Marken had professionals from each of the specific fields contribute information, and his no-nonsense approach includes technical illustrations when necessary.
Don't expect to read this book for pleasure; it is purely for reference. So good a reference source, in fact, that I expect I'll use it frequently.
And, hey, even its lack of page-turning narrative style might be a plus — keep it on hand for those nights when you tire of counting sheep. (For that matter, Marken even covers insomnia as problem No. 8 in his lengthy list.)
• "Mom, the Toilet's Clogged! Kid Disasters and How to Fix Them," by Lauri Berkenkamp, ($11.95, Nomad Press) is based on delightful parental challenges such as: coffee bean stuck in a nose, crayon in the dryer, Spider-Man in the toilet, food explosion in the microwave and many other standard domestic catastrophes.
The book is peppered with cartoonish illustrations, clean-up equipment lists and sidebars. Despite all the window dressing, Berkenkamp breaks no new ground. Her suggestions generally reach no further than the common sense that every parent possesses.
Unfortunately, where greater detail is needed (pulling a toilet up off the floor, replacing a window or patching a wall) the reader is left with incomplete, dumbed-down and potentially damaging information.
A poor table of contents and no index makes it difficult to use as a reference. This book should be considered only for its entertainment value and not relied upon as a reservoir of information or a source of innovative cleaning techniques.
• "Dare to Repair: A Do-It-Herself Guide to Fixing (Almost) Anything in the Home," by Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet, (HarperResource, $14.95).
A home-repair book written by CIA wives is an odd premise, but they pull it off with aplomb.
Combining the flair of Berkenkamp's kid disasters with factual substance rivaling Marken's, this book aimed at women provides plenty of encouragement and great advice along the way. Refreshingly, the authors do not puff-up or talk down to the female audience, which some targeted writing does.
While I certainly am not the target audience, I found the book entertaining and useful at the same time — and garnered some new toilet-plunging techniques (always appreciated).
Alas, there were a few factual errors that I couldn't overlook — tips on furnaces had incorrect information on pilot lights and how blower fans work; ceiling-fan blade rotations were drawn wrong and described incorrectly.
In the inevitable later editions, these kinks will probably be worked out, and ultimately they do not detract greatly from the value or usefulness of the book.
• "Handy at Home: Tips on Improving Your Home from America's Favorite Handyman," by Richard Karn and George Mair, (St. Martin's Press, $14.95).
A beaming Richard Karn is shown on the cover of his book, wearing a tool belt, holding a cordless drill. Seattle born and bred, Karn played Al Borland on the TV show "Home Improvement" alongside Tim Allen.
Expecting a cornucopia of advice from "America's favorite handyman," I dug in with relish. What I got was not relish, but vinegar.
Vinegar, white vinegar, baking soda, salt, water, hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice. Page after page of seemingly random home remedies and cleaning solutions, all utilizing the same ingredients.
Admittedly some of the solutions were original and useful, but suggestions like soaking paintbrushes in hot vinegar is taking it too far.
The book is written in the first person from Karn's perspective, and having co-author George Mair aboard didn't prevent such goofy ideas (and some misspellings) from creeping in.
When he isn't name-dropping, Karn rambles in his folksy prose about buying cars, decorating (with empty vinegar bottles?), entertaining, cooking, cleaning, pets and women's health care.
When he does get to the point, such as the single chapter on remodeling, his information is notably incomplete.
Karn (a spokesman for the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation) gives this completely disingenuous and just plain bad advice.
"You should not use electric appliances such as hair dryers, curlers or radios in the bathroom. If you have an electric radio going while you bathe and listen to the news, you could end up on the news." No mention of electrical grounding, bonding or required GFCI safety devices. But presumably battery-operated radios would be fine...
OK, so I guess the moral here is that while an actor can be president, I'm not so sure one can write a home-improvement book.
Darrell Hay's "Ask the Expert" column appears elsewhere in this section each Sunday. |
