The Tinsmith's Helper and Pattern Book: With Useful Rules, Diagrams and Tables

Book Description

This is a reprint of the 1910 revised edition of the classic handbook, first published in 1879. It contains 53 diagrams and patterns covering a wide variety of products and layouts, each fully explained. There is also an extensive appendix that gives tables, rules, and practical recipes that continue to be of great interest to contemporary tinsmiths. A clear, concise and practical handbook that will prove most valuable to anyone engaged in, or with an interest in, tinsmithing. 120 pages. 6" x 9". Soft cover.

THE TINSMITH'S HELPER AND PATTERN BOOK: WITH USEFUL RULES, DIAGRAMS AND TABLES.

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THE TINSMITH'S HELPER AND PATTERN BOOK: WITH USEFUL RULES, DIAGRAMS AND TABLES.
H. K. Vosburgh
Manufacturer: Astragal Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7KQYA

The tinsmith's helper, and pattern book: With useful rules, diagrams & tables, used by the fraternity

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The tinsmith's helper, and pattern book: With useful rules, diagrams & tables, used by the fraternity
H. K Vosburgh
Manufacturer: Union Printing Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00089H8V2

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Weird and Wonderful

Agitate, Isolate & Be Ridiculous... Oh, and AGITATE

Routine right and wrong

Productive New Concepts

Not so weird ideas for innovation labeled weirdly

Weird Ideas That Work: 11 1/2 Practices for Promoting, Managing, and Sustaining Innovation
Robert I. Sutton
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't

The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action

Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America's Leading Design Firm

ASIN: 0743212126
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Book Description

Stanford professor Robert Sutton is an authority on innovation and a popular speaker. In Weird Ideas That Work he draws on extensive research in behavioral psychology to explain how innovation can be fostered in hiring, managing, and motivating people; building teams; making decisions; and interacting with outsiders. Business practices like "hire people who make you uncomfortable," "reward success and failure, but punish inaction," and "decide to do something that will probably fail, and then convince yourself and everyone else that success is certain" strike many managers as strange or even downright wrong. Yet Weird Ideas That Work shows how some of the best teams and companies use these and other counterintuitive practices to crank out new ideas, and it demonstrates that every company can reap sales and profits from such creativity.

Weird Ideas That Work is filled with examples of each of Sutton's 11 1/2 practices, drawn from hi- and low-tech industries, manufacturing and services, information and products. More than just a set of bizarre suggestions, it represents a breakthrough in management thinking: Sutton shows that the practices we need to sustain performance are in constant tension with those that foster new ideas. The trick is to choose the right balance between conventional and "weird" -- and now, thanks to Robert Sutton's work, we have the tools we need to do so.

Download Description

Creativity, new ideas, innovation -- in any age they are keys to success, but in today's whirlwind economy they are essential for survival itself. Yet, as Robert Sutton explains, the standard rules of business behavior and management are precisely the opposite of what it takes to build an innovative company. We are told to hire people who will fit in; to train them extensively; and to work to instill a corporate culture in every employee. In fact, in order to foster creativity, we should hire misfits, goad them to fight, and pay them to defy convention and undermine the prevailing culture. Weird Ideas That Work codifies these and other proven counterintuitive ideas to help you turn your workplace from staid and safe to wild and woolly -- and creative. Stanford professor Robert Sutton is an authority on innovation and a popular speaker. In Weird Ideas That Work he draws on extensive research in behavioral psychology to explain how innovation can be fostered in hiring, managing, and motivating people; building teams; making decisions; and interacting with outsiders. Business practices like "hire people who make you uncomfortable," "reward success and failure, but punish inaction," and "decide to do something that will probably fail, and then convince yourself and everyone else that success is certain" strike many managers as strange or even downright wrong. Yet Weird Ideas That Work shows how some of the best teams and companies use these and other counterintuitive practices to crank out new ideas, and it demonstrates that every company can reap sales and profits from such creativity. Weird Ideas That Work is filled with examples of each of Sutton's 11 1/2 practices, drawn from hi- and low-tech industries, manufacturing and services, information and products.

