Egypt, China and Arabic speakers.

The last chapter is on children and gardening. It offers lots of fun facts and activities such as building a ladybug house and growing your initials.

This would be a great holiday gift for gardeners, beginners through the most experienced and anyone interested in the history of gardening, plants and tools.

Gotta Get this Book
The Curious Gardener's Almanac, centuries of practical garden wisdom, by Niall Edworthy, published by The Penguin Group in New York is not a book about ponds. In fact, it is not a book about gardens either. This book has no pigeon hole in which to be pushed. Curious gardeners will love this compendium of over 10,000 tips, tidbits, facts, quotes, recipes, customs, quotes and general ephemera contained in this delightful little volume.

Did you know that you can fry zucchini with cumin and paprika and have spicy zucchini. That's nice to know after you have exhausted every possible way to use zucchini in the summer and the neighbors will not open the door if you have a bag of it in your hand.

Did you know that the paper stuff that wasps make their nests out of is from wood they chew? So humans are not the only creature who makes paper from wood. I wonder if the first paper makers learned it from watching wasps.

Onions can treat gunshot wounds and was used widely during the Civil War. (Or the war of Northern Aggression as it is known in the Southern parts of the US.)

Garrison Keiller said, "Sex is good, but not as good as fresh sweet corn." Well, we don't have to agree with everything in this book, now do we?

Saffron is the most expensive spice needing 4000 crocuses to make 1 ounce.

Daffodil bulbs can last up to 80 years.

Ronald Reagan declared the rose the National Floral Emblem of the United States in 1986. And it took him a good many words to do so.

Britain is the only country that grows apples expressly for cooking.

If you boil rhubarb leaves, you can spray the resulting liquid to control aphids. It's the poisonous oxalic acid in the leaves that kills the aphids.

The pond is probably the most beneficial thing you can have in your garden for it gives a habitat to frogs and toads which are disappearing due to the pollution on our earth.

"A house though otherwise beautiful, yet if it has no garden belonging to it, is more like a Prison than a House." William Coles, 1656

Cora Lea Bell says, "An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life." And she certainly was right.

This book is chock full of these little bits of things to think about or just smile about and nod your head knowingly.

Do not plan to sit and read this book in a sitting or two. Leave it in a convenient spot so you can pick it up when you have a few minutes to open it and smile for a time.

As a pond builder and garden designer for the last 20 years of my working life, I have read and owned many books: technical books, pretty coffee table books, design books, hundreds of garden books about the hundreds of aspects of gardening, even more about ponds, their building and design. The Curious Gardener's Almanac is a joy to have in the house, a great book to give as a gift whether to a gardener or non-gardener. It may start a lifetime addiction to gardening in you or a friend. Be careful. This is a powerful book.

nice, but
I bought this book as a gift, and luckily I opened it before I sent it, because it seems that the book was printed upside down. Weird. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (30)

Stay away!
This book is the worst I have ever read! It gives you absolutely nothing. Just empty trivial facts about a few players in the NBA..

Extremely creative...but almost too much so for a purist
I was searching through amazon.com for a nice statistical analysis on NBA basketball.

This book somehow came across my screen and after reading the previous customer reviews, I decided to give it a try.

The book is extremely creative, contains intersting animations, poetry and a truly unique twist on the way most sports books are written.In this book, the author details various players and compares their attributes, overall style of play in the manner that one would usually attribute to a Greek mythological character.

As for someone who has read his share of sports books, this one clearly ranks above most in terms of quality of writing and is probably one of the more creative pieces I have ever seen.

Still, I feel as if the creativity is done at an extreme level here.The author gets carried away too often with his descriptions and at times the reader will get confused with the extremely high level analogies.

Overall a very interesting and quick read, definitley worth the amazon price and worthwhile if you have guests over.This book will turn some heads and perhaps show off your creative-sports side...if you have one.

delicious
yes, a rare adjetive for a basketball book, but this one is special. Great sense of humor, truly original and very interesting. Cool curious stats, nice draws and, in summary, a great reading.

Exactly what a basketball stat freak needs!
This was the exact book I was looking for to give to my cousin!He is a basketball freak and loves stats!This is the perfect book for someone like him who needs something to do over the summer rather than watching dvr'ed basketball games!

