Shoes Books

In Under the Duvet, Keyes talks about her (somewhat dysfunctional) life in a series of essays, most of which were published in the Tatler. From her loathing of gardening to her dark days with alcohol abuse, she unveils her thoughts and feelings about the terrors and bliss of living, in a very Irish way. It's not only the language that's different (crisps instead of chips, boot instead of trunk, etc.), it's the mindset of being a woman in Ireland. Typically, the women in the essays are more fleshed out than the men, which makes the poor men always sound dense and unenlightened, while the women put up with it because that's just the way it is. Despite the cultural differences, it's easy to relate to many situations she's gone through: learning to drive, going through house renovations, spending Christmas with your family (when you'd rather be elsewhere, like in Groenland).

Okay, Under the Duvet is not literature. But it's fun, and a touch of levity in life has never hurt anyone.

In my book, Keyes' best work was Watermelon, her first novel. Anyone who's ever tried to pick up the pieces after the sudden end of a relationship can instantly identify with Claire's heartbreak and dilemma, and Keyes does an excellent job mining all the sad, gory details of a love lost and found.

"Under the Duvet" is her first nonfiction book, and while it's an entirely different reading experience, it's still not a bad way for a Keyes fan to get her fix. A collection of columns she wrote for various magazines and newspapers, as well as a few previously unpublished pieces, this book is vintage Keyes, mixing laugh-out-loud observations about her shoe fetish and her large, very Catholic family, with poignant reflections on overcoming crippling alcoholism.

Never fear, though -- you're not going to be subjected to a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Save for a dark, somber chapter about her struggle to get and stay sober, "Under the Duvet" is primarily a happy, skippy romp through the landscape of Keyes' life and times, introducing us to Himself (her husband Tony), her wise Mam, hapless Dad, and her memorable band of siblings and friends. Keyes spent eleven years living in 'Swinging London' before moving back to Ireland for good, and each country gets its share of gentle teasing about its eccentricities and colorful characters. But her finest pen is reserved for her affectionate look at Ireland then and now: she waxes nostalgic about the Dublin before the specter of the Celtic Tiger, and marvels at the remarkable transition its made in these increasingly secular and materialistic times.

Fans and children of Erin will find much to love here, and chick-lit aficionados will love Keyes' brief, charming musings on dating, parties, growing older, getting married, Botox, losing weight, and the Holy Grail of twentysomethings everywhere: Keyes' short-lived but glorious stint as beauty editor for a national women's magazine. Would-be writers seeking advice on the craft and business of novel writing and publishing will best look elsewhere, as Keyes touches only lightly on the subject.

There are a good many Irish-isms that may stump the American reader, but not enough to prevent one from enjoying the book. Part memoir and -- surprisingly -- part cultural study of the author's beloved Ireland, "Under the Duvet" is a pleasing way to pass an afternoon. Make sure you have a cup of Bewleys Irish Breakfast and some soda bread.

MRA

Marian Keyes is one of my favorite novelists, so I was very excited to read her articles. Most of them were very entertaining and witty, as one would expect from Keyes. Read one after another, however, some of them didn't quite make the mark. What I did enjoy was getting to know a little more about Marian Keyes, the person. I also enjoyed reading about Ireland (as I usually do). My favorite essays/articles were Catholicism: Cheaper Than Prozac, but Is It Good for You? (about the a la carte attitude to Catholicism many modern cradle Catholics tend to practice in their 30's), Have you the Green Food Coloring? (about Marian and her Irish co-workers celebrating St. Patrick's Day in London), You Can Run, But You Can't Hide (about life-long friends), and Time's Arrow (which very much mirrored my thought on how you are the last to know you are in deed one of them -- an adult). In any case, it's an enjoyable, easy read that I'm sure all fans of Marian Keyes would enjoy.

I adore Marian Keyes. Totally. When I excitedly buy Marie claire every month, I skip to her column first! In fact, I'm so desperate to get it before it comes out in the shops, I subscribed to it. Tragic, I know.

But anyway.

