Amazon.com
Nothing is quite as it should be in this first novel by Kate Walbert, author of the celebrated story collection Where She Went. Set in wartime Philadelphia, the story is told by Ellen, a character inhabiting a rather complex narrative device. Namely, she's looking back on the war years, from some future vantage point, recounting her experiences to her child. This framing device allows Walbert to create a novel in which the past is neither as innocent nor as simple as the reader assumes.
Ellen, the youngest of three sisters, lives for her annual visit to see her cousin Randall. Something in his odd-duck imaginings speaks to her, and their bond is cemented by the fact that they both have red hair. (Relationships have been built on less.) Yet this portrait of Randall is shadowed by loss; we know from the first that he will be killed in the war. Small wonder that nostalgia sweetens Ellen's account of their friendship: "Sometimes, when I think about it, I see the two of us there, Randall and me, from a different perspective, as if I were Mother walking through the door to call us for supper.... One will never grow old, never age. One will never plant tomatoes, drive automobiles, go to dances. One will never drink too much and sit alone, wishing, in the dark."
Ellen tells of meeting the father of her child, of her sister's disappearance, of a friend's abortion. These are in fact the story's recurrent motifs: vanishing women, endangered children, and men permanently damaged by war. As for the titular gardens, they make but a brief appearance, in a book Randall bequests to the narrator. Yet Walbert's description of them lends an extra resonance to her themes of distance and loss, even as we discover that Ellen has been deceiving herself--and us--all along. --Claire Dederer
Book Description
I had a cousin, Randall, killed on Iwo Jima. Have I told you?
So begins Kate Walbert's beautiful and heartbreaking novel about a young woman, Ellen, coming of age in the long shadow of World War II. Forty years later she relates the events of this period, beginning with the death of her favorite cousin, Randall, with whom she shared Easter Sundays, childhood secrets, and, perhaps, the first taste of love. When he dies on Iwo Jima, she turns to the legacy he left her: his diary and a book called The Gardens of Kyoto. Each one subtly influences her perception of her place in the world, the nature of her memories.
Moving back and forth through time and place, Kate Walbert recreates a world touched by the shadows of war and a society in which women fit their desires into prescribed roles. Unfolding in lyrical, seductive prose, The Gardens of Kyoto becomes a mesmerizing exploration of the interplay of love and loss.
Download Description
In a mesmerizing debut novel of romance and grief, a woman looks back on her coming of age in the long shadow of World War II and tells about the death of her favorite cousin, Randall, at Iwo Jima. When Ellen receives a package containing Randall's diary and a book called "The Gardens of Kyoto", her bond to him is cemented and the mysteries of his short life starts to unravel.
Customer Reviews:
Good to read if you can't sleep........2007-06-22
"The Gardens of Kyoto" started out semi-promising, but went nowhere. The story, the characters, the writing were all dull.
The only reason I got this book was because I was being rushed in the bookstore. I wish I had been given more time to look around since I'm sure I would have picked up something more interesting.
Rambling, cluttered and yet interesting.......2005-09-06
I struggle to write this review because I'm not sure if this book was good or terrible. I can only say, it is some of both.
I loved the story of Ellen and her cousin Randall - the commonalities they shared, the introspection and retrospection he inspired in her. The twists and turns of the story kept me turning pages. The author takes this tale and weaves into the story of Randall's father, his lost love Ruby, her brief encounter with Professor X who (and here the story gets very dull) is associated with the war department and the decision not to drop an atomic bomb on Kyoto Japan, and this wraps back to a book Randall loved and left to Ellen upon his death (no secret, he dies in line one). Beyond this, the author incorporates domestic abuse, slavery, abortion, adoption, the Korean War, mental illness, suicide, murder and millions of descriptions of social propriety as Ellen becomes an adult in post WWII Philadelphia. It's a jumble of flashbacks and somehow all of this is pulled together in an interesting story -although quite anti-climactic. This book was recommended to me and yet I hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining read. It is definately thought provoking and even disturbing in a way - I find the author a bit squashing of the human spirit. Her characters lie, cheat, and keep awful secrets locked inside of themselves and do little to help their fellow man. The one character I liked dies in line one.
The tyranny of social conventions.......2004-05-18
This is a book to give to those people who lament the decadence of modern society and look longingly to a more innocent time: a time when every husband was right, every wife happy, every soldier heroic, and every girl a virgin until marriage.
