Ford Reviews

I own a 1997 Ford Aspire and recently got this book. So far I have not used it much, though it has helped me with some simple procedures like changing the air filter. However, while flipping through parts of this manual I have found that it is definately useful to have a basic knowledge of automobile mechanics in order to correctly complete some of the procedures.

As a person who has learned most of what I know about working on cars by taking something apart on a lazy day, I don't have some of the experience that I think this book assumes the reader has. For example, the section on repacking the wheel bearings confused me within the first few steps. I definately recommend reading through an entire procedure and making sure you understand it all before getting started, to avoid getting into trouble.

The only gripe I have, which is fairly minor, is the ten-year coverage contained in the book, resulting in plenty of pictures with captions like "Typical engine compartment components".

All in all, I think this is a useful book to have, though extremely amateur mechanics like myself may get confused by the lack of very detailed step-by-step instructions.

Haynes offers the only currently available non-factory printed repair service manuals in existence for the Ford Festiva.A good reference manual to help someone maintain their own car. Many of the procedures are accompanied by pictures and given explanations that sometimes are more extensive than the factory Ford shop manuals. Think of the Haynes manual as a supplement to the factory manuals, not a replacement. Upon reading, it will be clear the information is geared to the "shadetree mechanic". The Haynes manual covers the North American Ford Festiva from 1988 to 1993 and the Ford Aspire from 1994-97. With such broadbased coverage, you can expect some information not included in this book. For example, step by step transaxle overhaul, you will not find in the Haynes manual. Typical of Haynes, some generalization also applies with respect to certain diagnosis symptoms, which may or may not be attributed to the Festiva/Aspire coverage. Also, there is lots of pictorial emphasis on the Aspire which Festiva owners might find frustrating. In fact, some info can be misleading if not care is taken to differentiate between the two cars. Still, this manual has too much valuable data to pass up. A definite must-have for the Festiva owner.

This book is a goldmine of information about the Ford Festiva. There are many simple fixes, tips and tricks which can save you hundreds if not thousands in repair shop costs by doing it on your own. It is well organized and contains enough information to keep your Festy running like a charm. If you own a Festiva, this book is the best investment in the vehicle you will ever make.

Donn Werling writes about little-known aspects of Ford's life, especially his home life, so for "Fordophiles" the book is interesting. But it assumes a lot of knowledge about Ford, and often does not explain rather obscure references. The writing is inconsistent, sometimes rambling. If you are looking for a basic history of Ford's life, this is not the book for you. If you are an enthusiast who wants to know more interesting factoids, and are willing to wade through to find them, then get this book.

Donn Werling's book presents a different view of Henry Ford. This book presumes a working knowledge of Henry Ford and all of what he was about. It is a "thinking man's" perspective approach. Mr. Werling is the director of the Henry Ford Estate and takes his approach to Henry Ford as not just a job, but as a truly interested person. It is well worth the investment of your money in buying the book and of your time in reading it.
Rich Jonas-Schererville, IN

Wirling masterfully writes of a historic man whose life affected each of ours. Utilizing one of Ford's favorite places, the hearth, Wirling spins this industrialist's story around song and story recreating history in a simple, yet profound way.

Ford is ever the energetic industrialist, yet his agriarian roots constantly play out. Wirling's style of writing this book fits so well this orientation of Mr. Ford. Delightful read which displays the many interests of this man who was so prominent in many disciplines besides the auto sector that so prominently bears his influence. Delightful work.

If you wish more energy in life you should read this book! Especially if you are lazy and do not want to do MORE but LESS in your life!
The book shows in an easy-reading and practical way how to slow down to get faster and how to get rid of home-made energy-thieves in your daily life.
Reading only made me feel more energetic and following up some of the ideas and exercises feels even better. Great gift for some of my friends...

I read most of this book whilst waiting for my car to be repaired - it was that gripping. It is easy to read and doesn't force its ideas on anyone not ready for them - but it does speak directly to those who aren't ready as well as those who are.

There are a number of really easy ways you can significantly improve the quality of your life, including first of all listening to the 'little voice' before it becomes a Problem. Suggestions are grouped - 'Clear the clutter', for instance (not ready for that one yet ....), and 'slow down to speed up'. Specific suggestions include having a 'mid-week weekend', spending less time with people who make you feel bad, and more with the others, and taking considered risks.

The book is well written, with a lot of thought-provoking passages designed to move you on gently if you aren't quite ready yet, but at the same time it avoids taking a hectoring tone or alienating you in any other way - a very useable book.