I bought "Under The Duvet" because I bought "Further Under The Duvet" first which I know sounds mad, but I bought the latter because it'd just come out and had a couple of quid off, so that's my excuse. Anyway, I purchased "Under The Duvet" after reading her novels. For you Yanks, "Further Under The Duvet" is under a different title, but don't ask me what as I haven't a clue!

I like the fact you can just dip in and out of it. I have a habit of reading more than one book at once, therefore I end up losing the storyline because I've got confused. Why do I do that? I keep asking myself the same question. Marian Keyes is warm, witty and real. She's down to Earth and so damn likeable. And when she talks about her alcoholism, she does it without self pity which is endearing, if you ask me.

So, yeah, just buy it.

Cute book but a bit repetative in places. The house buying stories were the most amusing just because we've recently gone through that ourselves. My husband also enjoyed the book, so while it's clearly marketed at women, men who enjoy humorous essay style memoirs will also enjoy Under the Duvet.

Relies a little bit too much on biology for my liking, but it has some cute anecdotes and scenarios along with some practical advice. A fun read if not taken too seriously.

Since I've read and enjoyed an earlier book by these authors (Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps) I didn't hesitate to grab this one off the shelves. What a waste of money! They just repeat a lot that was said in the book I already had. Also, of all the "facts" that are stated I know for sure that at least three of them are total fiction or at best hearsay (these are the only three where I'm an expert) which seriously makes me doubt the validity of the remaining facts. I found this book a very irritating read.

A very funny and insightful couple with tons of experience behind them. I would recommend this to anyone no matter how much they know!!!

This is a much more substancial book than quite a few reviews here let on.
It's written to be funny much of the time, and has some lighter spots,
but it changes my entire take of some major areas.

This book REALLY irritated me! I have read several gender difference and self-help relationship books and none has ever worked me up the way this one did!

I am not a super-feminist. I agree that there are intrinsic differences in the sexes. I agree that men are visual creatures and if women quit making efforts toward their physical appearance after marriage, they might naturally lose the attraction of their husband. However...

I listened to the audio CD and grew increasingly irritated through the women's attraction self-quiz. I tried to take it with a grain of salt, but when it went it suggested afterwards that if you want to get a man, you should "get a boob job or work done on your face as a treat to yourself for your next birthday"...I got so outraged that I took out the disc and vowed not to listen to any more! I can understand things like styling your hair or wearing clothes that are more flattering...but suggesting to a general audience that plastic surgery is an appropriate and necessary way to gain a man's attraction??? No way.

I eventually cooled down and tried listening to another disc (I had enjoyed the 1st 3 discs a lot and decided to give it another chance). However, on this disc it suggested that women not "hint around" about things they want, but instead be "direct." I agree...I'm there. So then it gave an example. It said that if a women wanted to be in a relationship with a man she was dating, she should be direct. Example: drop little hints into conversations about how she's happy to be in a relationship. What?!?!?! That's NOT being direct, it's hinting! And manipulative...

I also agree with other reviews that the whole thing is far too generalized. Some of the beginning parts about biology and evolution of the sexes were interesting, but there was not a whole lot in here that sounded like my husband. He doesn't fart all the time, have bad hygiene or only prefer women with red lipstick, stilettos and a 70% waist/hip ration as the book says is what guys want. Don't get me wrong, he likes attractive women, but you just can't generalize what guys want like that!

I added on an extra star for the first few chapters that I thought were interesting enough to relate to my husband, but I am pretty worked up about the rest of the book!

The Shoe Queen is a beautifully written book set in 1920's Paris. The author is a master of word craft. Oddly enough, what I liked most about the book was the structure. I don't usually even notice structure, but it was so well done (mixing the present/past/pov's) that I often couldn't wait to find out where/who/when I would be next. (The chapter that ended with Robert opening the hotel room door and the chapter that started with what he found was absolutely and completely brilliant. I laughed out loud. And it wasn't because of the story. It was how the author wrote it.)

The story is of a young, married girl who is trying to escape the physical and emotional control of her life and find meaning. I really, really wanted to love the story. I couldn't.