Apparently, that's what social mores of the 40's and 50's insisted on. So what could you do, if your life wasn't as picture-perfect as it was supposed to be? The characters in Walberg's book face this dilemma. Some of them sacrifice their desires in order to fit in, while others die themsleves as sacrificial lambs on the altar of conformity, and the rest simply spend their lives lying about who they are.
Five characters in this book are soldiers; none fits the "hero" mold that society prescribes for them. Even the one who died on Iwo Jima was not killed in combat, but died accidentally after the fighting was over. Yet this isn't really a book about war - more about a society that worked so hard to keep up appearances, that no one was allowed to be different, or even human.
Consider the plight of the narrator's oldest sister. In one of the most poignant moments in the book, she breaks decorum by crying at the dinner table in front of the whole family, then confesses a desperate and shocking problem. Members of the family silently look to the father, waiting for his response. But Rita's problem is so far outside the bounds of what "nice people" talk about, that all he can do is mumble weak, useless platitudes at her. The pitiful thing is that he adores his daughter -- but social conventions won't let him help her, or even admit that her problem is real. When the problem leads to her death, the whole family continues to lie to eachother as if they never saw it coming. And in the ultimate victory of good etiquette, the narrator politely thanks her sister's killer just hours after Rita's death, knowing full well what he has done.
Those were the good old days? Thank God I missed them.
Confused?ý.I am.......2003-12-30
Confused?....I am
In writing this review, I'm not sure I enjoyed this book as thoroughly as I have others. But I am sure that I don't hate it.
The story centers on the protagonist Ellen. Early on as a child, she meets her cousin Randal. A fair boy with nice hands and red hair. It seems an attraction between these two set and there are a few moments that are a bit awkward because they were cousins. But I won't ruin the story. He goes off to fight the war (the 2nd one) and he dies, but not before giving a few letters and what not. He never said out loud how he feels, but does say that she is his main audience. It is about the middle of the book when we hit this part. She then meets Lt. Henry while at a football game. At this point she is a college student. He is not attracted to her, but rather a friend, Daphne, she brings along. He goes to Korea and asks her friend to continue a correspondence with him. She doesn't say no, but since it is hinted that she is a communist, she gives it to Ellen instead. She reads all his mail and falls in love with him. He returns and still thinks that her friend is writing to him. I won't divulge anymore of the plot, but I will tell you that at this time her minds start confusing and mixing up between Randal and this captain.
I won't deny that it isn't original. But I couldn't find anything to grasp myself into. The characters were okay, but they don't stick with you. The writing was a bit shaky and a bit confusing when you read it. But if you give it time, I suppose the story will sink in. It is the writing that makes it confusing. The transition between Henry and Randall could have been a bit smoother. The story was a bit slow. There is no external antagonist to deal with, but rather the conflict lay on the shoulder of internal conflicts of Ellen. But I feel the one reason why I could not enjoy this book was that I just didn't like the characters. I didn't like Ellen because she was so different from myself. And often I find a book more enjoyable when you relate to the characters. I did not find one character that I related too.
Overall, it is an okay book. It is rather short; around I say 200+ pages. It's a fine book to past the time with.
Where's the payoff?.......2003-12-03
The Gardens of Kyoto is the story of several dull characters who only shine when compared to the dishrag-like personality of the passive main character, Ellen. It's like listening to the dementia-fogged ramblings of that great-aunt no one can stand.
The narration is overclogged with bizarre and inapt descriptions. Point of view jumps back and forth with no rhyme or reason, and she leaves things unexplained for far too long. For example, I didn't figure out what the character's first name was until book three. She describes scenes which entice the reader to find out more; such as the hidden room in her uncle's house which was a hiding place of runaway slaves, and then she drops them, or explains them with an easily missed sentence or two. I wanted to find out more about something, anything, that involved a plot, but alas, a plot was not forthcoming.
If it weren't for my husbands insistence that this book was interesting, I would have put it down in the first chapter. After a while, and with repeated promises from him that it would get better, the loose ends and the irrational passivity of the main character kept me enrapt. As he warned me, it's like a train wreck. I have to say that the loose ends were wrapped up at the end, and yet it was extremely unsatisfying. A character driven novel should have intriguing characters, and yet The Gardens of Kyoto is filled with bland passive automotons who merely stagger through life allowing things to happen to them. The only time the main character actually takes action of her own accord, is when she is doing something pointlessly destructive. From page one to the end, this book kept me asking, "(...) When's something going to happen?"