Customer Reviews:

Weird and Wonderful.......2007-07-20

"Weird Ideas That Work" works! This is one of the most compelling books I've read in a long time. Sutton manages not only to come up with ideas that seem weird at first glance, but to actually prove them useful and logical at the same time.

The author instructs readers on how to build a creative company by using his 11½ weird ideas, which range from hiring people who make you uncomfortable to deciding to do something that will probably fail. The list looks hilarious until you read the sense that he makes. Of course, Sutton points out that there are different kinds of companies - some aim for innovation and some for efficiency. (He makes it clear that the weird ideas are not for those who require precision -- like airline pilots, for example!)

This book explains how to shatter old habits by giving advice on enhancing variation, seeing old things in new ways ("vu-ja-de"), and breaking away from stifling routines. Sutton also points out that one should not go hog wild - there is a balance between productivity and creativity which everyone must find for themselves.

"Weird Ideas" offers great wisdom mixed with humor and pure entertainment. If you're a rebel, a brat, or just plain anyone who wants to try completely new management techniques, then you'll love this book. So whip the tablecloth right out from under that crippled, jaded system you've got going and try at least a few of these wild weird ideas.

Agitate, Isolate & Be Ridiculous... Oh, and AGITATE.......2006-12-01

I was a big fan of Sutton's Knowing-Doing gap that offered a real solution to a real problem. This book had an unreal feel to it for me though.

He offers 12 practices for fostering innovation. The first four of these have to do with Human Resources. Hire slow learners. Hire people that make you feel uncomfortable. Hire people you probably don't need. Now forgive me if I am wrong, but as imperfect as Human Resources is anyway, don't we already do some of that? Also recommended is to interview job applicants to get new ideas. What about the people?

The next two have to do with office manners. Encourage people to ignore and defy superiors. Isn't ignore a little strong? Find some happy people and get them to fight. No comment.

The next is to reward success and failure, but punish inaction. OK, we already fire non-producers, but is it really so that success and failure deserve the same billing?

The next two are on the edge of silliness. Decide to do something that will probably fail and be 100% certain of its success. Think of some ridiculous or impractical things to do.

The next is avoid, distract and bore customers and critics.

Then, don't try to learn anything from people who say they have solved the problems you face.

Finally, forget the past success of the company.

This book says some pretty wild things that will get you thinking. Although these counterintuitive ideas are offered as 'proven', you won't find the proof in this book. By the normal lottery of hiring, you will certainly get a mix of the above. There are many better books on the philosophy and practical application of innovation available.

Sorry to disappoint some with this review, but don't let this stop you from reading Sutton's Knowing-Doing Gap which I found excellent and have also reviewed it here on Amazon.

3 Stars

Routine right and wrong.......2006-10-24

All activities need both effective routine and regular innovation. Consider the difference. There are times when it makes sense to do the same thing right, over and over again, without slipping. But there are also times, and types of activities, where doing something in a very new and different way is essential. The real-life examples in this book support these 11½ methods for finding new ways of doing things, and producing new kinds of products and services. Worthwhile reading for anyone who wants to inject a little spice into the routine of software development and delivery.

Productive New Concepts.......2005-11-23

This is a wonderful but dangerous book. The 11 and 1/2 weird ideas it contains are terrific, exciting and slippery. Use them right and you could transform your company into a hotbed of innovation. Use them wrong and you could also transform your company into a disorganized mess. Author Robert I. Sutton clearly explains that some situations do not require innovation - that they are, in fact, terrible settings for new things. Companies focus on the routine for an extremely logical reason: it makes money now. Identifying situations that can make money with routine work versus circumstances that require change is a tough distinction, particularly since innovation requires many failures, disrupts your culture and forces you to take a rough look into the future. We thus recommend this book to a select group: those who know their fields and organizations extremely well. If you can see clearly through both the current jargon that promotes innovation and your organization's often unspoken prejudices, you will find this book exciting and extremely productive.