There wasn't a single character in the entire book that I liked. I kept hoping that the author would give me something, anything to make Genevieve likable. But even as I came to understand her history and the reasons for her behavior, all I felt was anger. How could anyone be that completely self-centered? I get that that was the point of the book. I just feel like I need to have some relationship or some stakes in the characters so that I care that they change and learn (little as it was).

At the end of the day, I'm not sure I'd really recommend this book. I spent the whole time hoping for something that wasn't there. And while I felt the ending fit the book, I was left disappointed because I just didn't care.

On a different note... I have never been so utterly aware of how ugly my feet are in my life. ~G.

I purchased this book as I am a great fan of any work which takes place in Paris. As something of a Francophile, I thought it would be fun reading. There were some interesting tidbits with regard to Paris and we are provided some terrific descriptions of the city in the 20's.

Beginning with the first paragraph, the reader is drawn in to a terrific story. From the onset, one is aware that the seemingly idyllic marriage between Genevieve and Robert is terribly flawed and things are not what they seem. "Vivi" is making an effort to fill her empty life with two things, artistic people and shoes. The shoes seem to be the answer to all that is lacking in her life. She fancies herself as a poet, but in fact, she simply does not have the talent. Therefore she surrounds herself with people who make her feel creative; artists, poets, writers and entertainers, all of whom she looks down upon.

At the center of everything is the relationship she has with the shoe maker and her shoes. A replacement for children, close friends and family. She was raised in the lap of luxury, but tries to live a bohemian lifestyle. For her, it does not work.

While the story remains a "pager turner" throughout most of the book, sadly, with about 20 pages to go, it simply becomes tired. I was not tired of the story, but it seems as though the author suddenly became bored with her own work. The story and writing become sloppy and the very descriptive beginning is forgotten at the end with a rush to the finish. The ending is weak and not well thought out, if not a bit disappointing. I would love to see this book with an ending which follows the rest of the story, rather than an ending which appears to be an afterthought.

I'm a fashion student so I'm sucker for anything Paris related. I'm also fasinated by the 20's so this book peeked my interest from the beginning! And, okay the cover is pretty :) I wasn't expecting much but it drew me in instantly and I couldn't put it down until I finished! It turned out to be more than book about a women who loves shoes. It's also about love, lies, betrayal, and all that other good stuff! The descriptions of Paris (and most importantly the shoes!) are amazing. However parts of the book have a lot of hard to pronounce French words that make it hard for non-french speakers to imagine when you don't even know what they mean. Other than that, for the rest of the book you can easily imagine yourself in Paris along side Genevive, going to all the lavish parties, and wearing your own pair of Paolo Zacharis! ... Or at least you wish you were :) Great book!

When I read this book, it kept making me irritated. By the time I was 3/4 done with the book, I thought I was going to throw it in my fireplace! It was awful. Definitely not my style... But the delivery of the product was fast and the book was in great shape!

I admit, I picked up this books because I could not resist the title. In reading this I could not help but relate the main female lead to Emma Bovary and Edna Pontellier. The yearning to somehow be more, to experience love, passion and to be more than just a wife or daughter is there. Also present is the cruelty that comes from that self involvement and the initial step to have the protection of acceptance from society in the form of a marriage.

The descriptions of 1920s Paris are wonderful. The inclusion of the many literary characters of that time just added to the lore and elicited a type of sympathy for Genevieve while at the same time a sort of hatred for her lack of strength in the beginning. The author deftly shows the vunerable side of the heroine with the childhood Mary-Janes and the pointed critism about her love poems lacking the ring of authenticity because she had never known love. Small details that reveal much.

I bought this book as a Christmas present for my niece, and she loves it. They're great stories, and this book made a much better present than just buying one of them.

I can't understand what the reviewer below is talking about: if he wanted a hardcover, why did he buy the paperback? And with 7 books inside it, if the text wasn't fairly small then the whole thing would be really big and heavy!