Book Description
Pinkerton agent Josh MacKenzie always gets
his man...but he's never been up against a woman like
runaway heiress Emily Lawrence!She Was Trouble...and Temptation
Emily had fled her wealthy home and the boring society men who courted her, looking for adventure in the wild West--but the new-fledged Harvey girl gets more than she bargained for when she meets Josh MacKenzie.At first she thinks the tall, handsome Texan just may be the man of her dreams...until he snaps handcuffs on her wrists to take her home! Naturally, the beautiful spitfire fights Josh at every turn--and as he manfully tries to resist her impossibly irresistible charms, Josh wonders which is in greater danger: his job...or his heart?
Customer Reviews:
The MacKenzies: Josh.......2007-09-11
First, I picked up this book because its cover was so similar to another book that I'd just read (No Other Man, by Shannon Drake...a trilogy).
Then, when I started reading Josh, I wanted to strangle Emily's father for being such a controling jerk...I had to remind myself a few times that wealthy parents often did this back then...force daughters to marry men not of their choosing. And I loved though, that Emily was willing to give up everything and work hard so that she did not have to marry someone she did not want. I did, however, get a little bored shortly after she got to whatever town it was that they were in (Las Vegas, New Mexico, was it?) and put the book down. But not for long...
About a month later, I picked it up again (due to my own lack of desire to write) and finished it in just one evening. I found that it was a delightful story; Leigh had me giggling all the way through. That Tarnation scene nearly had me PIMP. I just had to rush out and get Rose's story (Zach). Those MacKenzie boys are just too cute!
Now I'm going out to find some more!
It was OK but a little boring..........2005-01-27
Well, I was a little disappointed in this book. This is book #7 in this series & I have to say that it's my least favorite. The book is so slow. Basically you have Josh (Luke's son from book #1) who is a detective searching for Emily (a rich girl from Long Island) who has run away from home. He finds her & she escapes a few times & then she's kidnapped & he rescues her. There wasn't much more to it then that other then these really stupid dreams that she kept having over & over. It's o.k. but this is one book in this series that I think you could do without. But don't miss the first 6:
Luke
Flint
Cleve
David
Peter
Jake
Luke's Son finds a Wife!.......2003-01-03
This MacKenzie installment is Josh MacKenzie, Luke and Honey MacKenzie's son, who had joined to Pinkerton Detective Agency to make a name for himself, and come into his full potential like his father and uncles have before him.
Pinkerton agent Josh MacKenzie always gets his man . . . but he's never been up against a woman like runaway heiress Emily Lawrence!
SHE WAS TROUBLE . . . AND TEMPTATION...
Emily had fled her wealthy home and the boring society men who courted her, looking for adventure in the wild West -- but the new-fledged Harvey Girl gets more than she bargained for when she meets Josh MacKenzie. At first she thinks the tall, handsome Texan just may be the man of her dreams . . . until he snaps handcuffs on her wrists to take her home! Naturally, the beautiful spitfire fights Josh at every turn -- and as he manfully tries to resist her impossibly irresistible charms, Josh wonders which is in greater danger: his job . . . or his heart?
Great Expectations Unfulfilled.......2002-03-06
I loved the premise: Harvey Girl + Pinkerton Agent + New Mexico = Fun in the Sun. This book starts strongly. Ana Leigh can write.
But from the second third to the end, it meanders from location to location. Frankly, I kept reading only because I thought the writer would find her way again. Then I started paging through very quickly, especially during the outlaw action.
One more thing: I nominate the skinny dipping scene for the Most Gratuitous Sex Scene in a Romance Novel.
