Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

NOT ONLY DECORATION BUT A WAY OF LIFE, 12 Nov 2007


With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

A Very Good Book on Fowler, 08 Nov 2007
Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

NOT ONLY DECORATION BUT A WAY OF LIFE, 12 Nov 2007


With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

A Very Good Book on Fowler, 08 Nov 2007
Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

NOT ONLY DECORATION BUT A WAY OF LIFE, 12 Nov 2007


With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

A Very Good Book on Fowler, 08 Nov 2007
Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

nothing new here, 22 Sep 2007
As a huge fan of Audrey i waited patiently for the latest tomb to arrive on my doorstep, what a disappointment. All the pictures, except one or two id seen before ,used in other books, i noted that some of the pictures were not correct in date or locations. Still its another Audrey book to put with my collection and even though its a disapointment i still get pleasure from leafing through, looking at the beatiful well laid out photos.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

NOT ONLY DECORATION BUT A WAY OF LIFE, 12 Nov 2007


With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

A Very Good Book on Fowler, 08 Nov 2007
Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

nothing new here, 22 Sep 2007
As a huge fan of Audrey i waited patiently for the latest tomb to arrive on my doorstep, what a disappointment. All the pictures, except one or two id seen before ,used in other books, i noted that some of the pictures were not correct in date or locations. Still its another Audrey book to put with my collection and even though its a disapointment i still get pleasure from leafing through, looking at the beatiful well laid out photos.

this is not a novel, 17 Oct 2008
This is a great book, but pay attention that this is not a novel or a fiction.

As gripping and engrossing as a fictional thriller, but sadly true..., 21 Sep 2008
I really loved the way this book was written, almost as a novel rather than a history book. It was so engrossing and readable, much more so than if this had been written as a purely factual tome. I liked the way each chapter switched between Burnham and the building of the World's Fair and Holmes and his murders, and I liked how the two were contrasted with one another. Combining the two made this book so much more interesting than if it just been a straight history of one or the other. I'd highly recommend it, even if you're not interested in historical serial killers or the Gilded Age in America.

Utterly gripipng, 19 Dec 2007
Having spent the summer with my head deep in a book almost every day, I was expecting nothing out of the ordinary when I picked up this one, my first encounter with Erik Larson.
After the first two chapters, I was gripped and taken back to the late 1800s in Chicago with the World Fair and one of the USs most prolific mass murderers, Holmes.
Larson has a knack and writing style that means you cannot put his books down after a page, or indeed a chapter, and you'll find yourself engrossed until you reach the end, and then left gasping for more.
For anyone who has an interest in history, America, murderers or just a refreshingly good read, then you need to call in sick for a day and pick this one up.
The only downside is that you'll find yourself back on Amazon ordering Larsons remaining titles which are equally engrossing and just as hard to put down.


A story about great architects (and project management for dummies), 23 Oct 2007
The book tells the story behind the World Fair in Chicago in 1893. It alternates between two story lines: the one of the serial killer Holmes, and the one of the organizers of the fair with the architect Daniel Burnham as the protagonist. It is very well researched - see the impressive list of references at the back - which was a major attraction point for me. The author even clarifies which of the (few) elements in the story were unverifiable and thus pure fiction. Scientists will love this. The underlying research never gets in the way of the story though (hooray).

I was captivated by the look behind the scenes: how the Chicago won the organization of the fair, the subsequent delays in setting up an organizing team and the disasters during the building of the Fair's buildings and exhibitions. It shows how even those to be considered the best in their field don't realize major achievements without their deal of stress and problem solving (and being extremely pragmatic when deadlines come close). In fact, this book is a must-read for project managers and entrepreneurs alike.

As far as the killings of Dr. Holmes are concerned, a Belgian cannot help but see the striking parallels with the Dutroux case about 100 years later, such as building a house specifically designed to kill unnoticedly (remember Dutroux' cellar where he hid the little girls). Also the debate on the faulty functioning of the police force in the aftermath of the killings bears a close resemblance to the Belgian case. Some things never change.

If you're interested in Chicago, architecture and want to read an upbeat story on how sound ambition leads to landmark achievements (& how it doesn't come easy), read this book.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Aug 2007
In 1893, Chicago was gearing up for its shining moment on the international stage. The city had been selected to host the World's Fair, beating out New York and a number of other American contenders. A prominent local architect, Daniel Burnham, had taken the reins to organize and construct the massive project. He assembled a dream team of architects, landscapers, engineers, and other professionals to help pull the fair together. Certainly Chicago could outdo the Paris Fair, which had been a worldwide success years earlier.