So here's my recommendations:
- click on the book image and look 'inside-the-book' before you buy it, so you know what you're getting.
- if you want the hardcover edition, don't buy the paperback (duh!)

Great stories about some different groups of children and their adventures. I would recommend it as a Christmas or birthday present for any kid! I thought the size of the print was fine.

Love the stories, but there are far better productions of them elsewhere. Hardback or soft, this book was produced cheaply and looks much more like a text book than a book of stories for kids. As has already been described, tiny font, no illustrations, thin papers. I bought one for my family, and one for my 9 year old niece. I'll keep ours, as a reference book, just in case I can't find a better version of any of these stories in the future. But I can't give such an uninviting book to my niece. I'll find her proper versions of these books. I'd rather give her a nice used copy of an out of print production, than this book.

I saw that people on here were moaning about the paperback, so I looked at book books in 'search inside the book' and got the hardback. Glad I did as the recipient really enjoyed it!

These are some of the most delightful books for children ever written. Better than Lewis. Better than Milne. Better than Ransome. Long out of copyright, even by today's standards. Gather up her best in one book. Wonderful idea. Oh! Yes this is a great bargain. Unless.

This is a paperback, not a hardback. And the type is very small. Very! But the two columns per page alleviates that somewhat. Only somewhat. But no illustrations. Just page after page of type; so, not as bad as a 1900 newspaper, but unappealing and unfriendly. I think the versions I read long ago had illustrations by Ernest Shepherd. Ohhhh, that is a loss....

Think about this. Two small-print columns per page, no illustrations, a floppy paperback printed on what appears to be cheap paper. This is not for a child to read.

I wish I had had a chance to see this in advance. Seek elsewhere for these treasures.

At first I was concerned because the web site listed a substantial wait time before the text could be shipped, but I ended up receiving it within two weeks. The book arrived in excellent condition.

I ordered this book approx 5 weeks ago for graduate school and I still don't have it!! Classes started 3 weeks ago and I have had to borrow books from other people!!!! Will never order books online again!!!!

This book is compact with great information :) It's laid out nicely so it's easy to follow. The only down fall is there are some phrases that aren't explained well (i.e. additive empathy) but are used regularly. Overall, a good textbook for beginners :)

This is an excellent introduction to social work practice with many useful tips on individual, family and group assessment and intervention. I highly recommend this book. But it really is too bad and sad that they have decided to cut a chapter (chapter14 of the sixth edition) on problem solving, assertiveness and stress management.

This textbook is not the most thrilling read of a lifetime, but its also not difficult. Somestimes the organization is a little odd, but it could be worse.
If its not required, I wouldn't buy it.

The language is really foul and the characters are crude and unlikeable. This book might appeal to a lower class.

I read this book a few days ago and I must say that I was just not impressed. The story read like a bad Lifetime Movie. The characters were very flat and stereotypical Texans. The plot was very predictable and flimsy. If you are looking for a quick fluff read, I suppose this would do. But if you are looking for a really interesting, developed story, look elsewhere.

Typical Edwina and Debbie Sue - and I mean that in a good way! Lots of laughs (especially Edwina at the airport) and likable supporting characters. I did miss the usual west Texas setting but it was fun seeing NYC through Edwina's eyes. This is a good series and I think the authors are doing a great job developing the two main characters. Hope the next one is in the works.

The two sisters who write this series have a delightful sense of humor. If you're looking to relax...this one helps.

I do have one complaint about the writers, though. They just don't get them out fast enough. I loved, loved this book. My concern at first was that I would not get to see enough of Ed and Debbie Sue once the secondary character was introduced. They take Celina under their wing but they are all involved with the madness that happens in New York.

The reviewer from Publisher's Weekly who called Ed and Debbie Sue "silly" must not have any speck of a sense of humor. Don't pay attention to that part of the review. Dixie Cash fans will not be disappointed.

Coreen Homes Treadwill is a woman in distress. Despite a successful career and a family that loves her, demons from her past are threatening her future. At 17, Coreen was the victim of a date-rape that resulted in an unwanted pregnancy, and immediately put the child up for adoption in an attempt to forget the heart-wrenching incident. Years later, to Coreen's dismay, the child she gave up has grown into a woman hell-bent on revenge.



