Shoes Books

"Family Shoes" tells the story of Alec, the vicar,Cathy, his wife, and the four Bell children, Paul, who wants to be a doctor, Jane, who longs to be a dancer, Ginnie, who is at once truculent and charming, and Angus, the pet-lover. Their adventures and triumphs, relationship with wealthy Uncle Alfred and Aunt Rose, the flowering of Jane's dancing talent, and the extraordinary atmosphere of the family make this book a delight from start to finish. Please treat yourself and your children.

I like all the "Shoes" books but I really love this one most of all! This book introduces you to the Bell Family of 2 Boys,2 Girls,their parents & there wonderful Housekeeper Mrs.Gage.These Kids live in Great Britain with there parents and are always having fun & adventures.They are like a real family with arguments and getting into trouble and having fun too!This is one of those books that you dont want to put down once you have started it! And there is a sequel too called "New Shoes". You will enjoy meeting the Bell Family!

And the customer asked about the "Shoes" books, and amonologue about the wonders of Noel Streatfeild's "Shoes"books ensued, touching on Dancing Shoes, Ballet Shoes, and Skating Shoes, which is absolutely wonderful, I cried. And I did that because I had never heard anyone other than myself talk about these terrific books, and the fact that it is tragic that they are mostly out of print and hard to find. This book is a wonderful story of working hard for a goal, and accomplishing it, or at least getting on the road to achieving a reasonable, yet magical, goal. If you want a great book for your favorite elementary school girl, buy this one - then buy the other "Shoes" books (and get a copy of Tennis Shoes for your favorite boy too!)

My girls (toddlers) love this book. They want to read it at least once a day and usually more than that. The lesson is simple and heartwarming, but they have even more fun finding all the people in the story in the pictures. Every time you read the book you'll see something new and reach new conclusions about the story and the characters. Also, the prose is lovely and has a nice rhythm, plus some nice play on the word "flip flop."

This is a delightful summer story about friendship and imagination at the beach. This book can open a day of play with children coming up with their own uses for a small rubber shoe.
A lesson learned is although things may not begin the way you think they should, they can turn out wonderful. Beautifully illustrated.

This is a charming children's book that teaches a lesson to adult readers as well. It's a lovely story about a child who can only find one of her flip-flops as she prepares to go to the beach with her mother. She's unhappy with her one flip-flop and longs to stop at a roadside stand to buy new ones and the appealing beach toys she sees. By the time she has been at the beach for a while and found many fun uses for her one flip-flop, she realizes that she doesn't need to buy anything else because she has everything she needs to be happy.

I discovered the book at a funeral. My aunt had died in Andrews, NC (mother's sister) and my 78 year old dad, 80 year old mother, brother and myself went. Cleo was there. I found out my dad taught her in high school and was listed in the book along with snippets of my mother, another aunt and family. The book has all the things I remembered from visiting the mountains every summer and winter but never understood or completely treasured. This is a must read if you love the Smokie Mountains and especially if you had family born there. It is a cultural masterpiece.

This book is extrememly well written and flows quickly. It will keep you laughing and appreciating the shoes on your feet right now! This is a great snapshot for what it was really like in a by-gone era where the stories are starting to disappear.

Mrs. Williams has shared a glimpse into the daily lives of her family and friends in a manner so riveting I have stayed awake much too long some nights unable to put the book down. She has captured the essence of life in the area known as the "Back of the Beyond" - the rugged mountains of western North Carolina. She has shown both the beauty and harshness that the people and the area share. A must read!

When you can't get out to the mall and actually SHOP for shoes, you can get that same shoe-shopping FIX from Jane Eldershaw's book. It's every bit as cute as those red, kitten-heel, t-straps that you've been dreaming about. (If you don't know what that means, this book is NOT for you!)

After returning from a recent trip to LA, my husband commented on women's obsession with style and I had just purchased a pair of shoes that made me look much taller and thinner. Shoes can make you lose weight, I love it.

Anyway, it was time to read this adorable book about shoes. I don't have as many shoes as I did in college although I tend to remember my life in some autobiographical way through the shoes I was wearing at the time. I remember the boots I wore in Paris and the sexy shoes with sparkly diamonds I wore for a special occasion.

Jane Eldershaw seems to see life in a similar fashion. Heart and Sole is a lighthearted memoir that explores Jane's life through her shoe selections. She gives tips on how to judge a man by his choice of shoes and why there are only two types of women in the world.

Jane Eldershaw is a writer and magazine illustrator who was born in Australia. Her writing style is original, playful and has a love for descriptive words to tease your mind. She has worked for New Woman and Vogue Australia. The book jacket hides a beautiful high-quality ruby covered and exquisitely bound book. Women who love well-made shoes will appreciate the style and quality of this tiny book. The book was also illustrated by Jane and I was especially amused by "toe decolletage." She has drawn pictures of her shoes, everything from her boots to her Italian Interlude when she wore shoes from Rome. She explores life choices after she wore her new cherry-red-spike-heeled ankle-straps with silver buckles.

