The 2nd book of 2 by Charles M. Sevilla that takes a humorous look at the goings on in courtrooms around the country. I'm sure that a lot of you have gotten the e-mail with excerpts from this book (which is what prompted me to buy the book and the 1st "Disorderly Conduct"). I enjoyed this book and got some chuckles out loud. Anyone in or around the legal professions should find this book amusing. Amusing illustrations illuminate some of the quotes. There are bits of this book that are more amusing than others, but what I find amusing you may not. I still feel that there is enough in this book to make everyone smile (if not chuckle). An interesting addition to this book are the names and cities of the people who submitted the quotes to Mr. Sevilla (there was even one from my home town of West Chester). Which I guess now would be a good time to add - the author originally wrote a column that used this type of humor (and quotes) prompting people from around the country to start sending him their additions. After a while he had enough for 2 books. Over all this is a good book. It would be great for the beach - pick it up, put it down and pick it up again, no worrying about loosing your place in the story.

If you are a casual fan - this book is an interesting read. If you a fan - it is a must have. As the title says... "Trading Spaces Behind the Scenes...". This is about the people of Trading Spaces - not their designs. I am huge Trading Spaces fan (now - but not always). If you are looking for the Trading Spaces "how to" books - wait... they are coming. If you are looking to know why you never see Paige in the same clothes, or how Edward became one of the designers - this is for you.

Softsided with Frank-tastic glossy pages, this book has many Doug-licious picture of the designers and it is Gen-erously sized (sorry I couldn't resist). It gives an over view of the process to become a Trading Spaces homeowner. Even if you aren't fond of a particular designer - Hildi isn't on of my favorites - reading this will give you new insight - if not appreciation of each crew member. After reading this I would love to work with Hildi.

Generic tips like "don't be afraid of color" or "choose one of your favorite items and design around it" are included from each designer. Beyond that, this is not what this book is about (ie: "Trading Spaces Behind the Scenes...."). The "how to" books are coming - be patient. Over all - it is a easy and fun read, a nice "get to know" the crew, and a handy reference for Season 1 to 3 episodes. I loved it. I gave my copy to one of my co-workers and bought a 2nd copy.

This book has an interesting twist that you won't find in most plant books - it has a whole section on what plants go well in what rooms. It includes the standard "How this book work" and plant basics. I like how they have plant care broken down into "Everyday care" and "Longer-term Maintenance." Every day care includes picking your plants, transporting plants, light, temperature, feeding, watering and cleaning. Longer-term maintenance includes repotting, pruning and training. These sections are short, but cover the necessary basics. There is a section on propagating and a section on problems (over/under watering, pests and diseases). There is a section on choosing your plants for their flower (Floral Effect) or for their beautiful or interesting leaves (Foliage Effect). If you are looking for a plant with yellow leaves or a plant with sword shaped leaves the Foliage Effect section a good place to look. There is a section call "Special Uses" which includes "Houseplants for Beginners," Houseplants Tolerant of Neglect," "Beneficial Houseplants," and many more.

Some plants are listed more than once because they fit into more than one category. Each time the plant is listed it includes a very short description and water, light and feeding information. I use this book mostly for the pictures and the placement ideas. It has great pictures and great ideas for placement.

The room to room guide is something I haven't found in any other book. It gives you an idea of what plant to put in what room. Do you have a room with a sunny windowsill? The Locations will give you some suggestions for your windowsill. If you have a dry room, this book has suggestions. It has suggestions for almost every room in the house. This book is good for beginners and intermediate plant grower. The advanced plant grower might not find it as helpful, but the advance grower might still find the Locations section interesting.

This is a good book. I have had it for a number of years. This is a good book for the beginner and the intermediate Bonsai enthusiast or if you are just going to buy and maintain a Bonsai. It is broken down into chapters including: The Art of Bonsai, A-Z of Bonsai Species, Creating a Bonsai, Propagating Bonsai, Maintaining Bonsai, Dictionary of Trees and Shrubs, Glossary and Index.