30-year old Frieda Davis is a determined woman on a mission, stopping at nothing to find her biological mother. Instead of a heart-felt reunion, Frieda is out for revenge, and blames the woman who abandoned her at birth for years of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her adoptive father.



Meanwhile, Coreen's career takes off, placing her on a public platform, and she fears this recognition could lead to unwanted attention from the child she doesn't know. It doesn't take long for trouble to start in the Treadwill home, and Coreen's rising professional status soon leaves her husband Bates feeling like a failure. Those are the least of Coreen's concerns, as she's constantly haunted by the idea that the child she gave up will soon find her.



Her fears are not unfounded, as Frieda is hot on her trail. Frieda moves forward with a well-orchestrated plan to ruin her birth mother's life and destroy all that Coreen holds dear, beginning with one of her beloved stepsons, Glen. Before Frieda can follow through with her plan, though, she falls in love but quickly reverts to plan B. Unwilling to release the pain and bitterness she's carried for years, Frieda quickly learns that revenge isn't always sweet.



If You Walked in My Shoes forces us to think twice about keeping secrets from those we love. While some sentences seemed weighed down by excessive wording and phrases that remind you these characters are seasoned, the story flows through its few slow spots and is overall, a good read. Each page keeps you wondering how Coreen will handle her situation, and whether her family and career will remain intact once she faces those demons.



By the end, mother and daughter leave us wondering if they'll ever find peace, and their place in life. Foster leaves us cheering for both women in different ways.



Reviewed by Pat Tucker

(...)

Freida Davis is on a mission to find the one responsible for her being in an abusive situation and all the warnings that she received, she ignored and even though she knows that it is wrong to seek revenge, she forces full speed and with all the planning and plotting she never expected to find her ultimate love and where she thought she would be gratified, she stumbles and finds that it is nothing like she anticipated. Glen Treadwell is a self absorbed, over confident, take what he wants with no regard to anyone else, until he slam dunks with Frieda and oops the player gets played in the worse kind of way. Corrine is self sufficient and self proclaimed, through her struggles she succeeds and the skeletons in her closet will come out in the worse possible way, but in actuality when the story unfolds, the worse for Corrine is all in her secret, if she had came clean with Bates and explained what she could not control, she would have spared herself so much grief and anguish, but then Bates is no Saint, he is self proclaimed, above all and unfortunately, he should have told Corrine why he is so judgemental and they would have not had to endure so much anguish. When Frieda and Corrine come head to head and toe to toe, Corrine brings Frieda down a few notches and through this story I really felt for Corrine, 'cause she suffered the most. The characters in ths story all had a story of their own and it all intertwined, but it tells the story that you think you know someone and you believe you have all the answers, but if you "walked in their shoes," you would know better. I think that Gwynne Forster could do a part two to this story, because truthfully Frieda and Glenn have unfinished business, and Corrine and Frieda also. Corrine never heard that her Aunt died wanting to apologize to her... and Star and Eric have a wedding still... The drama is real and the story is spellbounding, cause you don't know what is going to happen and now that Porgy and Lizzette have sealed the deal, they have a story too... Keep writing Ms. Forrester.

The prologue for IF YOU WALKED IN MY SHOES alerted me that there
would be a day of reckoning. Coreen Holmes was raped by one of
her classmates when she was seventeen years old, and her die was
cast. Thirteen year old Frieda Davis was sexually abused by her
adoptive father, a fate which continued for four years; until
Frieda fled into the night.

A much older Coreen Holmes Treadwell is on the brink of fulfilling
her dream as the president of the International Society of Social
and Welfare Agency. For the past 29 years she has dedicated her
time to social and welfare issues. And for that same period she has
lived behind a façade, with the fear that her darkest secret would
be unveiled. But how long does a secret remain a secret? Coreen's
fear is manifested when her past walks into her present.