Jane also reveals interesting facts about Marilyn Monroe, Barbie dolls and how to find a shoe-inn for storage. Where do your shoes live? What is the heel called. I had no idea there was a "kitten" heel, but it is very common.

I could easily become obsessed with shoes again and have been in the past, but lately I'm all about comfort and the shoes that are fancy are sure to only be worn for special occasions. This book reminded me of how fun it is to shop for shoes and I'm of course always on the look for pretty slippers for wearing while writing reviews. I did try on clear plastic shoe the other day and had to feel a bit sorry for Cinderella. Glass could not be overly comfortable although a girl can dream. I've stepped on broken glass and ruined a heel while almost tripping down steps, so that might be a sign.

This delicious book made me fondly remember the Nordstrom of the past where men dressed in suits played Prince Charming and slipped slippers of all colors onto your feet. Where have those days gone? Jane explores the elements of a good shoe salesman and it is nothing like Married with Children. ;) It is a bit more like Sex and the City. My husband might want to read this book because he is a shoe guy. He has been known to give me advice on shoe selections. He hasn't seen what I bought for our anniversary. Hee, hee...

Other unique features:

Tips on How to Care for Shoes
Discarding Your Past Personalities
What a cobbler Can and Can't do!
Feel-Good Fix-Ups for Fatigued Feet

If you read one book on shoes in this lifetime this should be the book. Perfect for keeping in your matching purse for reading just about anywhere.

~The Rebecca Review

This is a very readable (and visual) light treat for both shoe-a-holics and those who can't resist the puns of sole fantasies.

This book is both hilarious, and frightenly accurate.
Us guys have always heard women judge men by their shoes , but this woman is a 'shoevoyant' !
With uncanny accuracy she evaluates typical male shoes and reveals the personality and foibles of the men who wear them.
Kathryn Eisman is the Nostradamus of shoes !
A wonderful, entertaining, delightful read.

Until now we boys had all types of shields from exposure -- underpants, condoms, hats, balaclavas, suncreams and so on. But girls knew about these things so we did not get away with much. Nothing like they get away with with makeup, lift up and hold apart bras (or no bras at all), no nickers (or no nickers nickers), thongs (or no thongs) etc!!

Now all we had left is revealed by this book -- our shoes. We previously thought that our charisma, bed prowess, interest in particular things or activities, as demonstrated by what we put on our feet, was a secret known only by and to us. Alas, no longer!

Although beautifully written, and powerfully illustrated, with tongue firmly planted in cheek (the facial one), this book has actually exposed us in the raw. It is so funny, yet so true. And the author has so cleverly fingered us for what we really are -- conniving, sinister, manipulative little so and so's who, unlike women with plunging necklines, bits or butts hanging out, or the shortest skirts or briefest shorts revealing everything except the little they cover, had hoped that our secrets were well tucked away, out of sight, mind, mouth and hand, if not imagination.

Now that Kathryn has destroyed that image with this great little book about how our footwear actually reveals all to all, where do we go now? Hopefully, her next book will not be about jocks, sox or box!! If it is, be ready for men to disappear from city streets altogether so that you girls will have to come looking for us instead of the other way round.

This book is so accurate and witty! I mean not only is it extremely funny, 'How to Tell a Man by His Shoes' is spot on when it comes to judging mens personalities. I was given it as a gift and now I've gone out and bought it for all my girlfriends for Christmas. I've started using the book and I have been attracting a much better type of man...WHY DIDN'T SOMEBODY WRITE THIS BOOK YEARS AGO AND SAVE ME ALOT OF MISTAKES!!! Ha ha. A fun read and a delicious present.

I can identify with the author, I lost my mother last year. The book offers hope for a brighter day. It makes me remember the unique relationship I had with my mother, who I also spoke to everyday. Looking forward to the author's next work.

What a outstanding work. I had the priviledge of meeting the author. What a great person. Such a gifted talent

WOW!!! So much inspiration for such a great price. This is truely the best poetry book that I have ever read. Every women should own at least one copy (maybe even 2, because if you lend it out it's so good that you probably won't get it back)....

Poetic, thought stimulating text sparks the amazing photography and one of a kind artistry of In My Shoes. Nature, children, food, pattterns, colors - this book brings out the beauty and simplicity of life. It opens a child's mind, letting it run wild and free. I enjoy reading this book with my daughter as much as she does. Anyone at any age will be swept away to a wonderful place reading In My Shoes!

This is a wonderful book to start conversations with your child. It poses many "wh-" questions to encourage thinking, predicting and making inferences about the world around us. Beautiful.

In My Shoes is the perfect bedtime book for a young child and parent to enjoy together. The Authors creatively combine playful artwork and photography with questioning text which will spark many interesting discussions. Its original format helps us gain an understand into what connections our children make from the world around them.

