December 15, 2005
What Loomis promises in his title, he delivers--a short course in antiques. After all, he has had plenty of classroom practice, having taught the subject at the University of Cincinnati. An appraiser on " Antiques Roadshow" and host of a Cincinnati radio show, " Keep " Antiquing, he knows his stuff, and, just as important, presents it without affectation. Noting that the "definition of antique is constantly changing, and aren't we lucky," his "user-friendly reference" introduces a wealth of terms, styles, and characteristics, with just enough history and personal anecdote to make the information memorable. Color photos with captions enrich and illustrate the text, making distinguishing characteristics even clearer. Whether readers are curious about Grandma's slant-front desk, Uncle Ed's German beer steins, or the lava lamp they found in the attic, they'll find something about it here, along with plenty of encouragement to collect "what makes you happy." (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)