Fun Times
If you're a nerd who likes the NBA (like myself), then this is the book for you. Philosophical, esoteric and funny, the almanac has it all. With beautiful, original pictures, the Almanac muses on stars, scapegoats, basketball tragedies, and quirky peacocks in an altogether unique way.Casual fans may find it fun, but be prepared to think a little.Lots of fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

As Ordered
As ordered says a lot these days.We are so often disappointed not only with on-line purchases, but purchases in general.Not so with this seller, the item was here before the date given and was precisely as advertised.I couldn't be more pleased.I am also glad to have all three People's Almanacs once again.They are informative, never dry and a joy for any trivia lover!

A Readable Treat
This second edition by authors David Wallechinsky and David Wallace is nearly as good as the first.There's much easy-to-read information on the world, trivia, politics, sports, history, celebrities, crime and crime solvers, etc.You can read this nicely formatted book in a few days if you want, but most people pick it up for just a few minutes and read a couple interesting facts or true stories.Either way you'll learn more about the USA and the world.This book has over 1400 pages of interesting information - read a few minutes each day and learn something new.

Every thing old is new again
This book is a treasure for the predictions alone and they lead off the book in chapter one "the other side of the looking glass: predictions of present-day psychics". It also has predictions by psychics of the past and modern day scientists. Notables include the Berkeley Psychic Institute, Nostradamus, Leo Tolstoi, Daniel Bell-Sociology prof at harvard, Arthur C. Clarke, Paul Ehrlich of Stanford who wrote the population bomb, Orville Freeman- former secty of Agriculture, Herman Kahn- the 300 pound economist, Margaret Mead, McGeorge Bundy, and Roger Revelle: Dean of research at the Univ. of Calif. and Al Gore's original mentor on the environment. The rest of the book is chock full of interesting tidbits. The self-purported difference between this Almanac and others is that this one avers that it gives you facts with truth and honesty. That is to say it avoids special-interest propaganda and government double-talk. The authors present it as a reference book that tries to be entertaining while giving the reader in-depth material on selected topics rather than endless, dry, bare-bones dates and figures on all subjects. Buy it and be the judge. This is a collector's item for all aging hippies from the Age of Acquarius

Classic
I've used this book so much over the years I wore it out.It makes forgreat conversation at parties etc. It has become a classic!

Wonderfully informative and fun to read!
I have had this book for many years and still love to pick it up every once in a while and go through it.It has great bits and pieces of history that is fascinating, funny and informative.I still recollect facts thatI'd learned from the book years later and surprise people with bits ofhistory that they never knew. ... Read more

Product Description
From The New York Times comes the world's most authoritative almanac- exhaustively updated for 2010.

Drawing on the resources of the world's premier news organization and featuring reports by leading Times writers, The New York Times Almanac provides in-depth national and international coverage of politics, education, health, medicine, the economy, the environment, science, technology, awards and prizes, sports, and a host of other topics. It remains the first choice for students, writers, researchers, and anyone who needs accurate, timely facts at their fingertips.

The New York Times Almanac 2010 includes:

* Comprehensive coverage of all the U.S. states and every nation in the world

* The most complete sports coverage of any almanac

* Notable obituaries from the world of politics, entertainment, and science

* More information on gloabl issues, including world population, terrorism, AIDS, environmental concerns, the Internet, and technological developments

* A 16-page color map section ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

not thorough.
In the order of things, professional football in the U.S.A.is important.

From 1960 to 1970 there was a second pro league, called the A.F.L.(American Football League)...From that existence there came "The Superbowl".The first four of those annual championships were played after the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th seasons of the AFL.. The upstart league won the 3rd and 4th of those matches, against the veteran NFL.So, maybe those newbies could play...

The NY TIMES almanac has ZERO records pertaining to those AFL seasons, its history, etc.The editor should have caught this, and not allowed for this stupid omission.(The AFL then, after these 10 years, merged into and with the NFL, creating the "AFC and NFC", within the expanded NFL.)

Just as good as the other almanac
Although less expensive and less well known, this almanac is every bit as good as the World Almanac and Book of Facts.The two actually complement one another, so don't expect the same facts, just a set of facts that either way are entertaining and informative.Very enjoyable 'brain candy' when one is otherwise paused for a few minutes, and I suppose useful, too, as a reference work, although my interaction with it was browsing-based.

so, why bother?
An Almanac without a "famous persons" section is kinda like a newspaper without the news.I did not bother to check to confirm this almanac had a "persons" section - I just assumed it would be there; I mean, what else changes from year to year - Russia is still a big country, they still speak English (sorta) in Great Britain, and George Washington was still the first President of the U.S.; the things that changed are the famous people - some became famous and some died, and the principle reason for an Almanac is to keep the reader up to speed on that info. But, it does have a nice cover.

