Product Description

This is NOT your father's home repair book!

And it's not your husband's, your brother's, your boyfriend's, or the guy's next door. Dare to Repair is a do-it-herself book for every woman who would rather be self-reliant than rely on a super or contractor.

No matter the depth of your pockets or the size of your home, a toilet will get clogged, a circuit breaker will trip, and a smoke detector will stop working. It's up to you how you'll deal with them -- live in denial, pay the piper, or get real and do it yourself.

Dare to Repair demystifies these home repairs by providing information that other books leave out.

In Dare to Repair, you'll learn how to:

Filled with detailed illustrations, Dare to Repair provides even the most repair-challenged woman with the ability to successfully fix things around the home. Once you start, you won't want to stop.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13063 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-01
• Released on: 2002-09-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.com Review
Whether you identify with riot grrrls or Rosie the Riveter, you'll love the tackle-it-yourself empowerment style of Dare to Repair. Covering simple tasks like unclogging bathroom sinks and switching directions on a ceiling fan along with more intimidating projects such as patching holes in drywall or creating a circuit map, this no-nonsense guide will walk you through those simple steps of maintaining, and perhaps even improving, your home. Forget about Martha and her hot-glue-gun projects--this is about drain snakes, electrical tape, and the kind of screwdrivers you can't order from a bartender.

Authors Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet mix goofy "Your fridge is running? Better catch it!" jokes with a very matter-of-fact tone that assumes from the start you're woman enough for the job. Sections are arranged by general category (electricity, plumbing, etc.), and every entry is accompanied by clear illustrations of items and processes. For women who live alone or are starting up a business, this is a serious money-saving guide; for those of us with roommates, there's no quicker way to impress than to whip out your toolbox and get down to business. --Jill Lightner

From Library Journal
Owing to choice or happenstance, many women don't have men around to repair things, and even if they do there is no guarantee that the man isn't a complete bonehead when it comes to fixing things. Sussman and Glakas-Tenet, both wives of CIA employees who were never around to help with household problems, show women how to perform a number of the most common repairs, including unclogging drains and toilets, replacing electrical switches and outlets, leveling appliances, lighting pilot lights, unsticking windows, and installing a door peephole. The authors assume that the reader is a complete newcomer to home repair, so everything is explained in detail (down to what tools to use), but the tone is never condescending. The very readabable text is supplemented by black-and-white drawings. This is a wonderful book that should be purchased by every public library.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
There are people in this world who take every plumbing leak and every clogged drain as a personal challenge. Then there are others who dial 911 when a toilet starts to run over. To stop the monetary damages, Sussman and Glakas-Tenet put together a "dummy's" guide to common repairs that usually flummox a beginner. Everything's explained in exquisite detail: tools, labeled and illustrated; steps, pictured realistically. The five major chapters--plumbing; electricity; major appliances; windows, walls, and doors; home safety--deal with 75 simple fix-its, ranging from replacing toilet seats to freeing a stuck window. Plus, words of encouragement accompany every task, certainly enough to convince anyone to pick up a pliers and twist. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Bravo...finally,a practical easy to use repairs book.
I saw Julie and Stephanie on the Today show and immediately bought this book, even though its for women.Doing repairs around the house is so challenging even for men, who are SUPPOSE to be able to do them. This book is easy to read, practical, and covers all the important maintenence topics that make living in a home hard work to keep functional. The diagrams are very useful..the writing so clear and easy to follow. Best of all, the writing is done in a style that makes me feel they wrote it just for me. Down to Earth, warm and friendly... like I stopped in at a friend's house and asked for some help and advise. The two authors were so charming and spontaneous on TV, I guess I am not surprised that the writing and tone of the book had that sensible, caring feel to it. I've already been able to fix or improve several appliances in the house. I never knew things can be kept up or repaired so easily. I finally feel like the handy man I am suppose to be.

courage to handle the basics
This book demystifies some of the simple, around-the-house chores that you always thought you should be able to handle on your own, but somehow still weren't sure how to tackle.

The projects are well explained and have given me the courage and confidence to take some of them on. It's also nice to know the guide is in the book case, so when I start to think about calling a plumber or an electrician, I'll be able to look in the book and decide whether or not I really do need to make that call.

I've noticed that some people think the book's simplistic, while others seem to think it's too heavily slanted toward a female audience. Since women have not traditionally done a lot of home repair (myself included), I think the book is ideally suited to its target group.

A Very Empowering Book
I bought this book for my Mom for Christmas last year. She was on her own for the first time in her life. When I visited her this Christmas, she was complaining about her toilet running. I said, "Mom, get the book" She got the book out, I read the instructions out loud to her, and she fixed her OWN toilet. She was so proud of herself. Everyone that called on Christmas got the blow by blow account of how she fixed her own toilet. Buy this book. You will learn how to fix alot of those annoying household problems. Save money, and get a feeling of accomplishment. Buy it for your Mom, Dad, everyone. Highly recommended!