TREE BRIDE, THE

Book Description

ational Book Critics Circle Award-winner Bharati Mukherjee has long been known not only for her elegant, evocative prose but also for her characters- influenced by ancient customs and traditions but also very much rooted in modern times. In The Tree Bride, the narrator, Tara Chatterjee (whom readers will remember from Desirable Daughters), picks up the story of an East Bengali ancestor. According to legend, at the age of five Tara Lata married a tree and eventually emerged as a nationalist freedom fighter. In piecing together her ancestor's transformation from a docile Bengali Brahmin girl-child into an impassioned organizer of resistance against the British Raj, the contemporary narrator discovers and lays claim to unacknowledged elements in her 'American' identity. Although the story of the Tree Bride is central, the drama surrounding the narrator, a divorced woman trying to get back with her husband, moves the novel back and forth through time and across continents.

Customer Reviews:

A Memorable Story.......2007-03-17

This is an enchanting tale of a young Indian woman's search for her roots in old Bangladesh. The search itself is like following the roots of a tree, a fantastical tree that is the husband of her old aunt. Each bit of knowledge takes you deeper into the narrator's past, India's past, the ambivalence of modern Indians whose ancestors had to find identity under the British Raj. How much is fact or fiction in the telling of this history doesn't matter. The story, myth, mystique take us deep into the soul of India, as deep as we can go not having experienced it ourselves.

This book is second in a trilogy (first was "Desirable Daughters). I look forward to experiencing the third.

felt like I walked in in the middle.......2005-08-23

Reading here for the first time that this is part of a trilogy, I see that there may be a reason why I felt a little let down at the end of the Tree Bride (not understanding, still, why the main character's life was threatened by a bomber). It's sort of like reading "The Two Towers" without knowing about the Fellowship of the Ring or the Return of the King. That said, I enjoyed this book immensely (I bought it in an airport and read it instead of Stephen Sears' "The Landscape Turned Red" -- which is not to say anything against the always excellent Stephen Sears). It is true that The Tree Bride has a large ensemble cast and one must be patient to understand the threads connecting the fabric of the story (the theme of which seems to be the conflict between artificial partition and natural connection) but if you are you will be rewarded. I thought the characters were well developed and interesting and I particularly enjoyed the micro review of Indian independence and partition -- so much so that I would like to read more.

And now that I know this was part of a trilogy, I am looking forward to reading "Desirable Daughters" and the third book.

VERY confusing and hard to follow.......2005-04-20

The writing was prose in this novel but the plot was SO confusing. I really don't know what I read most the time. The only thing I got from the book was the main character's pregnancy in later years and how she dealt with it's changing herself. Other than that, the story was mish mash!

Wow! Great Book!.......2004-09-08

This book is a continuation of the story started by the author in the novel Desirable Daughters (also a great read). It is the fascinating examination by the main character of the history of her great-aunt, Tara-Ma, who died in police custody during the struggle for Indian independence. Tied into the storyline is the main character's own life and the late-life pregancy she is experiencing as she gets back together with her ex-husband. There is an element of suspense as she and her husband try to uncover the location of the man who tried to kill them in the previous book. This book is excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone who can read!

A story within a story within a story..........2004-09-08

This book is easily one of the best fiction books I have read. Ms. Mukherjee weaves at least 4 stories together, connecting the lives of Tara Lata Gangooly (the Tree Bride); her great-great niece, Tara Chatterjee; Tara's OB-GYN Dr. V. Khanna; the Dr.'s grandfather Vertie Treadwell; John Mist, founder of Mishtigunj; and Abbas Sattar Hai, leader of the Indian Mafia.
These stories tell of the magic of "coincidence", how each person we meet can have an impact on our lives. An impact that is not felt, sometimes, for generations. As I read the magical history of the Tree Bride, interrupted to retell the adventures (worthy of any Robert Louis Stevenson novel) of John Mist and how he came from a foundling home in London to have a town in East Bengal named for him, I felt like I was hanging on to the sails of an "Indiaman" ship--or running from a tiger through a jungle. But I kept on, hardly able to wait to see how this story connected to the others when I reached the port or crossroads, panting in the sweltering Indian heat.
This book effortlessly takes the reader from modern-day California, to 19th century London, to India during the war for independence, back to England--post WWII, to India from native and English points of view during the British Colonial Period.
I was truly lost in the storm, and, when the ending did come, beautifully, I wanted to go back and delve deeper into each of the stories.
Magical, and highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

The Tree Bride : A Novel
Bharati Mukherjee
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O3RUVA

Customer Reviews:

Couldn't like the Heroine.........2007-07-25

Since this is an Indian/Western romance and after reading the reviews here I knew I would see some realistic events that occurs durning a raid, like rape and other horrors females went through during this time period. This I expected and thought I could read this with an open mind.