Unfortunately for Burnham and his team, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Due to a lack of organization and bickering among the committees responsible for the fair, construction began far later than it should have. Partially completed buildings blew over and burned down. Union workers threatened strikes. One sideshow act showed up a year early, while another (which was believed to be made up of cannibals) killed the man sent to retrieve them and never showed up at all. And there was a monster on the loose. A man who used the chaos of Chicago at this time in history to conceal the murders of dozens of people - many of them young, single women. A man who constructed a building with stolen money, then used the building as a slaughterhouse to lure, kill, and dispose of his victims.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY is a terrific book. It is nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. The real-life details of this story seem almost too bizarre to be true, yet this is one example of the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." The author, Erik Larson, even includes a lengthy section at the back where he documents his facts and explains his suppositions.

The book's chapters alternate between the World's Fair and the exploits of serial killer, Dr. H.H. Holmes. I found myself enjoying both stories, as they ran parallel throughout the book. The Herculean task of putting together the fair in record time was fascinating, and the sociopathic actions of Dr. Holmes were chilling. It made for a brilliant contrast - just when the frustrations of the Fair seemed overwhelming, the book switched to Dr. Holmes as he lured yet another young woman into his web. And just when Dr. Holmes' evil seemed too much to bear, the chapter would end and the reader would be back at the World's Fair dealing with political back stabbing, instead of Holmes' more literal variety.

I rarely read nonfiction, but this book came highly recommended to me, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did, too. It offers a wonderful historical perspective on Chicago and the world near the close of the 19th century. For a Chicago-area native like me, its frequent mentions of famous local names, like Burnham and Adler and Marshall Field, that still grace street signs and the sides of buildings, were an added treat. Just a brief word of warning, though: it does contain some of the dreaded "adult themes." Some of Dr. Holmes' crimes are described - although not too graphically - and they might be upsetting for "younger or more sensitive" readers.

I strongly recommend THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY to anyone who enjoys an engrossing, well-written story, whether they normally read fiction or nonfiction. In particular, if readers have a book report in school, this book should be considered. It makes history come alive.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

Fantastic, 29 Aug 2008
A truly heartwarming ending to a incredible sad, inspiring and uplifting story. Proving that anyone can make a difference.

Beautifully touching, 04 Jan 2008
This is another fine work from Hayden, up there with her best.

Taking place after the mainstreaming act, which eliminated classes for disordered children, Torey is acting as a resource room teacher and doesn't have a proper class of her own. Soon into the year though a young boy appears who just will not fit in anywhere else. Boo's parents are at their wits end and can't cope with the autistic child on their own anymore. Soon Torey finds the child has come to join her in the afternoons along with her lovable, caring but brain damaged resource student Lori. Not knowing what to do with the unusual and very different pair she finds herself in at the deep end and with a very small, but no less troublesome, class of her own once again. But it isn't left there: throughout the following months two more children who have slipped through the system fall into her care. 11 year old Tomaso suffers violent rages after the death of his father and his being put into foster care and it is put down to Hayden to tame him. Then 12 year old Claudia emerges: pregnant, confused and vulnerable she has been pulled out of her Catholic school to finish the year alongside the other children in Hayden's class.

Ranging from seven to twelve, and with a number of different problems of their own, Torey has to pull out all the stops and use every trick in the book to makes sure she gets the children where they need to be by the end of their year together. With her home life deteriorating around her she finds herself engulfed more than ever in the education of these children and trying to find ways to make them ready to be mainstreamed once again. However, in one of the hardest struggles yet Hayden finds herself in constant arguments with another teacher, subject to classroom inspections and trying to work miracles for the children she has grown to love so much.

This was a very endearing tale and shows how, in times of need, all kinds of characters can pull together to ensure goals are met. What, at the beginning, seems like a mismatched class which will never work, turns into a series of beautiful friendships and proves that education may not be the most important thing after all- emotions and friendship are the key to being happy.

This is the kind of book which is very hard to put down. A real-page turner, it teaches much about life and shows that things are never as dire as they may seem. This is classic Hayden and shows once again her wonderful gift for bringing out the best in people and never giving up. Definitely give this a try: inspirational, emotional and beautifully written at the same time this is one that should not be passed up.


Somebody else's kids, 07 Nov 2007
As with all of her books, I loved it. Heart warming whenever progress however small is made and heart breaking when none can be made.

