John Cassidy (1) (1953–)

Oh my goodness, I ABSOLUTELY loved this as a kid and had it for many years... whatever happened to it? Writing this review makes me feel nostalgic for this book. There's a lot of neat stuff in here like the magnet, or the magnifier, or that groovy spinning disk right there on the cover of the book. Definitely something that is fun and safe and educational for kids. Provided they don't try setting anything on fire with the lens...

The book that launched an empire (as they say).
First published in 1977, this book has never been out of print.
I don't remember when I received this copy, but it was probably in the early 1990s.

I was one of those awkwardly coordinated kids at school who marvelled at what I perceived (at the time, in the 70s) to be those rare 'cool kids' in school (in hindsight, likely as socially awkward as I was) who avoided the bullies through the evolutionary advantage of: knowing how to juggle.
For some show more reason this was a skill bullies instinctively feared. Yes, these lucky few may have had to put up with being taunted as freaks or weirdoes behind their backs; but, they were otherwise physically unharmed.
When you juggle, you automatically attract a crowd of open mouthed spectators. There is nothing bullies fear more than witnesses to their crimes. Hence why juggling acts like a 'bully shield'; that, or knowing how to play an instrument - another of my 'life goals'.
Notice that I distinguish between knowing and learning. Never let them see you 'learning' to do anything! That is why schools are so full of bullies. They are seats of learning and you can't have a pond without pond life!

Well, I never learnt to juggle as a child; but, I made sure I mingled with the crowds that formed around jugglers and musicians and met a lot of interesting people along the way.
So, as an adult, I was thrilled when I was given this book with accompanying sack of bean cubes. The only problem is that, at some point, I lost one of the cubes and so only ever learnt to juggle with two balls. I tried other balls, but I liked the way these cubes felt in my hands.

I intend to purchase another kit shortly in order to acquire some extra balls. Hopefully in time I'll then be able to teach my own children this valuable life skill.

This fourth edition (1994) contains an expanded 'juggling with clubs' section.
The juggling balls (included) are nice quality. Filled with walnut shell. Each ball is in a different colour (which helps beginners like me keep track of them in flight) and they are made from tough cotton 'rib knit' fabric with two colourful printed pattern panels either side. Very nice feel in the hands. show less

The 30th anniversary edition is presented with yet another cover variation. The book contents remain relatively unchanged (as far as I can see) since '94, minus a bit of editing to the company scrapbook at the back pages. This is not a criticism. In fact I would go so far as to say that this is certainly no bad thing. Let's face it, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

The juggling balls however are a different matter.

Gone are the trusted tough little multi coloured boxes filled with walnut shell show more that have lasted me so many years. Instead we now have slightly larger red velour cubes, filled with some kind of cereal grain (from what I can tell).
I have heard people complain that these new balls can split on impact. They certainly don't feel as hard wearing as previous incarnations. I'll bet that given a few months they will start to moult fuzz and begin to show their age rapidly too - which is another reason why I don't like this new material.
On the plus side, they do now included a nifty draw-string bag to keep your cubes safe; so I am adding 1/2 a star to the 1 star I removed due to the lesser juggling cubes. show less

The Klutz Book of Knots is a book complete with string that helps you learn how to tie the most useful knots. It comes with step-by step instructions and illustrations and string. Knots are useful in daily life, we tie our shoes, our ties (some of us) and many other things. Knots have been used in many facets of life such as on ships and trucks, however, they can also be useful around the household, if we know how to tie them. This book helps us learn about knots.
I have always loved the show more Klutz books and their instructions. It might be a little bit of whimsy, but the subjects that they cover always inform and entertain. This book is well designed and illustrated. I appreciated the string, it kept me from having to go find some. I have actually used some the suggestions to tie down a boat and build my son a swing.
In class, this book could be used as a practical guidebook on knot tying. It could also be used to improve reading comprehension. The step by step instructions help a young reader to develop the skills needed to read and follow directions, one of the most useful skills not often taught in schools today. show less