Although this book was filled with some twists and some likable and admirable characters most readers could sympathize with, I thought the main female lead to be absolutely self absorbed, selfish and found her to be insanely cruel.

Some SPOILERS HERE onward:

She shows remarkable courage in most parts but her REASONS for doing so was asoundly selfish and self-serving. Every action shows her devotion to her mate/hero. Gosh, to be honest she was acting like a dog! A dog wishing to be patted by her owner, in this case Panther. She willingly and without worrying about anything but herself put her and her children in danger to get back to him, she faught for him and would've put up with ANYTHING. She willingly tortured inhumanly and killed 2 man and felt no guilt in the morning... she's a white woman! She wasn't even raised or even been with the tribe all that long, totally unbelievable!

In addition, when asked by her bestfriend if Panther would also rape her( the bestfriend who will be living with them as a slave), her answer to her bestfriend was " its his right".... she disliked the idea but she was willing to go along with that. Now what kind of a woman, any humane woman raised in the white world regardless of race or time would put up with that kind of behavior from a man whom you're suppose to be inlove with?!

And so, I did not like this story... and would've gladly passed up on it. If you're interested in some epic tale with some brutality and love story thats better told, written then do try " Sweet Savage Love" by Rosemary Rogers. Theres no comparison between the two.

THIS love story is about a Indian capturing a white woman, who turns into a love sick DOG, always wanting to be patted and praised by her master. Sickening, but thats just my opinion.

Look somewhere else for a good read.......2006-09-19

Another reviewer had this to say about this book:

The heroine alternated between apparent heartless indifference to the awful fate of her fellow captives and fawning subservience to a man who had branded, beaten and humiliated her. In contrast to Ms. Hart's usual spunky heroines who will stand up for themselves, her almost foot-licking worship of this arrogent jerk was almost sickening.

All I can do is agree. This book coul've been great, but the memorable moments are too few and only once did this book arouse my curiousity, as Panther reveals his secret identity to Tanya. That brings this book up to two stars, but it really deserves 1 1/2 stars only.

My Favorite Romance Novel Ever.......2006-06-13

Like many others, my first copy of this book was so worn out from reading that I had to replace it. The love story told in this book is full of heartache and truth. While some reviewers have said that the whipping of Tanya early on was too much, in reality, this is what would happen to a captive that tried to escape. That's just it. The book is full of what a romance is really like - full of struggles and very difficult moments. It's not all "bows and bonnets".

The historical accuracy of the book seems "right on" also. Though I do not claim to be an expert in Native American history, this book inspired me to do some research. Everything from the Sun Dance ritual to the details of the massacre of the village and the death of Black Kettle holds historic fact.

The book is based mostly near Pueblo, Colorado, where Tanya is headed when she is captured. She is returned to her family there for a period of time. (My heart ached when she and the boys were separated from Panther.) My father lives in Pueblo, so when I visit it seems very neat to think that I am in the area that such a story could have been dreamed of. One odd thing, though. In the end, (spoiler alert here!), Lt. Young is killed chasing Tanya and Panther just north of Pueblo. (Dont' worry...you won't shed any tears on that snake!) Oddly enough, there is a "Young's Hollow" just north of Pueblo. I haven't been able to find out how it got its name.

If you read this book, you will find that the characters stay with you. The author builds and portrays them so well. If you love Native American romance novels, you will surely love this one.