The Mackenzies: Josh.......2000-05-17
Great story about a wealthy rich girl (Emily) who is runs away from an dominating father who is trying to marry her off to obtain an heir. She runs away from home and gets a waitress job with the Harvey Girl's in the west. Her friend Rose helps her change her hair from blond to black and adds thick glasses after a Pinkerton Detective named Josh MacKenzie hired by her father tracks her to New Mexico and starts asking questions. He has a difficult time trying to get Emily to admit who she is but finally the truth comes out and he slaps her in to handcuff's to take her back to her father. After a series of funny misadventures she gets them into, Josh gets shot and she nurses him back to health, admit their love for one another, marry, and go back to New York to confront her father. I did not realize this was a series so I am now reading the other three books called The MacKenzies; David, Peter, and Jake. Also, these books are from an older series of three books called "The Mackenzies: 1. Luke (Josh's father) his brothers, Flint and Cleve which I cannot find since the publishers are all out of stock. Hope they re-release them.
Book Description
Beads—round like the Earth—have been a mystical link to the spiritual world in all cultures. For the many who are discovering them as a way to slow down and regain focus, The Prayer Bead Box is an enticing and affordable way to explore this ancient practice. This strikingly designed gift from the packagers of the bestselling Buddha in a Box consists of a full-color keepsake box, a string of 108 fragrant sandalwood beads in a velvet sachet, and a beautiful four-color hardcover book that traces the history and uses of prayer beads in both Eastern and Western traditions—from Buddhism to Catholicism to Judaism. Suggested prayers and meditations help readers create prayer bead rituals of their own.
As an everyday aid to serenity or an adjunct to a spiritual journey, The Prayer Bead Box makes an inspiring gift for spiritual seekers of many faiths.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2005-02-21
I received these this past December and really love the whole thing. The book is terrific - it tells the history and uses of the beads, crossing a variety of religions which is neat. It talks about the symbolism oft he beads, the thread, the meditation and so on. Beautiful photos are throughout the book as well. The beads smell amazing. They seem sturdy enough - strung on a double thread. This would also make a great gift.
Great Book... but..........2004-11-17
I loved the book!! It is a compact tome of beautiful passages and stirring words. The beads, although they do smell wonderful, are cheaply strung and rather weak. Be ready to restring them or use them simply as an ornament.
Perfect for holiday gift-giving.......2002-01-09
Prayer Bead Box is a gift package perfect for holiday gift-giving: it's a keepsake box with a string of 108 sandalwood beads in a velvet sachet and a four-color hardcover book which provides the history and significance of prayer beads over various religions. A beautiful package which will appeal to a wide audience.
Prayer Beads.......2001-12-28
As a glass bead artist I was looking for something about the spiritual aspects of beads. This book tells how people through the ages have used beads in their lives. (get the boxed edition with the sandelwood beads - they smell wonderful!) I loved this book!
Book Description
As the millennium draws to a close, the rapid pace of life has seemed to quicken enormously. Many mothers and fathers are both working longer hours,with less time for their children and themselves. While the economy is strong and the rewards of work are plentiful, people are continually seeking paths to satisfy their more spiritual needs.
As a tool to help one re-energize and achieve some inner peace, Barron^Rs introduces The Litt le Box Of Inner Calm. More than a book or a gift item, this small package will help provide an oasis of tranquility in a harried world.
Written by worldwide meditation teacher Christopher Titmuss, the set provides much more than the beautiful enclosed book with over 100 color photographs. Also included are the following:
- Mandalas - graphic symbols of Hindu and Buddhist origin that represent the universe - Beads - to be held during meditation and the recitation of mantras - Incense - assists in creating an atmosphere conducive to meditation - A Bell - small, pleasant chimes help promote mindfulness and reflection - A Printed Prayer - a prayer that evokes kindness to all living creatures
The book details ways to create meditative exercises. It also helps readers discover their ability to achieve the capacity for inner listening and reflection.
The Little Box of Inner Calm will be a literary and spiritual refuge for anyone, anytime who is in need of the tools and time to reclaim their inner peace. The exquisite set contains all that is required for one to begin a blissful journey toward spiritual awareness.
Customer Reviews:
Open you heart, mind, body and soul.......2002-09-04
This kit is wonderful if you ever had any question on how to find yourself on a journey toward spiritual awareness and finding your inner self, meditation and reflection on one's self buy this little box of wonders.