Not so weird ideas for innovation labeled weirdly.......2005-11-16

This book is a useful and fun read. It offers some solid ideas for innovation but the ideas are labeled in order to draw attention. For instance, the first idea is, "Hire "slow learners"", however the intention behind this is just hire stubborn people who are unaffected by others opinions and norms. These people will go against the standards and breed creativity. Another idea is "Find some happy people and make them fight" with the basic idea behind this technique being get optimistic people, who are naturally more creative. Put them in a room together and let them bounce ideas together until a new and improved idea is created.

Another thing to be prepared for with this book is that the ideas all go against commonly accepted business practices. That is because the ideas are admittedly not for present success but calculated and proven risks for future innovation. So anyone interested in changing their business and preparing to get an edge on competitors in the future will benefit from this book.

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Idea 2: Innovations
Pbc International
Manufacturer: Pbc Intl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0866363831

Ideas, inventions, and innovations (SuDoc SBA 1.2:P 94/9/IDEAS/992)

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Ideas, inventions, and innovations (SuDoc SBA 1.2:P 94/9/IDEAS/992)
Gerald G. Udell
Manufacturer: U.S. Small Business Administration
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010DDS0

13 ideas from a 1 1/2 acre homestead.: An article from: Countryside & Small Stock Journal

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13 ideas from a 1 1/2 acre homestead.: An article from: Countryside & Small Stock Journal
Dwayne Derrick
Manufacturer: Countryside Publications Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00092VVVG
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Countryside & Small Stock Journal, published by Countryside Publications Ltd. on November 1, 1994. The length of the article is 1523 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: A homesteader describes how he and his wife established a working farm in just one year on 1.5 acres of land. He used recycled materials extensively in constructing poultry housing, rabbit cages, a dog house, goat pens and fencing.

Citation Details
Title: 13 ideas from a 1 1/2 acre homestead.
Author: Dwayne Derrick
Publication: Countryside & Small Stock Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 1994
Publisher: Countryside Publications Ltd.
Volume: v78 Issue: n6 Page: p50(5)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

GE Plastics unwraps idea house. (Plastics News Supplement, part 2): An article from: Plastics Engineering

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GE Plastics unwraps idea house. (Plastics News Supplement, part 2): An article from: Plastics Engineering
Victor Wigotsky
Manufacturer: Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Plastics Engineering, published by Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. on December 1, 1989. The length of the article is 506 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: GE Plastics unwraps idea house. (Plastics News Supplement, part 2)
Author: Victor Wigotsky
Publication: Plastics Engineering (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1989
Publisher: Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc.
Volume: v45 Issue: n12 Page: p10(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Advanced Technology Program a guide for program ideas (SuDoc C 13.6/2:97011945)

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Advanced Technology Program a guide for program ideas (SuDoc C 13.6/2:97011945)
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Manufacturer: The Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010STZW

Ideas into dollars (SuDoc SBA 1.32/2:PI-1)

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Ideas into dollars (SuDoc SBA 1.32/2:PI-1)
Gerald G. Udell
Manufacturer: Office of Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000103DC6

Ideas, inventions, innovations (SuDoc SBA 1.2:P 94/9/ideas)

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Ideas, inventions, innovations (SuDoc SBA 1.2:P 94/9/ideas)
Gerald G. Udell
Manufacturer: U.S. Small Business Administration
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010AHIY

Innovations and Inventions: Ideas for Improving Nursing Service and Nursing Education : Proceedings of the Spring Conference, April 1-2, 1982, Milwau

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Innovations and Inventions: Ideas for Improving Nursing Service and Nursing Education : Proceedings of the Spring Conference, April 1-2, 1982, Milwau
Midwest Alliance in Nursing , Barbara B. Minckley , and Mary Dale Walters
Manufacturer: Midwest Alliance in Nursing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Innovations at the cutting edge : new ideas in manufactured housing (SuDoc HH 1.2:IN 6/3)

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Innovations at the cutting edge : new ideas in manufactured housing (SuDoc HH 1.2:IN 6/3)

Manufacturer: Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000110RYC

Book Description

The wildly popular American manga web comic hits its landmark third volume! Piro and Largo are still stuck in Japan, and this odd couple of an anime/manga-obsessed fanboy and a hard-core gamer, are both stirring up trouble, and stringing together awkward crushes. It's a true fantasy existence, as the insane and destructive Largo fights "zombie hordes" and Piro pursues the heart of a budding voice actress. All the while, an expanding cast of surprising and delightful characters keeps the chaos moving and the charm flowing.