Excellent.......2004-07-30

This was my first Catherine Hart read, and it was not my last! However, I must say that this one stayed my favourite the whole time!
Tanya Martin is captured by Cheyenne Braves along with several other white women and taken to their camp. She is then branded by the brave who kidnapped her and her hatred for him becomes stronger. She tries to run away but fails. In return, he beats her and takes her clothes so she cannot run away. At this stage in the book, you are feeling nothing but the strongest of hatred for these Indians and you don't see how that will change. But it does change, drastically!! Slowly, the brave named A Panther Stalks begins to tame his wildcat, and that is how Tanya gets her tribe name Little Wildcat. Through trials and tribulations they hold fast to one another and their love, and Catherine Hart has succeeded beautifully here in telling us how they loved, why they loved and if they can ever merge their two worlds together.
I thought that the unending love between A Panther Stalks and Little Wildcat was told just wonderfully! My favourite part of the book was when the army attacked the Cheyenne village. I thought that it was told so vividly, you could almost hear the screams and you felt so terrible when Wildcat got taken away from Panther. I thought that the rituals were portrayed very well such as the Sun Dance. And that makes you think of what it must have been like for the tribes!!
Catherine Hart really evokes the senses with this novel. She makes you feel what the characters are feeling. That alone tells us how much of a brilliant author she is. I would reccommend this book to everyone who needs a pick-me-up as it is an endearingly, passionately, humourously and lovingly crafted novel.

great read.......2001-06-09

It seems that although well received Silken Savage is not one of this author's strongest novels. I have to tell you that this is the first Catherine Hart novel I read but,definitely, not the last!! Well written, lots of twist and turns that just make this a delightful read from start to finish. How interesting... the love story between A Panther Stalks and Little Wildcat. Other reviewers were put off by the humiliation the heroine initially received in the hands of this Cheyenne warrior. I , however, felt the handling and abuse of Little Wildcat would be consistent with how a captured "slave" would be treated by the Cheyenne. The ONLY criticism I had was in the timing of the relationship between hero and heroine. It just seemed a little unrealistic that such a spirited individual as Little Wildcat(aka Tanya)would transition and submit so quickly and completely as a "slave" and paramour to this intimidating warrior. You would think that she would harbour a bit more contempt and a little fight to remain independent. She succombs to life as a Cheyenne almost immediately and within weeks rejects the "White world" and culture she had known and been nutured in all her life.

All in all, a great book. I can hardly wait to read another Catherine Hart novel.

Average customer rating:

Solid entry in the series, but readable as a stand-alone

Dead average Pip and Flinx novel

A Bit Too Haphazard

This is out of nowhere

Flinx meets, well, everyone, and becomes the Fifth Element

Flinx's Folly: A Flinx & Pip Novel
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Foster, Alan Dean | ( F ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345450388
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

New York Times bestselling author Alan Dean Foster delivers the eagerly awaited new Pip and Flinx novel featuring a certain twenty-four-year-old with red hair, growing powers, and a loyal sidekick who just happens to be a flying mini-dragon. Sure to delight longtime fans and win new ones, Flinx’s Folly follows Flinx on a thrilling quest to unravel the mysteries of his mind and body. It is a quest that forces him to confront a horror almost beyond human comprehension concealed somewhere in the universe . . . and coming closer.

It’s a good thing Flinx is no stranger to trouble, because he’s swimming in it. Even before the latest murderous attack by a new gang of assailants, there seems no end to people determined to arrest, examine, or kill him. To add insult to all that injury, Flinx has been spirited away and enlisted in a battle against a monstrous extra-galactic threat. Hidden behind the Great Emptiness, in a place where it seems matter and energy have never been, there is only evil. Pure evil that is approaching him, accelerating.

Against such a quintessence of colossal evil what can one puny human and a formidable mini-drag protector do? Flinx must tell someone or go out of his already addled mind. Choosing a confidant is easy: Clarity Held, a crush he hasn’t seen in six years. She is a young woman who has clearly gone on with her life in ways that (he soon learns) don’t necessarily include Flinx.
Whatever happens, Flinx makes up his mind to act quickly. His decision is the beginning of a terrifying, high-stakes adventure through perilous new realms that will rocket him into the very heart of danger–and into the arms of the only woman he’s ever loved. As he and Pip bravely travel to a place where no man or mini-drag has gone before, Flinx discovers he has a few more friends than he thought–and far more enemies than he ever imagined.

Download Description

It's a good thing Flinx is no stranger to trouble, because he's swimming in it. Even before the latest murderous attack by a new gang of assailants, there seems no end to people determined to arrest, examine, or kill him. To add insult to all that injury, Flinx has been spirited away and enlisted in a battle against a monstrous extra-galactic threat. Hidden behind the Great Emptiness, in a place where it seems matter and energy have never been, there is only evil. Pure evil that is approaching him, accelerating.