Average customer rating:
- great book
- best book on gumbo; gumbo recipe below evolved from book
|
Creole Gumbo and All That Jazz: A New Orleans Seafood Cookbook
Howard Mitcham
Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Seafood
| Meat, Poultry & Seafood
| Cooking by Ingredient
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Cajun & Creole
| U.S. Regional
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
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South
| U.S. Regional
| Regional & International
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Similar Items:
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Provincetown Seafood Cookbook
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Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking
-
The Little Gumbo Book
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Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
-
The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones
ASIN: 0882898701 |
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2001-08-23
I have used this book fro over a decade and am about to order a fresh copy. It is a great read and a great, practical cookbook. I have used it constantly.
best book on gumbo; gumbo recipe below evolved from book.......1999-11-15
Creole Gumbo (makes 12 quarts = 48 servings, can be made in smaller batches)
Recipe below evolved and adapted for the beach from "Creole Gumbo and all that Jazz" by Howard Mitcham,who nails it far better than anyone in print. This book is highly recommended.
6 quarts chicken stock or water 6+ washed tomatoes 2+ lbs washed medium shrimp 12+ washed live crabs (essential, buy 18 before boarding ferry)
Bring stock to boil. All in same stock, boil tomatoes 1 minute, skin and seed. Boil shrimp 4 minutes, shell and fridge the meat. Boil live crabs 20 minutes. Eat some crab meat for lunch, return all crab parts, well crushed with shrimp shells, to same stock. Boil vigorously 15 minutes, no longer. Strain stock well e.g. through paper towels and colander.
stick butter flour bunch scallions 3+ onions 1+ heads of garlic 3+ red or green peppers 4+ sticks celery
Melt butter in heavy nonstick. Add flour bit by bit till thick slurry. Stir with spatula over med heat till deep tan or as dark as you dare, without burning. Add chopped veggies (chop garlic and onions at last minute) and saute till soft. Move to heavy gumbo pot if this wasn't it.
3 lbs okra, fresh or frozen 2+ lbs good ham 3 bay leaves bunch fresh thyme bunch parsley 2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1-3 tbsp tabasco sauce 1+ tbsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 lb double smoked bacon 2+ lbs fresh Andouille sausage or similar hot sausage, or kielbasa
Add okra sliced into rounds, diced tomatoes, diced ham, thyme tied into bunch, minced parsley, bay, any meat you crave and have (chicken? beef browned in bacon fat?). Add enough stock to cover solids and keep sloppy. Add some Worcestershire, tabasco, pepper. Slice and cook bacon, crumble and add. Braise sausage in inch of water till ready to eat, poking with fork to release fat. Slice and save.
Simmer gumbo 2-4 hours, low enough and stirred often enough to never stick at bottom. Tasting over next few hours, remembering flavors will "cure" and salt gets added at end, gradually add more W,t,p to taste. Add sausage 30 minutes before serving, shrimp 10 minutes before serving, add any seafood you crave and have (oysters? lobster? crawfish tails?). Salt generously to taste, serve with ample cooked rice.
Book Description
First opened for business in 1920, Uglesich's Restaurant has become one of the premier destination restaurants for locals and tourists alike. Over the years, the restaurant has gone from its humble beginnings, serving po' boys, fried seafood, and breakfast, to offer gourmet-quality New Orleans food, attracting culinary critics from around the world.
For many years, patrons have clamored to take home a piece of the restaurant. "Uglesich's Restaurant Cookbook" gives all those who have fond memories of the restaurant a taste of New Orleans at its freshest. This highly anticipated cookbook, written by the owners' son, contains seventy-five old, current, and new restaurant recipes along with a complete history of the establishment and the Uglesich family.
Customer Reviews:
Takes Me Back.......2007-02-12
I only had the pleasure once, but my folks have been yearly regulars for years now. Too bad U's is closed now. I was thrilled to recieve this cookbook, and I've had very good luck with the recipes. Uglesich's was not a fancy restaurant. They just concentrated on making excellent food. The cookbook perhaps reflects that. I think anyone with some skill and a sense of adventure will enjoy using this book. A little cultural homework might be necessary, as some of the other reviewers have pointed out, but that's half the fun.
Nothing less than a 5!.......2005-09-20
Call me sentimental and definitely not a cookbook technician, but anything and EVERYthing to do with Uglesich's is a FIVE star with us! All I have to do is open the book and I am almost back to NOLA and our favorite restaurant with a small group of incredibly talented folks from the owners to the servers to the cooks and shuckers!!!! We miss them all! So what if I cannot access every single ingredient the moment I want it! We did not purchase five cookbooks for our sons, ourselves and some of our Ugli fans/friends for any other reason than to relish our experiences there and look forward to the next cookbook! And you know, the recipes ARE delicious!!!