Customer Reviews:

Must have for the megatokyo fan.......2007-02-20

If you are a Megatokyo fan, then you've already read everything in here online, so support Fred and buy it in print. If you are new to Megatokyo, then I'd suggest buying this along with all of the other volumes as well. Besides, you won't understand the story if you don't start at the beginning.

Pages 30-60 are screwed up........2007-01-18

I don't know if it was a printer error or something but the pages from 30-60 are misprinted. Off the top of my head, page 30-something immediately goes to 60-something and continues for a good thirty-forty pages. Only until page 60 (the actual page) does the story progress normally.

I love it.......2005-12-19

I've been reading Megatokyo online since it first came out. Yes, I agree with some of the other reviews on here that it did indeed change when Rodney left and Fred started focusing a little more on Piro and his endless angst, but in my opinion, that wasn't a bad thing. The first book was light hearted and a parody, and it was really quite funny. Megatokyo still is funny, it's just not that constant laughing after every comic. Does there have to be a punchline every time? What's wrong with a little story progression?

I disagree when it comes to the characters being static. The development is somewhat slow, yes, but it's there. So much happens all at once that it gets a little lost in the background. C'mon, when ten comics cover the space of only a few hours, you can't expect a ton of character development. But it is there, especially if you look at the characters when MT first started out, and now where they're at. Big difference. Even Largo has gained a bit of sobriety.

All in all, I love Megatokyo, and I will continue to love it unless Fred does something horrible to it, which I highly doubt will happen. I recemmend this to gamers, geeks, otaku, and anyone interested in reading something amusing.

Nice.......2005-10-24

Third part of Megatokyo comic books, and I really like it. Even though it is free to read online, it is good enough that I decided to buy it and support the artist.

I recommend it to anyone.

Manga fun that isn't quite manga! Zounds! .......2005-09-04

Beginning its life on the internet as a web comic by Frank Gallagher and Rodney Caston, Megatokyo quickly became a hit amongst its audience as a comic that adopted much of the Japanese manga elements of story telling while maintaining its roots of video gaming goodness. Perhaps what set it so far apart from the many other web comics that share equal levels of popularity (Ctrl Alt Del, Penny Arcade, VG Cats etc.) was while many strived to only produce laughs within the restraints of the half dozen or so panels, Megatokyo's primary object seemed to tell a story, often leaving readers without a punch line at the end of a strip. And tell a story it does, a story rife with ninjas, giant robots, demons, zombies, guns, manga, otakus and more video game/anime oriented humor than you can shake a stick at. Leave all doubts aside humorists and manga enthusiasts! Megatokyo might not be written or drawn by a Japanese mangaka, but there's no reason why it can't share its level of success!

Megatokyo's story follows the lives of Piro and Largo. The former is a moping college graduate student with an obsession for video games, anime, and dating simulations, but lacks confidence and any real direction in life. Piro's friend, Largo, is a beer fueled college drop out who speaks in l337 and possesses a eccentric perspective of reality that can only be described as borderline insanity. After a failed attempt to break into E3, Piro manages to convince his completely blitzed friend to take a pilgrimage to the holy land of anime and video games -Tokyo, Japan. The only problem is, upon arriving, they quickly run out of money and find themselves stranded. That's when the craziness truly begins.

The characters introduced throughout the course of the storyline always seem original, and while not all develop at an equal rate, I had trouble finding any real flaw in the story's cast. From the Shinji-esque Piro, to the haunted voice actress Hayasaka, to the psychopathic twins of gun wielding destruction, Dom and Ed, to the ninja, Junpei, Megatokyo entertains a host of varied and wonderfully colorful characters that keep the story interesting and fresh.

