Simple Home Solutions : Good Things with Martha Stewart Living

Rating:
Summary: Great, useful, and not at all cheesy.
Review: A great book with very practical and inexpensive ideas for all kinds of homekeeping. I am not as type-A as Martha, but you've got to hand it to her - her books are useful, inspiring and usually quite practical (unless it's a craft project - I mean, PLEASE, like I am going to make my own acorn placesetting things). I only rate it 4 stars because I wish there had been more ideas in the book - her books tend to leave you wanting more ideas since what is presented is usually quite good.

One reviewer says this will be a repeat of things you've seen in the magazine. Probably good advice to avoid the book if you already get the magazine. I don't suscribe to Living, so this was actually a nice surprise. As always, smart design, nice pictures and great & very do-able ideas. I flipped through it in a bookstore and now I am getting it for a better price at Amazon.com.

Rating:
Summary: Simple Home Solutions : Good Things with Martha Stewart Livi
Review: The book delivers what its title promises to deliver: great advice for one's household, wrapped in a wonderful package - the look of the book is, as always with Martha Stewart books, exquisite and right on the money. The only question you should ask yourself before deciding to buy this book is whether you wish to pay for something that is esentially a picture-book with advice that can be found on martha stewart's web page, or that you are already aware of. For me the answer is yes - the book is inspirational for anyone with a sense of aesthetic and the desire to make their home a more beautiful place to live in. The advice is useful indeed and all in one place.

Rating:
Summary: An average offering
Review: This book will be a disappointment to subscribers of Martha Stewart Living because many of the ideas contained in the book have been previously published in the magazine. It's essentially a collection of Martha's "Good Things" for keeping things in the house organized, quick cooking tips, nifty ways of peeling vegetables, mixing drinks, making place settings, etc. While I did not really find the book that interesting, because I had seen the ideas before in her magazine, the ideas themselves are excellent, easy and have a 'why-didn't-I-think-of-that' element to them. It would make a perfect housewarming gift for a young person moving into their first apartment or home.