Homestyle Cookbook for a Homestyle Restaurant.......2005-08-31
Most of the reviews for this cookbook have been negative, and they do point out some legitimate beefs, but this book is a great match for one of the quirkiest, most individualistic and truly satisfying restaurants in the nation. I'll state up front that I only went to the restaurant once, in January of 2005, and I bought the book when I placed my meal order. The food, folksie ambience and genuine characters who own and work Uglesich's are reflected in the book, and the fact that one of the family wrote the cookbook makes it that much more satisfying to own and to try and recreate even an iota of the magic of the restaurant.
As for the gripes... yes, there are typos, but they are simple oversights in a book that I have no doubt many people asked to be written for many years. This is not some flashy New York City publisher who shot a couple of pictures, chatted briefly with the owners and slapped the Uglesich's name on someone else's recipes. These are the real deal and the book is a loving homage to a place, its people, and the food that made it famous. I find the photos to be quite good, and frankly don't trust people who only look for glossy images of every recipe in a cookbook. They can stick to the photo-fetishism of Saveur magazine and the like (no knock on Saveur, but this is a cookbook!). The recipes do tend to the minimalist side as far as instructions, but that reflects the laid-back attitude of the real place. This is not the scientific precision of Cook's Illustrated, but it does give you the basics of the Uglesich's barbeque sauce and the straightforward way to make their dishes. If you don't understand what one of the ingredients is and feel that it should have been better explained (as per one of the previous reviews of this book), do a web search or ask someone at your grocery store! C'mon, this isn't rocket science, and this cookbook in particular embraces the down-home Lousiana ethos of good food, good people, and good times.
At this point, it is unclear whether the restaurant will ever open again, and considering that as I write this is the day after Hurrican Katrina blew through, there may not even be a kitchen to go back to. But I certainly hope to see Anthony and Gail again, and in the meantime I will refer back to the book anytime I need a little of that Uglesich's magic. As far as I am concerned, this book rates 4.5 stars.
Better with a little local knowledge..........2005-06-13
From a Native New Orleanian, This is a good cookbook! I noticed that the other negative reviews have to do with not understanding ingredients that we take for granted & assume others do to. A pistolette is a long roll, habenero is a pepper (and not only used in N.O. cooking) and there are countless bottled varieties available. Your choice of dressing on a po-boy or sandwich means lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mayo etc, whatever you like. A remoulade sauce is a simple staple and you can buy it or make it easily with a recipe off the internet. Likewise, all of this information is easily accessable if you want to find out. Yes there are a lot of ingredients like creole mustard that are difficult to find in other parts of the country, but isn't this the case with most local, specialty cookbooks??? This restaurant isn't one of N.O.'s favorites for no reason!
By the way, most good New Olreans cookbooks will tell you to try different substitutions according to your liking, so don't be afraid & go for it if you can't find the exact brand of hot sauce a recipe calls for!
Poorly written and photographs are terrible.......2005-03-31
I was looking forward to this cookbook but I have to agree with the other reviews...it was a big disappointment.
I think the book could have used an experienced cookbook editor. It is very amatuerish. An experienced editor could have helped make the recipes clearer, being sure to provide equivalents and substitutions wherever possible. Heck, I'd even settle for clarification on some of the more obscure ingredients listed. Such as, what the heck is a pisotlette? The bloody mary recipe calls for some kind of habenero sauce...what is that? Where can I find it, order it etc. One recipe calls for sun dried tomatoes, do they mean dry or packed in oil? Sadly, the whole book is filled with these kinds of obscure references that will leave many readers clueless and frustrated.
And the photographs of the food are awful! Perhaps they were going for an artsy look to the cookbook by making all the photographs look blurred and out of focus but the end result is that it looks extremely amatuerish and makes the food look unappetizing. The photographs also seem poorly lit.
I did enjoy all the background information regarding the family and the restaraunt. I love a cookbook that also tells a story. I commend them for recognizing suppliers and staff that help make the restaurant a success.
The book needs reworking big time. I wouldn't reccommend it.