The drawing is styled similar to Japanese manga. It's not overly detailed but there's something oddly cute and humorous about it that works surprisingly well. The drawings are seldom serious, but then again, neither is the story though it does have its moments. While Fred does not ink his drawings like many artists choose, I never felt like it detracted anything from the reading experience. Admittedly, in the first half of book one they look a little bland, but the level of artwork quickly jumps up to its current state where I can file no real complaints.

All in all, Megatokyo is a terrific read for anyone looking for laughs. If you're a gamer or an anime otaku like I am, you'll probably feel yourself relating to the characters. The only real flaw I felt in the comic so far was that about halfway through the comic (around strip two hundred or so) the story departs from its more light-hearted video game based humor and focuses more on story and character development. It's a mixed bag. I enjoy the story, but I miss the video game/anime based humor which started off as a cornerstone for the comic. Ah well.

Those trivial complaints aside, my parting words to describe this progressively developing comic (strip 755 to date! The three books available on Amazon only go up to 515, but a fourth is expected sometime in January) are: r0x0rz j00r b0x0rz. Enjoy!

JA_Japster's Final Score: 9/10

Book Description

Shy high school student Riko Izawa aches for a boyfriend but guys just won't look her way. Then one day she signs up for a three-day trial of a mysterious "lover figurine," and the next thing she knows, a cute naked guy is delivered to her doorstep--and he wants to be her boyfriend!

Has Riko died and gone to heaven? The cute naked guy turns out to be smart, super nice, stylish and a gourmet chef. Plus, he looks like a million bucks.... Trouble is, that's about what he's going to cost Riko because she didn't return him in time!

Customer Reviews:

A good manga spoiled by the ending.......2007-09-16

This manga began as a cute, fluffy tale with spots of humor now and then and a truly endearing character in Night, the robot who falls in love...but then I read the ending online. BEWARE! It'll break your heart, and not in a good way. Don't get sucked in, don't waste your money. Yuu Watase blew it with this one.

Wonderful manga.......2007-09-12

This is one of my all time favorite mangas. It's a comedy/romance, but it still keeps you on your toes. It's an adorable love story but at times it's very funny. Yuu Watase is an extremely witty and talented artist, and I'd recommend this series to anyone (over the age of 16, further along in the series there's nudity and some mature themes).

Absolute boyfriend is absolutely cliché.......2007-08-22

I must admit that the idea for the story is somewhat original but the characters are really boring and the story is very predictable. Good thing that the art is so amazingly beautiful and some parts of the manga are very funny(only reason why I'll keep buying this)...It's the characters that I don' like ( the main girl who's a cry baby, the neighbor who's secretly in love with her, and the jealous "best friend"...) I like the android boy though(wish i could find a boyfriend like him^^...impossible I know) I seen those kinds of characters on different stories from this wonderful mangaka..maybe she run out of ideas or something but as I said before, I'll keep buying this manga because of its art.

I can't get enough!.......2007-06-04

This is one of my favorite new (to the us) manga series! I don't like to write spoilers, but what I will say is if you like romantic comedy this is an awesome series! I didn't expect the hilarity along with all the romanticism and it all works very well together thanks to Yuu Watase's great story telling. I haven't been this addicted to a series since Chobits. I have read all the current issues (Vol 1-3) and all in one sitting (it's that good!) I can't believe I have to wait until August for the next volume. Oh well. It will be worth it! Do I recommend this series? ABSOLUTELY! P.S. I do feel that children under 14 should not read this series. It has some more mature content (not hentai or porn like) but still mature.