Not a good almanac
I agree with the earlier reviewer who laments the poor editing.
Besides the instances of blatantly incorrect data, I have run across several instances of "why did they do that?"
An example is on page 489 where a column of data for every country is displayed to one decimal place except for Sierra Leone which has two.
You also have NFL passer ratings rounded to the nearest whole number on one page and on the next page the same type of data is displayed to the nearest tenth.
I will be returning this almanac for a World Almanac (my trusty stand-by; the NY Times version was a gift).

Keeping up with the "Times"
I was introduced to the New York Times Almanac during the 1990's when a copy was sent to me by friends in Philadelphia.Ever since, I have been buying updated versions every few years as I have found this one of the best reference books on every imaginable topic.It is an invaluable aid in solving many of the clues in crosswords.The latest issue for 2010 is an excellent reference book and will take a prominent place on my bookshelf.The New York Times Almanac 2010: The Almanac of Record ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
In the lively style of National Geographic Kids magazine, this colorful page-turner excites young people about their world and everything in it. The National Geographic Kids 2012 Almanac—also available in Canadian and International editions—is packed with fun-to-browse features, useful reference material, homework help developed by educators, and the kind of quirky facts that kids adore. Amazing animals, cool inventions, funny roadside attractions, outer space, green living, natural disasters, maps, puzzles—it's all here in one irresistible volume.

While competing almanacs offer about 10 percent new content each year, this book delivers at least 40 percent new content, including new articles, games, photos, and facts. A newly updated Your World section opens the almanac with timely information and unique National Geographic content. A 100% new game section features photo-puzzles, illustrated pen-and-pencil games, and other brainteasers. Every chapter is updated with exciting new content: photos of animals, adventure, and nature; maps of the continents, new this year; hundreds of facts and figures; and fascinating stories about incredible creatures, space, vacations, and more. Based in part on the award-winning National Geographic Kids magazine, the National Geographic Kids Almanac also boasts material created by National GeographicÕs contributing researchers and photographers in the field. With the 2010 and 2011 editions selling hundreds of thousands of copies, this bold new almanac is poised to make an even bigger splash. ... Read more

Product Description

From the grounding solidity of earth to the boundless creativity of air, from the stimulating energy of fire to the emotional depths of water, the four elements bring true power to your magical workings. In this twentieth anniversary edition, a calendar section offers vital information on the Moon's sign and phase, traditional Pagan holidays, along with incense and color correspondences to maximize the energy of your spells. Also featured are nearly forty magically inspired articles on spellcasting, ritual, lore, and much more:

How to Contact Ancestral Spirits by James Kambos
Budget Witchery by Melanie Harris
Leaf Magic by Michelle Skye
Ancient Egyptian Fire Deities by Denise Dumars
Cult of the Saints: An Introduction to Santería by Lily Gardner
Magickal Jewelry by Raven Digitalis
Mermaids: Swimming in the Realms of Wonder by Gail Wood

A trusted companion for practitioners of various magical paths, Llewellyn's Magical Almanac has been published annually since 1990.

"A splendid magical resource, useful for years to come . . . Highly recommended." —PanGaia

Customer Reviews (6)

great little almanac
I order this almanac every year. It has great short stories in it as well as being a useful almanac.

Meh
This book should not be called an almanac.I thought it was going to be more like a farmers almanac, but it really does not seem like that to me.I guess I expected something more like the Spell 'A Day or the Witches Calendar.I don't know.It is an interesting read, but it is more like a series of witchy essays than an almanac, though it does have a calendar in the middle.

Great as usual!
Another great year from these guys and gals! Love this book I get a copy yearly and will continue to do so.

Book
Is Great condition
and is well worth the price
gives you alot of knowledge

Can't go by my day without this
This is one little book that I cannot do without on a daily basis.I have been colecting the almanac for over 7 years!I use them as reference books.I usually get up at 6:00 am and do my meditation for the day.I carry this book everywhere I go.If you have never owned one, I guarantee you once you do you will never do without!I buy several copies and give them as gifts on October 31 (my new year). ... Read more

Product Description
Think of Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac as a giant monthly calendar for the entire state--a practical, information-packed, month-by-month guide for gardeners and "yardeners."This book provides everything you need to know about flowers and garden design; trees, shrubs, and vines; lawns; vegetable, herb, and fruit gardening; and soil, mulch, water, pests, and plant care. It will help you to create beautiful, productive, healthy gardens and have fun doing it.