Frieda needs closure to her past; her adoptive parents are deceased
and she needs to know her roots. Also embedded in her heart is the
drive to fulfill a vendetta against her biological mother. But will
her vindictive intent produce an outcome more devastating than her
past?

IF YOU WALKED IN MY SHOES is a dramatic story about two women
emotionallydamaged by violent acts, and the aftermath that
reverberated throughout their lives. The destiny of these women was
propelled by outside forces at a time when neither was mature enough
to accept the outcome. And while each chose a different way to deal
with their past, somehow that difference had an element of sameness.
Premature in their judgment about one another, things become clearer
when they share the opportunity to walk in each other's shoes. Ms.
Forster methodically highlights the emotional anguish of the
characters and the havoc the repercussions caused in Coreen and
Frieda's lives, yet it is the very havoc that served to strengthened
them. (RAWSISTAZ Rating: 4.5)

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

This is the riveting story of how keeping secrets can come back to haunt you. Coreen Holmes Treadwell for all appearances has a successful career, loving marriage and a wonderful relationship with her stepchildren. But her life hasn't always been so "perfect", as a young girl she was raped and wound up pregnant. Coreen is hiding a painful secret. A secret named Frieda Davis. Frieda Davis is the daughter that Coreen never knew. As a child, Frieda suffered years of abuse from her stepfather, which has made her bitter and determined to find her birth mother, to make her suffer as she has. She puts together a plan of vengeance that will ultimately change their lives forever. This book is one that stays with you long after you put it down. Gwynne Forster has written a story that will make you think and touch your heart. I give this book 3 stars!
Reviewed by Shay C
PeoplewholoveGoodBooks

I was very dissapointed when I read this book. The writing is very disjointed and the characters not developed -just plain stale. Their actions make little sense, and, frankly, I didn't care what they did. This book tackles such a serious subject and I find it hard to believe that such a story could be told without the reader becoming engrossed. Wish I had a better report......

I bought this book thinking it would be a useful tool when creating shoes for stage productions. I didn't really think the end result would be "good enough" for everyday wear. But I was wrong.

This book is really pretty amazing. I would have thought a host of expensive and hard-to-find tools and materials would have been necessary to create "real" shoes, but that's not necessarily true, as laid out in this book. Sure, if you want leather shoes (as opposed to fabric), it will cost a little, but you can make one of the more simple designs in this book and not have to invest a lot of dough. The author even suggests taking the finished upper portion of your shoe to a shoe repair shop to have soles put on it...Sound wonderful to me, although I haven't tried to find a shop locally to see if that's really do-able.

At any rate, if you want to make serious shoes, this book is definitely for you. And if you just want costume shoes, you can take the basic principles found in this book and do that, too.

I came across this book quite by accident, and what a happy accident it was! I haven't yet made any of the shoe projects in the book, but I have read through everything, and do feel that I will be able to achieve some good results with Sharon Raymond's instructions.

The tidbits of shoe trivia scattered throughout the book are truly delightful!

Go ahead - just TRY to find a book on hand-crafting sandals and shoes on a small scale that wasn't written before 1973. This is the first updated book I have found on the subject.

The book lays out in logical order the basics of leather, working with it, construction techniques and variety of projects that use those techniques in modular fashion.

The book is easy to follow, the project instructions are not cluttered with commentary, and are concise. This book is excellent for a beginner who has had no experience in making shoes and sandals at home, and does not assume a great knowledge in any one craft. Instructions as to what tools are needed, how to buy leather and findings, and finishing are all included. Willingness to try something new and a little time is all that is needed on your part. (plus a trip to the craft and leather stores!)

The kind of shoes and sandals presented in this book are suitable for most casual wear. The style of construction used doesn't lend itself well to what most people would consider business-like or formal shoes. They will be sturdy and if you construct them well, I see no reason why they wouldn't last as long as any commercially available shoe.

Although it is not stated in the book - all the projects are clearly designed for women. But the book shows you the basics of creating your own patterns. After all - feet are feet - no matter who they are on, so with a little creativity you can design your own patterns (and choose materials) that would compliment a man's outfit, with the instructions in this book.

