Olympic ABC Directory

This book reveals the secrets of handbuilding shown in unique cutaway photography. Here are directions for many creative, fun-to-do pottery projects potters can follow to produce handsome finished objects without need of a potter's wheel. The author instructs in coil, slab, mold, and pinch techniques to produce pots, bowls, vases, tiles, and other decorative pieces. She also advises on acquiring basic tools, mixing and preparing clay, and using coloring agents. Newcomers to pottery crafting will especially appreciate her tips for making projects easier to accomplish, such as use of a hairdryer at regular intervals for drying out too-wet clay, and easy methods for keeping clay soft and pliable. Step-by-step color photos with detailed captions guide handcrafters through each project from start to finish. Many photos are of the cutaway type to show correct hand positions for controlling the clay, both inside and outside the form. Here's the book that takes the mystery out of handbuilding in clay, demonstrating each step in the pottery-making process. More than 400 color photos. By Jacqui Atkin. Paperback, 160 pages. Measures 8 1/2 in. x 11 in. Barron's 2004.

Guns are a fact of life for young people growing up in the United States. They are found in homes - for protection, sport, and hunting. Guns are also on the street - for defense and security, and in gang-related uses. Guns can cause accidents, and even deaths, while they can also nurture self-esteem and athletic abilities. The impact of guns on young people's lives is undebatable - and often dramatic. S. Beth Atkin's evocative photographs and candid interviews share the remarkable stories - told in their own voices - of an array of young people's life-changing experiences with guns.