Writer, educator, and broadcaster Doug Welsh gives a wealth of practical gardening advice in this book. Encouraging us to "think like a plant," Welsh holds pruning school in February, conducts a lawn clinic in April, builds a perennial garden in September, and shows us how to grow fresh vegetables for Thanksgiving. Yet this barely scratches the surface of all that is offered in this comprehensive, fun-to-use guide. With colorful and instructive illustrations and helpful information boxes, plant lists, charts, sidebars, and tips, the book is written in the engaging, conversational style that anyone who has listened to Welsh's radio show will recognize.

Whether your passion is roses or green beans, wildflowers or trees, reading this book is like having a personal garden consultant and friend at your side. Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac will inspire you throughout the year and make you more eager than ever to get out into your garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A must read for the texas gardener
It's written for beginner gardeners in mind. The month by month garden tasks, and timely tips is a very useful format. The writing style is easy to read.
It's loaded with small essays on how to get a get a perfect lawn, tree, vegetable, perennials or annuals planting, use water efficiently...
Of course it's focused on Texas weather, and recommend all plants adapted to it.
It gives also many tips on how to go organic gardening, detect soil and plant problems and solve them.

Excellent Resource for a Beginner
This book is scientific but accessible. Easy to follow checklists for each month. I love it!

Doug Welsh Texas Garden Almanac
I love this book.I went to a class at the Arbor Gate Nursery and Dr Welsh was the speaker.He is so enthusiastic and knowledgable about gardening.This book has all the info you need for Texas gardening.It is well written and the illustrations are beautiful.

Great resource!
This book is an excellent resource for the less experienced gardener. It provides location specific information making it a very useful tool. Tried to use few others first without much satisfaction, but LOVED this book. The organization of topics and by month make it incredibly user friendly.

This is a great book for Texas Gardeners
I like the layout of this book.I read it cover to cover within the first week but have continued to use it as a reference.I like the month-by-month layout and it covers the majority of topics that a Texas gardener wants to know about.It's sort of like combining the best parts of several books...and the format is easy to read and is slightly humerous.The book covers several areas of Texas, so no matter where you live the book covers your area.There are some topics where I wanted more depth, so I used the internet or library to find more detailed information.This book also debunked some of the theories I had learned about specific gardening methods...old wives tales that were truly tales.All said, I would purchase this book again and recommend it for novice to experienced gardeners (stopping short of master gardeners, but they're the ones writing the books anyway). ... Read more

Product Description
The Witches' Almanac is an annual source for thousands of readers, Wiccan and non-Wiccan alike, that includes information on the lunar calendar, pagan legends, spells, interviews. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Spiritual uplifting
This book was recommended to me.Upon receiving it, I found it was NOT as I had thought.Good info and lots to learn, if you are wicca, just not a day to day calendar of events as I was wanting.

a handy almanac
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1QW35GXAWPCRV A handy almanac for all times

The Witches Almanac
I've never read any previous editions of The Witches Almanac. I had assumed that the book would be focused on spiritual aspects of this belief system. Therefore, I was extremely surprised when I started to look through this years' edition of the almanac.

The topics contained in this book are extremely varied. There was a good deal of very interesting mythological and historical topics. There were also whole sections on herbs and healing properties of different plants. There were even moon charts and details on astrological signs in the year to come.

The Witches Almanac has a little something for everyone. Anyone interested in mythology, healing herbs, or moon phases will want to check out this resource.

Very interesting
I received the book in record time and it it is in great shape,
I have not had any trouble with any of the books being in bad shape.

Especially recommended for the spiritual witchcraft practitioner
When you're witch on the go, you need a reference to keep up with what the year will bring. "The Witches' Almanac: Spring 2009 to Spring 2010" is a guide for the witch (or the witch in spirit) to the coming year and its pending spiritual happenings. Focusing on astrology and chronicling what each sign will face, complete with calendars, "The Witches' Almanac" is presented in the form of the old school farmer's almanacs, and is especially recommended for the spiritual witchcraft practitioner. ... Read more