One minor disapointment, the book does not have a project for strap sandals. However the author has a thoughtful website and sells several additional patterns (to be used with the techniques in this book) for sale at very minimal cost.

The author also includes some colorful trivia and history on shoes, througout the book.

This book contains some very pretty pictures and cute useless information but when it come to actually using it the instructions that are provided on how to create a basic pattern and size the shoes you are making are almost impossible to follow! The instructions sometimes even refer you to further instructions ("see page 116" for example) that are not actually there! The book is well presented so it looks like everything should be in order but when you actually really try to put it into practice as I have tried to do (for two days of my holidays!) it just doesn't add up. I have read some other reviews that actually commend the book; the only explainations that I can think of for this is that: 1. the reviewers haven't actually tried following the instructions to make shoes, 2. they are relatives of the author and are trying to promote the book, 3. they have a completely different copy to the one I have.

From the book you learn to make simple flat to low-heeled shoes. Each shoe comes with a pattern and exact description how to enlarge it for your shoe size. The instructions are basic and not always easy to understand, but the book is a good primer. The book is out-of-print but available for $25 directly from the author over the Internet simpleshoemaking.com. The book is black and white, with color photographs on the cover and worth its price. It is in no way worth the ridiculous price asked by second-hand dealers.
I also recommend "Make Your Own Shoes" by Mary Wales Loomis, which shows how to make higher-heel elegant ladies' shoes from fabric on your sewing machine. And "Handmade Shoes for Men" by Laszlo Vass, which shows shoemaking in great color photographs, but has no patterns.

Great technical background on the family issues, but after reading i felt as if i had sat through an Adidas marketing presentation. So much of the competitive side (Nike/Reebok) and the financial collapse was glossed over as no big deal. Nike ate their lunch by being a better company, and despite all the immoral and illegal acts by the founding family they couldn't hold on.

The book was ok but I felt that it read like an camouflaged advertisement for Adidas. The author was clearly one-sided. It also seemed to go into irrelevant details and was boring at times.

Most fascinating account of a family and the business that they started in a small community that reached such great heights. Especially interesting to me, because of a few day's visit to the German town of Herzogenaurach and nearby Army Base in Bavaria, several years ago.

the book was in great condition and I am enjoying reading it! Thank you so much!

Between the pages of this book lie the family saga of two brothers who ended up being torn apart due to war, personality and family. There is not really a happy ending although there is reconciliation among the posterity. Developing a better shoe and running a company are not necessarily the same thing as the players find out in this biography of two major shoe giant companies: Adidas and Puma. Although the book was good, it felt tedious and drawn out in place. I'm sure the author was trying to make sure that all the major players were included but maybe some of them should have been left out in the editing process. This was an interesting read into the world of sports and the attire accompanying the players and teams. Look for everyone from the soccer great Pele' to David Beckham and Joe Montana. I did appreciate the thoroughness that the author devoted to this work.

A comprehensive and interesting read. Many images are very familiar and have appeared in other shoe texts (eg Salvatore Ferragamo's). Snippets of information about current designers are topical and interesting. More information on the links between shoes design and haute couture would also have been useful. I'm not sure why Amazon have put categorised this in "Business and Investing" - it should be in Art or Art and Fashion.

If you want to know the history of shoes, then this is he book one should read. However, it is not as informative as I expected. This book will become dated soon as there are not much information on the future of the shoe industry. It would be more informative if the author also includes history of shoes from other parts of the world like the Asian region.

Great book, but slowly becoming out of date. Great pictures. Divided into sections which include stillettos and loafers. The more "modern" shoes featured are definitely more interesting. Good review of the shoes of last century, not much insight into future design although the last two pages are dedicated to this topic.

Although many of the images are familiar to footwear 'sweeties' this book offers the shoe novice a great insight into 20th century footwear design. It is easy to follow and a welcome piece of coffee table literature. Every home should have one. And I look forward to future publications in this design series. Well done!