YSL is a legend and his style is forever!!!, 09 Sep 2008
i bought this book after some consideration and i don;t regret it at all. admittedly, the cover is such a turn off...but the inside, the contents, are amazing!!! from sketches to actual pieces from the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent museum in France...it like peering into his mind. y the books has been put together, it's like taking a tour. :) love this book!!!

NOT ONLY DECORATION BUT A WAY OF LIFE, 12 Nov 2007


With a remarkable memory for the smallest detail, imagination, and an appreciation of beauty, John Fowler was called "the Prince of Decorators." He may well have deserved that sobriquet, but in this lushly illustrated 240 volume we also learn that he was not a prince of a fellow.

Early in his career Fowler worked as a painter for Thornton Smith, commercial decorators. It was there that he learned to paint "the Chinese wallpapers that were so fashionable at the time", and also how to grime and distress furniture. Later, in 1928 or 1929 he set out to work on his own, often freelancing for other decorators. Following a series of commissions, a 1938 House Garden article placed Fowler among England's leading decorators. Rising from a salaried painter to this position in a decade was quite a feat.

More success followed as he joined Sybil Colefax in 1938. He was 32; she who enjoyed stature as a society hostess was 64. However, their alliance was dramatically affected with the outbreak of war when decorating all but stopped. After Sybil Colefax's death the firm of Colefax & Fowler was acquired by Nancy Lancaster, a Virginian whose work is thought of as "English style." She was to teach Fowler much about comfort and scale, "how large houses could be used and enjoyed in the modern world."

Fowler, who died in 1977, had an enviable client list. He transformed some of the most famous houses in England, and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The style created by the team of Colefax & Fowler endures today, English Country House Style represents not only decoration but a way of life. Many try to emulate it but none capture it as did John Fowler.

Those with an interest in twentieth century design will treasure this keepsake volume.

- Gail Cooke

A Very Good Book on Fowler, 08 Nov 2007
Martin Wood's achievement is to take a vast amount of research and turn it into a wonderfully readable account of John Fowler's work. It is a well illustrated and well written book with a host of previously unpublished photographs. I recommend this book very highly to those who work in decoration, those learning about it and anyone who enjoys the beauties of interior decoration.

Simply superb, 16 Sep 2008
One of the best biographies i have ever read. Beautifully written and fascinating even for someone like me who had little previous interest in either architecture or the nineteenth century.

THE MAN WHO DESIGNED BIG BEN, 26 Aug 2007
This is a superb biography. If you're interested in the history of English architecture and interior design then this book is unmissable. But Hill's vivid and rich portrait of a complex and driven man, whose ideas were highly influential but whose projects were often blighted, deserves to be read by a much wider readership. Witty, wise, often moving and always informative, GOD'S ARCHITECT is a great read.

nothing new here, 22 Sep 2007
As a huge fan of Audrey i waited patiently for the latest tomb to arrive on my doorstep, what a disappointment. All the pictures, except one or two id seen before ,used in other books, i noted that some of the pictures were not correct in date or locations. Still its another Audrey book to put with my collection and even though its a disapointment i still get pleasure from leafing through, looking at the beatiful well laid out photos.

this is not a novel, 17 Oct 2008
This is a great book, but pay attention that this is not a novel or a fiction.

As gripping and engrossing as a fictional thriller, but sadly true..., 21 Sep 2008
I really loved the way this book was written, almost as a novel rather than a history book. It was so engrossing and readable, much more so than if this had been written as a purely factual tome. I liked the way each chapter switched between Burnham and the building of the World's Fair and Holmes and his murders, and I liked how the two were contrasted with one another. Combining the two made this book so much more interesting than if it just been a straight history of one or the other. I'd highly recommend it, even if you're not interested in historical serial killers or the Gilded Age in America.

Utterly gripipng, 19 Dec 2007
Having spent the summer with my head deep in a book almost every day, I was expecting nothing out of the ordinary when I picked up this one, my first encounter with Erik Larson.
After the first two chapters, I was gripped and taken back to the late 1800s in Chicago with the World Fair and one of the USs most prolific mass murderers, Holmes.
Larson has a knack and writing style that means you cannot put his books down after a page, or indeed a chapter, and you'll find yourself engrossed until you reach the end, and then left gasping for more.
For anyone who has an interest in history, America, murderers or just a refreshingly good read, then you need to call in sick for a day and pick this one up.
The only downside is that you'll find yourself back on Amazon ordering Larsons remaining titles which are equally engrossing and just as hard to put down.


