Kitty Bartholomew has developed her own special approach to knitting that's fast, easy, and chic. In her first book, she presents her secrets for making boatneck pullovers, a colorful Carnival sweater, tweed cardigans, and a denim turtleneck with a twisted braid.

The category–killing knitting guide from one of the major influences of the back–to–knit movement and the owner of La Knitterie Parisienne, a Hollywood hotspot (her in–store knitting circle has included Debra Messing, Sofia Coppola, Sarah Jessica Parker and Russell Crowe). Mother of Purl, written in Edith's warm, humorous but no–nonsense voice, allows readers to feel as though she is there knitting alongside them. The book combines clear instructions that Edith has honed over 30 years of teaching with the refined Parisienne styling and sophistication that has drawn the elite of Hollywood and fashion stylists to rely on her. Packed with hundreds of Edith's Secret Tips, dozens of longer–format 'Tips from the Top' and multiple celebrity anecdotes, Mother of Purl will be to knitters what The Joy of Cooking is to chefs. This is an invaluable reference, warm and witty, packed with practical techniques, inspiring projects and the kind of insight that only comes from 30 years of teaching experience.

Elizabeth Blackwell, though born in England, was reared in the United States and was the first woman to receive a medical degree here, obtaining it from the Geneva Medical College, Geneva, New York, in 1849. A pioneer in opening the medical profession to women, she founded hospitals and medical schools for women in both the United States and England. She was a lecturer and writer as well as an able physician and organizer. -- H.W. Orr.