Customer Reviews:
authoritative insight into regional USA cuisine.......2000-05-13
The "how to" pages will help the reader pass oneself off in NOLA as a local; the recipes are obviously authentic, easy to follow, and bring back fond memories of my college days at Tulane and "Crayola" in the early seventies. I learned how to cook in New Orleans. I studied the menus of the local restaurants, (Etienne's on Maple St) and this book is a god-send. Jaeger far surpasses some upstart transplant from New Jersey. Ten Speed Press should be complimented for bring such unknown, but important insights into our country's local cuisines.
Product Description
Seafood New Orleans style, meaning the spiciest--best by two of the foremost experts. Try their shrimp pie, for instance.
Customer Reviews:
Great.......2004-03-04
This is a great book for those interested in chronograph watches. The pictures are very good and the detail on the movements is exceptional. The format of the book is rather large, but not too thick. Quality printing and binding. Nearly a must-have for watch collectors and horologists.
Excellent.......2004-02-28
This book is geared to the watch collector and repairer, which is exactly what I was looking for. It has an excellent description of the major dials and movements with nice large pictures. The information is detailed, in-depth and informative. A professional book. It is large format, not too thick, but the glossy pages (which is a good thing) make it heavy. For the collector / repairer of chronographs, this is a must-have book.
Excellent reference book........2002-02-12
Overall an excellent book on chronographs, which is a cross between a coffee table book and a reference work. As a collector, I refer to it a lot.
Unfortunately, the translation is poor, and there are many inconsistencies which can make it hard to follow descriptions: for example, the same component in the chronograph mechanism may be referred to by several different names. Also, the final editing of the English version leaves a lot to be desired, especially in a book of this price. Having said this, it's still a very good book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Excellent work by Gerd-R. Lang of Chronoswiss.......1999-08-24
This book illustrates the intricacies of chronograhs in great detail and with much attention given to not-so-well-known facts. Master Watchmaker Gerd-Ruediger Lang is the founder and manager of Chronoswiss Uhren GmbH in Munich, Germany and his attention to detail can both be found in this book and in his watches, which are famous throughout the world.
Book Description
With its mesmerizing colors and exotic designs, Quilt Inspirations from Africa takes quilters into an incredibly rich well of ideas and techniques. Rarely seen, startlingly colorful photographs of design motifs in totem poles, carnival masks, murals, and more awaken the spirit of Africa. Sixteen complete, illustrated patterns invite quilters to create their own Africa-inspired quilts.
Customer Reviews:
Georgous photos.......2004-01-15
This is a great looking book. Even though the authors are not of immediate African heritage, they have successfully caputred the flavor of African quilting and provided many great photos. The entire book is a joy to own and great to work with. I have used it successfully to make my own interpretations of African designs. I felt it was worth every penny.
Ambivalent..........2002-12-12
As an African American quilter, I had mixed feelings about this book. While I felt that the quilt projects were beautiful and the book itself interesting, I felt a little cheated when I realized that the authors were not of African heritage themselves. I know that shouldn't make a difference, that Africa was their inspiration and inspiration is neither inclusive nor exclusive, but I was still disappointed. There is a rich African and African American quilting tradition out there. Please look to those books for inspiration as well.
Mary Elizabeth Johnson has given me Africa and the world!!!.......2002-10-15
Quilt Inspirations from Africa is a fitting tribute to the beautiful tradition of designing and creating the complex yet simple quilt designs of Africa.
The book itself is an incredible design. It warms your hands and delights your eyes as you behold the colors of African sand, sky and clay in the colors used on the cover. The graphics are clear and rich and provide a wonderful level of detail of the designs that are covered.
The use of diagrams and symbols was well executed and I was especially pleased to learn the meaning of the listed Adinkra symbols and their story. They reminded me of the symbols in the book 1000 Symbols ý What shapes mean in art and myth ý written by Rowena and Rupert Shepard.
As Mary has done so ably in past books, she takes us into the lives and communal folkways of the quilters, whose work she is representing to the world. And she goes one important step further ý she gives us the tools and instructions needed to help perpetuate and preserve these traditions by teaching us how to design, layout and stitch them for ourselves.
Great job on an incredible book.
Philip House
Atlanta, Georgia
A Terrific Source of Inspiration.......2002-05-28
This book provides excellent examples of how to adapt images and ideas from other cultures to contemporary, Western objects. The reasarch is highly credible and the applications inspired and easy to follow. It is a must have for anyone who quilts or who is interested in adapting motifs form other cultures and eras to any art form, including beading and other forms of embroidery.