This book was truly inspiring. It was wonderful to see how you can relate shoes and "soles" to the emotional experiences of individuals. It was a true test of the human spirit. This is book is a must have.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I love shoes just as much as the next girl, but I'm happy to say that it's so much more than a book with pretty pictures (although happily there are plenty of those). This is a book with wonderfully told stories and morals that we can all relate to with a smile, a laugh, and loads of understanding. One of my favorites was the fabulously dressed and maybe slightly superior woman crossing her legs with the Marshall's tag on the bottom of one of her shoes. I loved it and I highly recommend it. This book is a keeper.

Wonderful little book with awesome photos. The stories are sweet and the ideas in the back are great. I really love all the different perspectives! Makes a great gift for Mom, sister, Aunts... any woman in your life!

Anyone who has ever had a relative in intensive care will recognise the first few chapters of this book: the way a relative drifts in and out of a morphine induced fog, the attempts of others to communicate with them, and the apparent unreality of the whole situation. Anyone who has ever had their life tipped upside down will agree with the main character who wants his old life back.
I won't try to summarise the subject of this book, or its main themes: the first reviewer has done that well.
But Ms Shapiro has an eye for detail, an awareness of bodily sensations, a sense of smell and light that few writers have. Often as I read this book I thought, "Why didn't I write that sentence?"
I'd give it 5 stars. Anyone outside the US (like me) can buy it most easily from the publisher's website as an E book (SynergEbooks.com)
Richard Snow
www.snowinmelbourne.com

Jen-Zen and the One-Shoe Diaries written by Julie Ann Shapiro is a fictional account of one man's magical, and sometimes surreal, journey through life, love, death and the power of art and imagination.

Brad is a photographer with an artist's eye and is the central character of the novel. His one-time love, a woman who is known as Jen-Zen, provides Brad with a window into his past and soul. It starts with harrowing ordeal that challenges Brad's emotional well-being is soon transformed into a riveting mystery. A whimsical romp following a trail of single shoes culminates into an extraordinary journey into the human heart.

I found myself on a similar journey as I read chapter after chapter. As an artist myself, I was drawn in by Brad's experiences that were curiously a mirror of my own. However, instead of photography, my art-in-hand is writing. I discovered parallels between myself and Brad in such areas as creativity (what it means to be an artist) and vision (how we see the world is just as important as how we interpret it).

In all, I enjoyed reading Ms. Shapiro's novel on the basis of its 'truth-in-art' mystique as well as in its heart.

Jen-Zen is as likable as the title. The book straddles the romance and mystery genres, with enough "magic realism" to please a fantasy lover like myself. It is a very romantic tale of love between a photographer putting together a collection of photos of "one shoes" and a girl who falls into a coma. If Brad solves the mystery of the one shoes, he may be able to save his lost love.

A friend recommended this book to me. What had me hooked from page one was the prose. Julie has the most original, lyrical voice I've read in years. Being as I read a novel every two weeks or so, that is saying something.

All in all, a great read for anyone looking for a truly original story.

Roy Underhill's "Krushchev's Shoe" is simply an excellent guide to becoming an engaging speaker, presenter, even writer. Through delightful personal anecdotes and voyages ranging from the nature of the creative process to voice spectograms illustrating the difference between a good speaker and a weak one, Underhill provides the reader with a brilliantly written, wise, and funny book about the nature of public presentation. The book is amply illustrated with woodcuts and sketches driving his points home. As a teacher I cannot stress how useful this book is. I have recommended it to a program designed to teach teachers how to teach (better). Many books of this nature are deadly to read--this one is great. His chapter called "The Morning After" alone is worth the price of the book.

Think of selling this show to network, even PBS, executives. One walks into the office and says, "I have a great idea for a TV how-to show where a guy goes out and cuts down a tree, then he teaches you to use traditional hand tools and make it into a replica of the chair in which Jefferson sat while he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Once you watch it, you can go out and do it yourself! Whaddya think?" One would have to expect as ungraceful an exit from the producer's office as the construction worker who found the singing frog in the classic Warner Bros. cartoon.

Well, that is exactly the show, The Woodwright's Shop, that Roy Underhill has been able to keep on television for more than 20 years. Of course, if most hobbyist woodworkers are going to watch a "how-to" show and make something presented by the host, they are more likely to follow Norm Abrams' measured drawings and run to Home Depot for the lastest tool to really make the sawdust fly. But, audiences watch Underhill's show not only for the extreme mastery he shows of his craft, but also his mastery of captivating an audience with a great storytelling approach.

This is the essence of Krushchev's Shoe. Roy Underhill takes what he has learned in demonstrating a craft totally foreign to modern audiences, both on his television show and at Colonial Williamsburg, and shares it with his readers so that we may become better communicators.

This book is helpful to anyone who dreads standing before a crowd and opening one's mouth. It is particularly helpful though to those of us who train others to be effective communicators. Museum professionals, theme park managers, teachers, etc, may all find some use in the suggestions Underhill makes in Krushchev's Shoe.

There are so many dumb books on the communication process this one is really great and different. When the author talks about creatvity you realize he really understands the process. I found this book fun, irreverent, witty, useful, and original. Great stuff!