The Art of Bonsai is the overview. It give the basics, some background, and ideas and information. Most people will want to start in the A-Z of Bonsai Species. This has at least one color picture of the different plants (in some case 3 or 4 picture of different shapes, styles and arrangements) and is VERY handy. It has a detailed, close up view of the leaves and flowers so if your bonsai has a different shape or form, you can still identify your plant. Each of the 75 different species include the following information: Identification (Botanical name and common name), General description, Bonsai suggestions, Leaf detail, Container, Special interest, Seasonal features, Main Caption (which includes height, age, style and particular features of the Bonsai pictured), and Cultivation box. For those of us who have purchased our Bonsai this Cultivation Box has all the information in it we need to keep our Bonsai healthy and happy.

The Maintaining Bonsai section has all the information you will need to keep your Bonsai looking good. How to prune, repot, water and more are covered in this section. It also includes information on pests. Creating a Bonsai take you through all the steps from taking a raw plant to turning it into a masterpiece. The Dictionary give you all the information you need on the plant including cultivation (sun needs, watering, repotting, pruning and propagation), identification, cross reference and general description. It is a very handy reference once you know what kind of plant you have.

I just love this book. I can't imagine having houseplants without it. I have it all marked with the Post-it flags so I can find my plants quickly. I'm going to get a little wordy here, but this is a great book with a lot of great features. I use it more that any of the other plant books I own.

The book has 4 sections: Introduction, The Color Plates, Encyclopedia of Houseplants and Appendices. The introduction runs you through the basics. It gives you a botany lesson that is neither too detailed nor too short. It gives the basics of the book. It tells you how to care for your plants (from water to reviving to saying good-bye to repotting when your plants out grow their current container) and how to propagate and have MORE plants. The Introduction also has a Plant Chart that shows you all the things you need to have healthy happy plants in one convenient easy to read chart. The only catch to using the Plant Chart is knowing the scientific names of your plants.

Don't know the name of your plant (let ALONE the scientific name!)? No problem, just look at The Color Plates. These pictures are wonderful. I have identified MANY of my plants with these pictures. Sorted into sections by type (Hanging Plants, Small Foliage Plants, Orchids, Bromeliads & Flowers, Showy Foliage Plants, Lacy Leaves, and Succulent & Other, you are sure to be able to find your plant quickly. The pictures show something that you would see in someone's house. If the plant flowers they will show it with the flowers (just so you can see it). The scientific name, the common name, plant height, light, temperature, how easy the plant is to grow, and the Encyclopedia section page reference.

The Encyclopedia of Houseplants has a short biography of the plant, How to Grow and Species information. I wish this section was combined with the pictures, but since many plants have many species - one encyclopedia reference may have several pictures. This section gives good information on how to grow your plant. It tells you if you plant likes to have a lot or little sun, a lot or little water, when to water, what kind of soil to use, and when and what kind of fertilizer to use. It also gives you a description (average size, flowering potential, foliage coloration, etc.) of the most popular species and a small black and white drawing.

The Appendices include sections on Orchids, Decorating with Plants, Buying Plants, Pest and Problems, Glossary and Index. The Orchid section tells you all about orchids and how to get more information on them (I haven't read this part). The Decorating with Plants give you tips on where to place your plants, how to use your plants, and give you tips and ideas on using a group of plants together. The Buying Plants section tells you what to look for when you shop for your plants. Pest and Problems is a handy section that gives you a background on pest and plants diseases. It tells you how to control the problems and how to recognized signs of plant distress. It has a handy chart with black and white drawings. The chart tells you the pest/disease name, a description of the pest or disease, the damage the pest can do and how to control the pest or disease. This is a very handy section (hopefully you won't ever have to use it) and I suggest reading it. The Glossary is a handy list of terms used through out the book. Last but not least is the index of both common and scientific names of the plants.

This CD has very interesting and uniquely created sounds. It can be very soothing and relaxing. Dan Rios (aka Alom Ahau Tze'ec Ba'lam) is a sly and wily teacher of the "Mayan secrets." Over all the CD is an interesting listen.

Lawrence Block is a delightful story teller and Bernie is a grand creation. "The Burglar Who" series mix humor with a good old fashioned murder mystery. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh out loud while reading. I've read all the "Bernie" books and laughed out loud at each one. It seems Bernie only gets better with age. Mr. Block is wonderful - if he is anywhere near your town, go see him. It is an evening well spent.