Against such a quintessence of colossal evil what can one puny human and a formidable mini-drag protector do? Flinx must tell someone or go out of his already addled mind. Choosing a confidant is easy: Clarity Held, a crush he hasn't seen in six years. She is a young woman who has clearly gone on with her life in ways that (he soon learns) don't necessarily include Flinx.

Whatever happens, Flinx makes up his mind to act quickly. His decision is the beginning of a terrifying, high-stakes adventure through perilous new realms that will rocket him into the very heart of danger—and into the arms of the only woman he's ever loved. As he and Pip bravely travel to a place where no man or mini-drag has gone before, Flinx discovers he has a few more friends than he thought—and far more enemies than he ever imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Solid entry in the series, but readable as a stand-alone.......2004-12-14

What's on New Riviera that would interest the psychically gifted young man whose one constant companion is an empathic flying snake? Although New Riviera is an incredibly welcoming world to Humans, he hasn't come to enjoy its beauty or to study its flora and fauna. This planet is "home" to Clarity Held, who six years ago was 18-year-old Flinx's first real love. Baffled and exhausted after a pair of fanatics from the Order of Null try to assassinate him, Flinx has to talk to someone he can trust. So he goes to Clarity, hoping she'll let him talk. He isn't planning to put her in danger...but when has danger failed to follow Flinx?

This ninth novel in one of my favorite SF series gives readers, and Flinx, more terrifying hints about what lurks behind the Great Emptiness approaching the Milky Way from far out in space. It's not necessary to have read the earlier books in order to enjoy this one, but if you are a long time fan you'll appreciate the author's attention to continuity.

Dead average Pip and Flinx novel.......2004-07-07

"Flinx's Folly" could have been much better. After all, Philip Lynx (aka Flinx) is an interesting character, smart, empathic, a mild telepath, and bonded to an Alaspinian mini-drag (a sort of snake with wings). And Flinx has had many other adventures, most of which have been entertaining, and some of which have been exhilirating.

However, most of the exhilirating adventures ("The Tar-Aiym Krang," "For Love of Mother-Not") are long behind Flinx, or, perhaps, have been put in stasis. For what we get in "Flinx's Folly" is warmed over romance coupled with a couple of the wildest deus ex machina plot twists that Alan Dean Foster has ever written.

Granted, in previous Flinx novels, Flinx often got out of trouble with what _looked_ like a deus ex machina, only to find out later that it was due to his own abilities, previous memories that had been walled off, or friends he didn't know he had (or that still lived). But in this book, Flinx gets out of trouble three times -- and all three are via deus ex machina of various types, and in only one case is the deus ex machina explained!

And although there are some humorous moments, and a bit of romance, it's not enough to leaven the mix in my opinion.

Which is why I'm giving "Flinx's Folly" 2 1/2 stars on the head. I think it's dead average; the writing is good, the pacing brisk, but really, there's nothing new here nor was there any reason to write this book except to further the series. Let's hope the next book will be the conclusion, so poor Flinx can finally find a nice woman to settle down with (whether it's Clarity Held or not) and get on with life.

Barb Caffrey

A Bit Too Haphazard.......2004-06-12

This is the eighth in Alan Dean Foster's series about a boy and his flying mini-dragon. Of course, Flinx is no longer a boy, has some very strange mental powers, and has managed to attract the attention of a host of unsavory characters. Subject to burst of psychic energy, Flinx makes accidental contact with a being that has suddenly become interested in Commonwealth space. This life form is something of a cosmic vacuum cleaner. Where it passes, nothing is left. And Flinx's fleeting contact tells him that the creature is both vast and evil. And it has a special dislike for Flinx, who, somehow, holds the key to saving the universe.

Still unsure about what to do, Flinx (Phillip Lynx) heads for the planet of New Riviera, a paradise planet where an old lover and friend, Clarity Held works as a bioengineer. At this point the plot starts moving by fits and starts, unable to make up its mind about whether it is a suspense/love story or suspense/alien menace story. What at first seems to be an interesting diversion gradually becomes the primary focus, despite having little to do directly with the initial developments of the book.