I am no great fan of phsychobabble and so approached this book with some scepticism. Psychobabble IT IS NOT. It one of the most practical and useful books on lifestyle management on the market today.It is of relevance across a broad spectrum.Short,easy to access,everyone can identify with some aspect of this book and draw both inspiration and validation for practical life management changes that indeed will give you more energy.Read a chapter a day on the tube and act on it.I thoroughly recommend it!

I purchased this thinking it would work for my 90 Bronco, but it is for older engines. Beware of this book it is outdated for newer engines.

I am in the process of returning it, and boy is that a hassel in it's self.

This is a great book for anyone wishing to rebuild any of the engines this book covers.I used it years ago when I built my first 460.It is easy to read and understand.I would also recommend "THE STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO ENGINE BLUEPRINTING" by Rick Voegelin.

Be aware: this book does not cover the 360/390 Ford Engines (so I'm troubled that your title heading states:"covers all makes & models")...

This book is written at a very easy-to-follow pace.

While the photography is great, it was limited to only a couple areas of Maine. I was hoping for more small town, quaint images. The only town featured was one that's not even on the map.

Stunning photographs and poetic/romantic writing. Makes me wish I had gone to Maine (during the summer of course!) while I was in college in New Jersey. This is a special book and it left me wanting more.

On the recommendation of a friend, my wife and I stumbled into a photo gallery in Deer Isle, Maine, last week during our vacation (we are from New York) to see the work of Terrell Lester, not even aware Knopf had recently published this book. We were, in short, completely blown away by his photos, all of which, and more, are collected in this remarkable book, along with four essays of varying interest. Lester's photos are like fine art, to be specific, like the best of the Hudson River School of painters back in the 1800s who created such vivid landscapes, saturated with reds and blues and yellow (and that's just in the sky). His photos of islands, mountains, rocks, lakes, surf, trees and spectacular blueberry fields blazing red in autumn are rich with emotion. They deserve to be, and in fact are, on museum walls. For the most part, they are reproduced well in "Maine: The Seasons," but in this case, you can't tell a book by its cover-- a wonderful (but rather too typical for a Maine book) photo of a father and a son heading off to work in their lobster boat. You won't be disappointed.

My kids loved this book. It's written by real kids who have gone through their parent's divorce and it opened a dialogue with my children that I would have never had if we hadn't read this book together.

I am a recently divorced mother of two young boys, ages 8 and 9. I could tell the divorce upset them, but I couldn't get them to talk about it--until we read this book together. It is written by kids and they talk about how they felt when their parents divorced. My boys could relate and it helped them start talking about their feelings. I recommend this book to any divorcing parent with kids between the ages of 8-12.

I was looking for a book to give to my nieces because my sister-in-law was getting a divorce and the kids were having a difficult time. This book was recommended by a therapist. The book did the trick--helped the kids talk about what was bothering them. I asked the kids why they liked the book and they said because it was written by kids like them. They thought it was great. That's the best testimonial out there.

This is a new book by one of the most important authors in the 20th century, but the above review is too slick to be trusted. Indeed, die-hard Lem fans will be thrilled by a new book and will no doubt enjoy seeing Ijon Tichy again. But this book, though magnificent on speculation and satire, will not be the one to explain to all the non-Lem fans why we Lem fans go bonkers over him. This book is for people with an acquired taste for Lem. If that's not you, don't despair. Try "The Cyberiad" or "Solaris" (his most famous book) or "Fiasco".

Ijon Tichy, our favorite clutzy hero, who has been subjected to "benignimizers," time machines, insane robots and who was responsible for creating the universe, stays a little closer to home in this mind boggling little masterpiece. Lem, although unknowingly, created a strangely prophetic story for Y2K worry worts. The idea of our quest to become more advanced, no matter how idiotic the advancements, leads to our undoing; or for the optimist, a new beginning. I'm intentially being cryptic, as not to ruin the story, but this book is definitly worth its weight in LEM.

Though not as ample in the sheer fun category as Lem's earlier outings with Ijon Tichy, this book reunites us with one of the author's most endearing protagonists in a physiological and top-secret caper. The split brain/ double Tichy dilemna somehow does not fall flat, and will make you wonder what your left hand is doing while you're busy on that mouse....

If the embers of enthusiasm in your church are dying and you do not know why, rhis book is a good place to start. It guides you through a rethinking process in neither a revolutionary nor evolutionary manner, but in one of common sense. More than a fine tuning guide, it just might open your eyes to how to better run your ministry. Being careful to please God first and not just turn the church into a market driven organization, Mr. White challenges the whining tirany of the "we have always done it this way" crowd.