A story about great architects (and project management for dummies), 23 Oct 2007
The book tells the story behind the World Fair in Chicago in 1893. It alternates between two story lines: the one of the serial killer Holmes, and the one of the organizers of the fair with the architect Daniel Burnham as the protagonist. It is very well researched - see the impressive list of references at the back - which was a major attraction point for me. The author even clarifies which of the (few) elements in the story were unverifiable and thus pure fiction. Scientists will love this. The underlying research never gets in the way of the story though (hooray).

I was captivated by the look behind the scenes: how the Chicago won the organization of the fair, the subsequent delays in setting up an organizing team and the disasters during the building of the Fair's buildings and exhibitions. It shows how even those to be considered the best in their field don't realize major achievements without their deal of stress and problem solving (and being extremely pragmatic when deadlines come close). In fact, this book is a must-read for project managers and entrepreneurs alike.

As far as the killings of Dr. Holmes are concerned, a Belgian cannot help but see the striking parallels with the Dutroux case about 100 years later, such as building a house specifically designed to kill unnoticedly (remember Dutroux' cellar where he hid the little girls). Also the debate on the faulty functioning of the police force in the aftermath of the killings bears a close resemblance to the Belgian case. Some things never change.

If you're interested in Chicago, architecture and want to read an upbeat story on how sound ambition leads to landmark achievements (& how it doesn't come easy), read this book.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 13 Aug 2007
In 1893, Chicago was gearing up for its shining moment on the international stage. The city had been selected to host the World's Fair, beating out New York and a number of other American contenders. A prominent local architect, Daniel Burnham, had taken the reins to organize and construct the massive project. He assembled a dream team of architects, landscapers, engineers, and other professionals to help pull the fair together. Certainly Chicago could outdo the Paris Fair, which had been a worldwide success years earlier.

Unfortunately for Burnham and his team, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Due to a lack of organization and bickering among the committees responsible for the fair, construction began far later than it should have. Partially completed buildings blew over and burned down. Union workers threatened strikes. One sideshow act showed up a year early, while another (which was believed to be made up of cannibals) killed the man sent to retrieve them and never showed up at all. And there was a monster on the loose. A man who used the chaos of Chicago at this time in history to conceal the murders of dozens of people - many of them young, single women. A man who constructed a building with stolen money, then used the building as a slaughterhouse to lure, kill, and dispose of his victims.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY is a terrific book. It is nonfiction, but it reads like a novel. The real-life details of this story seem almost too bizarre to be true, yet this is one example of the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." The author, Erik Larson, even includes a lengthy section at the back where he documents his facts and explains his suppositions.

The book's chapters alternate between the World's Fair and the exploits of serial killer, Dr. H.H. Holmes. I found myself enjoying both stories, as they ran parallel throughout the book. The Herculean task of putting together the fair in record time was fascinating, and the sociopathic actions of Dr. Holmes were chilling. It made for a brilliant contrast - just when the frustrations of the Fair seemed overwhelming, the book switched to Dr. Holmes as he lured yet another young woman into his web. And just when Dr. Holmes' evil seemed too much to bear, the chapter would end and the reader would be back at the World's Fair dealing with political back stabbing, instead of Holmes' more literal variety.

I rarely read nonfiction, but this book came highly recommended to me, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did, too. It offers a wonderful historical perspective on Chicago and the world near the close of the 19th century. For a Chicago-area native like me, its frequent mentions of famous local names, like Burnham and Adler and Marshall Field, that still grace street signs and the sides of buildings, were an added treat. Just a brief word of warning, though: it does contain some of the dreaded "adult themes." Some of Dr. Holmes' crimes are described - although not too graphically - and they might be upsetting for "younger or more sensitive" readers.

I strongly recommend THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY to anyone who enjoys an engrossing, well-written story, whether they normally read fiction or nonfiction. In particular, if readers have a book report in school, this book should be considered. It makes history come alive.

Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

An excellent all-round introduction to Mackintosh, 31 Aug 2008
This is a very useful scholarly introduction to Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It covers all bases, being semi-biographical as well as focusing specifically on each area of Mackintosh's repertoire. Crawford deals semi-chronologically and semi-thematically with Mackintosh's work, spending time analysing his architecture, interior and furniture design, poster art and painting, as well as his general contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement. More could be said on his larger architectural pieces, such as Hill House and the Glasgow School of Art, but if, like me, you are using this book for academic purposes, there are other books that deal with specific Mackintosh designs in more detail.

The beauty of this book is that although it is scholarly, it is not verbose or off-putting to the general interest reader, and because of this, you needn't have any prior knowledge of Mackintosh in order to enjoy this work.