This works against the book, which becomes a story stuck inside a story, both of which are primarily related by having occurred at the same time and place. The reader keeps waiting for the connections to become clearer, but all you get is a dues ex machina transition from one to the other. This is jarring, and, in my mind, badly weakens the story, which really lacks the compelling storytelling for which Alan Dean Foster is known.

It is fairly clear that this is novel is intended as a bridge to develop both the impending doom plot as well as several interesting returns to Flinx's past. Eventually, we will solve the puzzle of who and what Flinx really is, but it won't happen in this volume. Instead, this is one of those books you have to read if you want to get to where the series is going. Hopefully, once things settle down, the future will bear more fruit. In the light of that, you may want to wait for the next volume to appear before committing to this one.

This is out of nowhere.......2004-05-25

Let me start off by saying that I like the Flinx books, but I wouldn't give the entire series higher than a 4. There's nothing really deep here, but they're a fun read.

That said, this one is a fun read too, but the plot could really use some help. My problems with it include:

1: a group of fanatical assassins bent on destroying the universe. I have to say this seems pretty arbitary to me, since you'd think a group like that would have made an appearance before if they were going to be important.

2: He decides to look up Clarity Held, an old crush from Flinx in Flux. Granted, I haven't read that book yet, but it seems like Flinx has some other people who would be much more understanding and trustworthy than someone he only knew for a little while. What about Mother Mastiff, or Tse-Mallory and Truzenzuzex? This comes across as an awkward attempt to re-introduce a love interest.

3: Clarity's engaged to a nice-seeming fellow who suddenly goes on a jealous rampage, monopolizing the rest of the book. Um, Clarity seems like a sharp girl. You'd think she would have noticed a character flaw like homicidal jealousy before.

4: After everything Flinx has been through, the jealous madman finally gets the drop on him. Luckily however, old friends Tse-Mallory and Truzenzuzex happen to be in the neighborhood, and very randomly come to his rescue.

5: This one is a personal problem of mine. Tse-Mallory and Tru show up, rescue Flinx and Clarity, then promptly get shoved back offstage. Come on! I want to see more of these two!

All this amounts to a plot created out of non-sequiturs and deus ex machina. On the bright side, the characters are as much fun as ever. And we get to see a bunch of folks who haven't been around in a while, along with a promise of seeing more of them soon. For myself, I was content to borrow this from my public library, but I'd say it was worth reading once.

Flinx meets, well, everyone, and becomes the Fifth Element.......2004-05-10

I "panned" the previous Flinx book, _Reunion_, as being little more than a placeholder.

This one does a tad better, as it actually is something of a "reunion" with Flinx meeting up with several of the past favorite characters. Unfortunately, it's all pretty rushed.

And the story is being transformed to Flinx as an unwitting "Fifth Element" (ala Luc Besson), albeit without a Gary Oldham to play the central Zorg "bad guy." Well, actually, the "corporate VP" would have fit that fairly well, except that he's a too-easily vanquished monster that started the story masquerading as a thoughtful wannabe-fiance.

Did I mention that the story seems rushed?

I get the sense that Foster isn't really interested in Flinx anymore except as a salable franchise. There's a clear way to progress the story, because there's the "Fifth Element" thing; Flinx as the not-totally-understood weapon against the Ultimate Evil.

Unfortunately, the results aren't as engaging as the earlier books in the "Saga."

Average customer rating:
Flinx's Folly - Pip & Flinx Novel
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MVQ45C

Book Description

In Rediscovering the Kingdom, Myles Munroe challenges all Christians to examine their ideologies and concepts. This 40-day journal and study guide will guide you through this self-examination and put the concepts to the test.

Average customer rating:

Very good book on wok cookery, but not the best

Good Book by Worthy Author. Worth Considering

Easy, easy, easy and FAST.

Great book for delicious yet quick wok food

Ken Hom's Quick Wok: The Fastest Food in the East
Ken Hom
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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The Stir Fry Cookbook : 100 Fun and Fresh Recipes for the One-Stop Cook

ASIN: 0747222231

Book Description

Eighty fast, sure–fire recipes from one of the world’s leading Chinese cooks.

Customer Reviews:

Very good book on wok cookery, but not the best.......2004-02-05

I give Ken Hom's Quick Wok only four stars because it is a good book, but one should think twice before buying it.