Predictable...But It Works.......2007-02-10

"Absolute Boyfriend" is a romantic comedy from Yuu Watase, famous for defining the "pretty boy girls comic" with her hit series "Fushigi Yugi." Ah, but don't expect another epic romantic fantasy with "Absolute Boyfriend," as this comic was created to be a marketing CLAMP-style series, where the whole point of the series is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. You can tell this series is full of marketing gimmicks just by the fact that the cover features not only the secondary male character (instead of the main female protagonist), but also by the fact that the secondary character is naked on the cover. Oh, and the naked man is very pretty. Yep, this is a mass-marketing series. It doesn't help the story when people can pick out the marketing scheme before they even open the book. Eh, but sometimes people will buy the book just because the cover promises what they expect to find in their entertainment. Since I've read the series, let me point out a few basic facts about the story that you most likely already know by looking at the cover. First of all, everyone in this series is attractive but say they are ugly. This is known as the "Dawson's Creek syndrom," where people who look like they are supermodels spend a good deal of time whining about how they will never get a boyfriend/girlfriend, have no social skills, and (most hilariously) think they will never get laid.

There's no reason for these people to think this way, but we accept this method of thinking because the author buys into it, so heck, we might as well too. Then there is a love triangle between the female protagonist, nerdy lifelong male friend with glasses (who also looks pretty), and, the most amazing twist in manga history, has a naive male robot who spends most of his time naked and falls in love with our protagonist. In this case the protagonist is Riiko Izawa, who signs up for a free trial lover robot named Nightly Lover (but for the sake of our sanity, will simply be called Night from this point on). Riiko signs up to have this lover robot delivered to her because she has been rejected multiple times by various men, and feels that she will never have a boyfriend. Again, this is despite the fact that she looks drop dead gorgeous. Anyway, the robot is delivered to her house naked, awaked by a kiss from Riiko, and claims himself to be her boyfriend. Night knows nothing of the real world though, and simple things like attempting to make money and cook food turn into huge disasters that could only happen in a comic book. Now, here's the funny thing about this whole robot subplot you need to realize: Night is not the monkey wrench in the story. No sir. Many people may consider that the robot has to be the thing to throw the protagonists perfectly normal life into turmoil, but I don't think this is true.

After all, the story practically revolves around the robot in the first place. The story is specifically about a girl who orders a robot because she feels she can't get a date, and her life was pretty much wacked in the first place. Therefore, the robot CAN'T be the monkey wrench, because it was planned to be included all along. Even when Night's manufacturer comes into the story and lets Riiko know that she now has to pay for the robot, the robot doesn't feel like a monkey wrench. She likes the robot, the robot is programmed to like her, so everything is as it should be. The monkey wrench actually comes up when Riiko's childhood friend, Soshi, admits to Riiko that he has feelings for her. When Soshi admits to Riiko that he has feelings for her, they just stare at each other for a few panels, and the emotions on their face remind use why stories like this remain popular throughout the various incarnations. From reading a synopsis of the story, you can only imagine what sort of familiar water will be treaded in "Absolute Boyfriend." Yes, familiar water is treaded, and there are more then a few instances where we see a couple of predictable twists coming chapters away, but as long as the characters are likable, and as long as the characters don't act like complete morons, there is something timeless about this set-up.

Like love ballads on the radio, predictability comes with the territory. What matters is if you want to sing along with the lyrics. In the case of "Absolute Boyfriend," we find ourselves interested in the characters enough to continue the journey. Will the story drag itself into the double digit volumes? Most likely, it almost always does. Will there be misunderstandings? Oh yeah, count on it. Will the girl have to chose between one of the men? Is this even a fair question? Yes, "Absolute Boyfriend" is all these things and more. It's predictable, things happen in this series that happen in ALL romance series, and in no way will this series change your life as you know it. But I can always admire a series that can do everything the way I expect it to do and find a way to not bore me. This is a series that will result in a group of girls reading it in a group, swooning over the pretty boys and melodrama, and moving onto the next series and do the same thing. In this sense, "Absolute Boyfriend" may not seem like a winning title because it doesn't challenge the reader to think more, and it does more pandering then anything. However, pandering isn't bad when it's done with taste, and I believe that "Absolute Boyfriend" has enough taste to make it worth checking out. All I ask is that if all these lover toys ship naked, how do people window-shop for one? Just a thought.

Rating: *** and a half stars

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