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Hello, my name is Kelly and I welcome you to the Bookend Diaries book blog. I created this blog to share my own reviews of existing and new books, to discuss with other readers what we’re currently reading, update you on my book club picks, and of course, to ultimately support the work of the authors we all enjoy. I am addicted to reading and I thought this would be a great way to reach out to other readers who are as obsessed with books as I am.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Mailbox Monday



Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Purchased: Barnes and Noble


Knight of Angels by Abra Ebner
book courtesy: Crimson Oak Publishing


Matched by Ally Condie
book courtesy: the author


My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares
book courtesy: Penguin Group


The House On Fortune Street by Margot Livesey
book courtesy: the author


Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
book courtesy: Random House Publishing

Sunday, January 2, 2011

My Passion for Design by Barbra Streisand



*** Courtesy - Christmas Gift

Synopsis

A lavishly illustrated personal tour of the great star's homes and collections.

For nearly five decades Barbra Streisand has been one of the singular figures in American entertainment. From the cabaret to the Broadway stage, from television and film stardom to her acclaimed work as a director, from the recording studio to the concert hall, she has demonstrated that the extraordinary voice that launched her career was only one of her remarkable gifts.

Now, in her first book, Barbra Streisand reveals another aspect of her talent: the taste and style that have inspired her beautiful homes and collections. My Passion for Design focuses on the architecture and construction of her newest homes, the dream refuge that she has longed for since the days when she shared a small Brooklyn apartment with her mother, brother, and grandparents. A culmination and reflection of Streisand's love of American architecture and design between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, the book contains many of her own photographs of the rooms she has decorated, the furniture and art she has collected, and the ravishing gardens she has planted on her land on the California coast. In addition to glimpses of her homes, Barbra shares memories of her childhood, the development of her sense of style, and what collecting has come to mean to her. My Passion for Design is a rare and intimate private tour into the world of one of our most beloved stars. It will be welcomed by her many fans and all lovers of the great achievements of American design.

Barbra Streisand is the only artist ever to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globe, National Endowment for the Arts, and Peabody awards, as well as the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honors.

My Review Comments:

This was the best gift that I have received this past Christmas. I have always been a huge Barbra Streisand fan but, her passion in design is outstanding. I love to do interior design myself and I am always on the hunt for a unique piece of furniture or an art accent piece to compliment my home. She inspired me with her sense of all the small details and her quest for perfection in creating her house into a home. Just reading her words and looking at the beautiful images of her home and the design layouts is breath taking. I assure you that this book is worth every penny, and that you will never want to put it down. This is a book that you will want to keep out and proudly display in your home to share with everyone. I believe it will inspire anyone that reads it to want to go to new heights in their decorating and in the way they see how they live in the world around them. You will want to make everything in your home have a special meaning and significance. Plus, it will heighten your appreciation for everything indoors and outdoors. Lastly, it really makes you want to dig deep into the rich history of architecture and landscape and discover new ways to have it enrich your life.