A major warning sign is that it is a thin, oversize format book with lots of pictures and half the content for two thirds of the price of a `full size' cookbook. This consideration can be nullified by the fact that the book's contents are much better than the run of the mill oversize picture book if that were the whole story. A second consideration is that Ken Hom has a similar oversized many pictured book published at roughly the same time by Dorling Kindersley (DK) entitled `Foolproof Chinese Cooking'. This book is superior to the `Quick Wok' in many ways. First, the `Foolproof' book gives much more detailed recipe instructions and the many pictures are specifically dedicated to assisting in the communication of the recipe steps. Second, much of the introductory material in `Quick Wok' is duplicated in `Foolproof'. Thus, if one were interested simply in a good introductory book on Chinese cooking, the `Foolproof' book would be the one to choose.

There are some reasons to own both books. The `Quick Wok' book focuses not only on recipes done in a wok, but also recipes which are fast even by the standards of wok cooking, which are normally as fast or faster than a sauté in French style cooking. Another reason to consider this book is that wok cooking is not all about stir-frying. It includes deep-frying and steaming and the book even includes some dessert recipes done by steaming.

The major chapters on recipes in this book are:

Starters and appetizers
Soups
Fish and shellfish
Poultry
Meat
Vegetables
Noodles and rice
Desserts

Unlike the `Foolproof' book, the table of contents does not list the names of all dishes. Another strike against it.

There are two other observations, which may weigh on whether this is the book for you. First, since the theme of the book is fast cooking, there are a large number of prawn recipes, since these cook extremely fast. If you are not fond of shrimp, you may want to consider this. Second, while the pitch of the book is speed, I question some of the prep timings. I'm sure a professional chef can prep seven vegetables in 20 minutes, but I can't. I also discount the claim of fast cooking when the recipe involves a long marinade. That immediately discounts the recipe as suitable for a quick after work preparation.

There are tips in the back of the book on entertaining and menus, which have the feed of something being copied from some other work. They all appear to be common sense. I would go to Martha Stewart for more detailed recommendations. The photography and food styling are competent, but not up to the quality one would expect in an oversize format with lots of pictures.

The author has a great reputation in his field, but this is by no means his best effort. I recommend the contents of this book, but give some alternatives some thought as well.

Good Book by Worthy Author. Worth Considering.......2004-02-01

I give Ken Hom's Quick Wok only four stars because it is a good book, but one should think twice before buying it.

The major chapters on recipes in this book are:

Starters and appetizers
Soups
Fish and shellfish
Poultry
Meat
Vegetables
Noodles and rice
Desserts

Unlike the `Foolproof' book, the table of contents does not list the names of all dishes. Another strike against it.

There are tips in the back of the book on entertaining and menus, which have the feel of something being copied from some other work. They all appear to be common sense. I would go to Martha Stewart for more detailed recommendations. The photography and food styling are competent, but not up to the quality one would expect in an oversize format with lots of pictures.

The author has a great reputation in his field, but this is by no means his best effort. I recommend the contents of this book,especially if fast recipes are your major interest, but give some alternatives some thought as well.

Easy, easy, easy and FAST........2004-01-26

I bought this book looking to start trying some new Asian recipes. I had looked at a number of other books, but this was appealing for two major reasons:
1) Nothing required absurd amounts of prep time;
2) It has a variety of different recipes -- it's not just Chinese, Thai, etc.
It works on both fronts.

If you're totally new to Asian cooking or are looking to broaden your horizons, there's a lot of good information early in the book about types of ingredients you'll use (broken down into smaller categories such as sauces, spices, etc.) and a brief discussion of them. There's also information (short) on cooking techniques, equipment needed, etc.

If you're looking to do these recipes exactly, you may need to find an Asian market where you can get some things; many recipes call for Shaoxing rice wine and two types of soy sauce. The only place I was able to find these were at an Asian market - I tried every other grocery store around me before finding them there.

Finally, the recipes are great. My favorite so far is pineapple pork -- like most of the recipes, it takes only a couple minutes to prepare and tastes great.

Great book for delicious yet quick wok food.......2002-11-16

Only second best to Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison's "Wok fast," you'll find yourself thumbing this book very often for easy and fast wok dishes. It's also a good primer for those who have no inkling of what is what in Asian ingredients.

Average customer rating:

A Book full of information and Beautiful to look at!