I ahve mixed feelings about this book.......2000-12-01
I like the visual impact of the book - it is well designed and the quilts are vibrant and striking. The pattern instructions are easy to follow. But, I felt cheated when I realized that almost all the fabrics used are from England's own line of fabrics. I wish that had been clearly spelled out from the beginning - as it is in Kaffe Fassett's quilting books. Finally, England and Johnson choose to open the main text with a quote by a traveller to Africa that includes the phrase that I found particularly offensive.
Book Description
Expanding your home without adding on. This book is aimed specifically at readers who do it themselves, featuring dozens of practical and innovative design ideas appropriate to this market. The book includes lists, sidebars, and charts with indispensible design, planning, and shopping tips. IdeaWise Attics Basements gives dozens of innovative ideas for transforming unfinished spaces into comfortable, secure living areas, as well as ideas for how to use those spaces creatively. Attic and basement space can be used to create additional bedrooms and bathrooms for a growing family, a comfortable recreation room or home theater for an active, mature familyor even a private mini-apartment to meet the needs of a new trend: aging parents moving in with their children, or grown children moving back home with their parents.
Customer Reviews:
Good for bungalow attic remodel.......2006-06-24
I bought this book for design ideas for the upstairs (attic) of my bungalow. It's pretty limited on space, so I have to make every bit count. This book offers a variety of ideas and styles, including offices, in-law suites and some cute kids' rooms. Lots of helpful pictures and even a guide at the end on where they bought the stuff for their remodel.
Customer Reviews:
Visualization of time, space, networks and beyond........2007-08-17
A spectacular find.
Beyond traditional maps of locations (subway maps, street maps), the book also contains visualization of time, space, networks, concepts and any combination of the above.
It contains huge collection of magnificent examples which are well-beyond my expectation.
Highly recommended.
good idea, disappointing execution.......2003-12-25
I work in mapping, and was expecting a trove of insight and ideas. In fact it is very hard work extracting any value from this book. First, most of the reproductions are scaled down so much the details are almost invisible to the naked eye. All you can see comfortably are pretty pictures. The book should be a larger size, and have fewer graphics - perhaps just one - on each page. And they shouldn't waste so much of the page real estate on blank space. Second, the captions on each page are in a small font, and squeezed between narrow lines so the effect is to make reading the captions difficult. This is so obvious, you wonder what those who produced this book were thinking. Like so many designers, they were much more concerned with stylish appearance than with usability. Third, the essays which introduce each section are sloppy, intellectually and even grammatically. "By making these new facts visible, and revealing the coincidence of logical and physical objects or the rapid oscillation and contradiction between global and local points of view, then we should have a better map." (I can't tell you the page number because the stupid book doesn't have page numbers.) Where do you start critiquing detritus like that? The book does present some interesting material, but it was doomed from the outset because it comes out of the design community. I'd expect cognitive scientists or usability experts to do a much better job.
if you're into mapping, maps and creativity.......2003-12-07
i rarely buy books like this one, oversized, lots of photos, design-oriented, especially since i like to put off buying books, but this one's the exception to the rule. it has great, concise text and wonderful images of maps to accompany it. it offers examples of maps as internet navigation, printed maps and maps as information sources in spaces(buildings...). this is not a guide on how to make maps, or how to create great navigation, it's more like having a trampoline, if you don't jump on it you won't know how high you can go or what tricks you can do. this is the kind of book that can encourage you in your mapping endeavours, that doesn't consider mapping as an absolute, that exhibits appreciation for both the visual and the thought process that went into it. i recommend it to anyone who likes maps(not just geographical ones) and who sees mapping as a wonderful way of expressing ideas or creating new worlds.
Average customer rating:
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Alan Rudolph: Romance and a Crazed World (Twayne's Filmmakers Series)
Richard Ness
Manufacturer: MacMillan Publishing Company.
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ASIN: 0805778470 |
Books:
- The Good Priest's Son: A Novel
- The Guru of Love: A Novel
- The Invention of Morel (New York Review Books Classics)
- The Isle of Avalon Sacred Mysteries of Arthur and Glastonbury
- The Last Thing He Wanted
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- The Obelisk Trilogy: Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Black Spring
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