Rethinking the Church by James Emery White is the book to read when it comes to understanding why your church is not growing. The primary strength of this book is that it asks the right questions - it leads the reader to ask the right questions about his or her church. The secondary strength of this book is that it does not prescribe one set answer, one model of doing church, as the only possible answer for the absence of growth in one's church growth.

Based on his experience of starting a church that reaches lost people, White delineates questions that need to be asked by every church. Even though the book was written in 1997, I found the questions to be accurate today. The questions White leads the reader to ask in the areas of Purpose/Vision, Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry, Worship, Leadership Structure, and Community seem to me to be timeless questions. The value of answering these questions honestly and applying the answers thoroughly cannot be overstated.

When reading this book, the discerning reader will understand the style of worship used in White's church. The beauty of it all is that White does not try to force the worship style of his church upon the reader's church. However, he does stress the importance of using a worship style that is relevant to the lost people in your community.

I would recommend this book to everyone in church leadership. It will help you to understand the context in which you minister, and, hopefully, how to minister better in that context.

Dr. James Emery White has written a special book for the church, church planters, and church strategists. White is no mere theorist, but a man of action. The principles espoused in this have been put into practice in the real world at Mecklenburg Community Church. In 7 years, he has moved from the dream of a seeker-targeted church to seeing over 3000 in attendance each weekend. Dr. White does not play around the fringes of easy believism, but challenges his members to go deep in their commitment and their faith. Having personally experienced a Mecklenburg Community Church worship service, I have been challenged to implement this philosophical foundation coupled with practical use of state of the art technologies to grow our church. With countless Mecklenburg members committed to going deep in their faith, James White has turned a vision into a reality and a book into a manual for church growth success.

For a T-Bird restoration enthusiast, this book is an amazing resource. The pictures are mostly in black and white. Color would've made it '5-stars'. Nontheless, without a shadow of doubt the book itself is truly a T-Bird lover's collector item. There is a great lot of detail on the A-40 (1954-1957) models. Since I'm doing a 1957, it truly works for me.

I have owned this book for about 16 or 17 years. It is a fine reference piece, but it should not be compared to current Thunderbird books. There are scores of close-up photographs that show the finer points of Thunderbirds, from the Volumatic Radio to the SwingAway Steering Wheel. The black and white photos do not in any way detract from the history or technological correctness of everything that is presented. If you need color photographs then look elsewhere. If you want well-researched data and wonderful close-ups, then this is the book for you. The book itself is a collector's item because of its period correctness and the fact that when it was published there was no other book that could come close to it in lavishness or completeness. I think that still holds true today.

This book has a lot of good information on 1955 thru 1966 Thunderbirds. Although not complete with respect to information on every aspect of a concours restoration, and hindered by mostly black and white photos of the details of each year, it is still an excellent resource for anyone restoring a 1966 or older Thunderbird. It is especially good for those interrested in the two seaters from 55 - 57. This is a good book for the Tbird owner as well as those who just plain love what is probably the most innovative and trend setting car of the post war era. A must have for any Thunderbird lover.

It can be kinda tough to find good guitar books for the intermediate/advanced player looking to go up a notch. This is definately a good book for that. This is not for beginners. From start to finish it's all a challenge. I've definately added some new licks and technique to my bag, especially in the string bending department. The cd is invaluable and it's great to play along with. I usually start off trying to play the solos note for note but end up wandering off doing my own thing. Another good feature is that the solos stay within one key and the scales/positions used are explained before the solo. So instead of just learning a solo, you also learn how to apply the licks in your overall playing.

The book includes a CD with demonstration solos. On each track the solo drops out and the background continues so the user can play lead. Really good background tracks in a variety of blues styles. Though the book includes complete tabs and notation, the solos are fairly advanced. Actually duplicating them is for reasonably experienced players, though others can pick up some of the licks.

I knew the solos would be over my head, but I bought it anyway. No problem, because when the solos drop out, there is plenty of time to play along with some excellent blues. The solos at the beginning start me off just right. I haven't really played in years, and after getting this book and CD today, now my playing fingers have blisters, and my thumb, too (I finally found a pick, thank God). BTW, I found this under a search for Robben Ford, but he does maybe three solos on the CD, but no matter, it's all good.
This is a great tool to play your own unique style along with the backup band. You really only need knowledge of the blues scales and a facility with bending notes. Hey, if any music book and/or CD gets you up off the couch and playing that thing, then it's good!!