Black Dolls: Proud, Bold&Beautiful

Black Dolls: Proud, Bold & Beautiful
Nayda Rondon , and Barbara A. Whiteman
Manufacturer: Reverie Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1932485120

Product Description

This stunning volume showcases more than 100 black dolls by 49 contemporary artists, including Americans Floyd Bell, Jennifer Canton, Richard and Jodi Creager, Marcella Welch and Goldie Wilson as well as international makers such as Brigitte Deval, Hildegard Gunzel, Philip heath and Annette Himstedt. In selecting the roster of artists for inclusion in the book, the authors Nayda Rondon, editor of Dolls magazine and Barbara A. Whiteman, founder and executive director of the Philadelphia Doll Museeum considered the originality and quality of each maker s work, and sought to provide an overview of this growing segment of the doll world. Ms. Whiteman s informative introduction and artist commentaries are well paired with Ms. Rondon s insightful biographies of each artist.

Customer Reviews:

A Book full of information and Beautiful to look at!.......2006-10-10

If you are a "real" doll collector, you would have this book not only in your personal library but as the centerpiece on your console. The photos in this book are so gorgeous you are left breathless---your heart starts pumping as you see even more artists that you would just love to have in your collection. These photos most definitely place doll making as an art form up there with the Monets of the world. Let's not forget the biographies that attach the photos. This book is not boring but a page turner. I love, love, love this book. I plan to give them as gifts so I can bring non-doll collectors to the bright side! Dorothy-Dandridge.com

Black Dolls: Proud, Bold&Beautiful.......2005-01-20

3 words to describe this book
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent.
This book is full of information. I have learned a lot about doll artist and other doll related information.
Thanks for such an wonderful, informative book.

Average customer rating:

not about machine knitting

Inspiring and Charming

NOT A BOOK ABOUT YOUR MACHINE

Fantastic! The best help I ever had with my machine.

Great for those that hate shaping on the machine

The Prolific Knitting Machine
Catherine Cartwright-Jones
Manufacturer: Interweave Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Sweater Design in Plain English

ASIN: 0934026580

Customer Reviews:

not about machine knitting.......2007-07-12

This book is about sewing garments from large pieces of knit fabric, but it isn't about machine knitting. You just as easily substitute hand knit fabric - or bolts of knit fabric from a fabric store - for any of the ideas in this book.

It's still a good introduction to cut-and-sew techniques if you don't know them already, but don't expect to learn anything about using the knitting machine itself.

Inspiring and Charming.......2007-03-21

I found this to be a charming informative guide to quickly knitting and sewing sweaters for any member of the family, without having to do elaborate machine shaping. No matter what machine, basic or elaborate, this book will instruct and entertain you at the same time. The illustrations are charming and fun. Machine knitting a garment should be fun, not boring and this can keep you chuckling while you are learning.

NOT A BOOK ABOUT YOUR MACHINE.......2003-05-11

This is a book that assumes you know and use your machine. The book is all about making your own patterns for artistic sweaters by measuring people etc. ...The cut and sew knitting that is explained is not a "New" technique. The book is all sweaters and Longer sweaters (coats) . I wanted a book that gave me advice on how to use my machine and other projects besides sweaters. Any Brother book will tell you about cutting and sewing your knitting into garments.
I thought it was waaaaaaay overpriced and not much help to me at all.

Fantastic! The best help I ever had with my machine........1999-02-08

The author poses a new twist on the art of knitting. When searching for answers to most knitting machine questions, I found more help here than anywhere else.

Great for those that hate shaping on the machine.......1996-09-06

The Prolific Knitting Machine is a wonderful guide for those of us that have knitting machines that are stored under beds or in basements. This guide explaines how to knit "fabric" and then using patterns, cut, serge, and sew complete garments -- while avoiding tedious shaping on the machine.

Book Description

That is the essence of Danny Seo's Conscious Style philosophy. As a leading environmentalist, Seo believes it doesn't take much time, effort or money to make a difference in the world.It's the small choices we make everyday-from what we wear to what we furnish our homes with-that have a tremendous impact. In this gorgeously illustrated book, Seo describes hundreds of unique, readily available products and easy projects to help you create a comfortable, elegant living space without harming the planet.In Conscious Style Home, Seo transforms his parents' suburban home. Recycled paint in gorgeous colors brightens the rooms; bamboo blinds allow plenty of natural light; simple white canvas and hemp slipcovers give sofas and chairs a face-lift; recycled glass tiles accent the bathroom; luxurious organic cotton sheets and fluffy comforters stuffed with EcoSpun (made from recycled bottles) make the bedrooms a sanctuary. So, whether you're planning to paint a wall, re-decorate a cluttered office, plant a garden, re-do the kitchen, or buy a new comforter, Conscious Style Home is an invaluable resource packed with easy projects, creative ideas and suggestions for enhancing your living space, indoors and out.AUTHORBIO: Danny Seo is the founder of Danny Seo Media Ventures, a cause-related lifestyle media company.He is also creator of Danny Seo Home, a line of stylish eco-friendly housewares and accessories.His particular take on style has been featured in People, The Washington Post, and on ABC's The View and The Today Show. His books include Generation React, Heaven on Earth, and most recently, Be the Difference.

Customer Reviews:

A very helpful book in this day and age.......2005-10-27

With soaring gas prices and heating costs, I wanted to find ways I can make my home more efficient and SAVE money, too. This book has lots of ideas and I am recommending it. It is useful and informative and easy to understand.

Who Knew?.......2005-08-10

First of all Seo is hilarious. I love the tongue in cheek approach saving the ecosystem and looking great while doing it.

On a serious note: This is a great book just on the level of helping you get organized about a renovation, clean-up or decoration project. It is full of great and easy ideas, presented in an entertaining way and well-organized. I am definitely not a hardcore eco-activist, but that's great thing about the book. Danny's suggestions are about doing things you were already going to do, but doing them right.

Well Balanced.......2005-08-08

Just as one of the implicit themes in this book is keeping everything well balanced, the book too, is well balanced. Mr. Seo manages to brew a richly roasted blend of humor, sensible ideas, updated recycling facts and most importantly, readability. As a person who has long struggled with ADD, a book that can keep my attention is a rare find. I was also surprised to discover that many things I was taught about recycling and the environment are simply no longer true. It certainly opened my eyes more and taught this old monkey some new tricks.

Danny Seo = Brilliant.......2005-08-08

Danny Seo has the rare gift of making daunting tasks seem possible, even easy. This book has so many idea gems that have changed my life - inspiring me to make both small and major changes in how I interact with the environment and my immediate surroundings. I eagerly await his next book as I'm due for more inspiration.

Great tips for a stylish new home!.......2005-06-23

This book is full of useful tips on how to incorporate this lifestyle into your own home. Mr. Seo offers suggestions and tips that allow someone to bring eco-living into their life on a small scale or a larger scale depending on your desire. I tried out some of the suggestions with my family and they loved it!! It is a great start to turning my home into a stylish eco environment - on a budget no less! Thanks for the great ideas!

Book Description

The highly innovative works of Tibor Kalman incorporated elements never before associated with successful design, but his advertisements, objects, videos, and editorial projects have become visual icons: a racially altered Queen Elizabeth, revolutionary watchfaces, Times Square installations, and more. T. Bor is presented in an artistic format that includes 30 high-quality postcards and a small book with commentary by the artist's wife.

Customer Reviews:

A Nice retrospective postcard collection.......2003-07-09

The postcards chosen for this book give a nice overview of Kalman's career. Once you have removed a postcard, you are left with a thumbnail view stub of that postcard's image. Each "stub" has quotes or interesting info about Kalman. The book and its construction follow in the vein of Kalman ( and M & Co.'s) work, using subtle quirky graphics and text.

Book Description

THE GIRL'S CLUB

They're young, they're beautiful, and they're changing the face of pop music with their dazzling talent and style!

Christina Aguilera: This GENIE IN A BOTTLE is making all her wishes come true!
Destiny's Child: THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL! With one Grammy nomination already, this group is headed for great things.
Jessica Simpson: This teen has A HEART OF INNOCENCE and a voice like an angel.
Blaque: TIME AFTER TIME, this group shows its got talent to spare.
Mandy Moore: Her voice is sweeter than CANDY, but her attitude's all heat.

Pop Princesses: The Dish Behind Today's Hottest Teen Divas

Average customer rating:

Pop Princesses: The Dish Behind Today's Hottest Teen Divas
Beth Peters
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVORD6

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