Amazon.com
Oscar Hijuelos's sixth novel, A Simple Habana Melody, is as much a love song to prewar Cuba as the "simple melody" at the center of the book. That tune, named "Roses Puras," was written by Hijuelos's protagonist, the aging composer Israel Levis, in the 1920s for his protégé and secret love, the singer Rita Valladares. The novel is set just after World War II, when Levis has returned to his childhood home in Havana after many years in Europe, at first in Paris, then in Buchenwald, where he was interned by Nazis who ignored the crucifix around his neck and focused only on his Sephardic name. The bittersweet feelings Levis bears toward "Rosas Puras" ("Beautiful Roses"), his best-known song, were further complicated when a German officer, who had gathered some musically gifted inmates for a concert, asked him to play this catchy old tune, unaware that Levis had written it. But this is not primarily a war novel; it is a novel of memory, a series of visits to the beautiful, vanished world of Levis's childhood and youth seen through the lens of his later suffering. Written with the same richness of detail, sensuality, and musicality of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1990, A Simple Habana Melody contains even greater emotional depth and narrative complexity. --Regina Marler
Book Description
It is 1947, and Israel Levis, a Cuban composer whose life had once been a dream of music, love, and sadness, returns to Cuba after being mistakenly imprisoned during the Nazi occupation of France.
When Levis arrives back in Habana, his mind returns to an unrequited romance with the alluring Rita Valladares, a singer for whom Levis had written his most famous song, "Rosas Puras." This 1928 composition became the most famous rumba in the world and changed American and European tastes in music and dance forever.
A love story -- of art, family, and country -- A Simple Habana Melody is a virtuoso performance from one of our most important writers.
Customer Reviews:
Literary and elegant.......2007-09-14
Few American writers write with the elegance of Oscar Hijuelos, particularly in the realm of fiction. This book succeeds in capturing with originality and sensitivity a culture, a particular personality, and a historical period. The prose is elegant and the mood is elegaic. For some North American readers, the main character Israel Levis may seem a contrivance or an implausibility because of his preciosity; however, I believe that's because it is difficult to appreciate the truthfulness of his experience and perspective on life without understanding the particular 'wing' of Latino culture from which he arises. I'd recommend that one learns a bit about the culture of the Carribean, Cuban culture, Latin American culture, and for that matter European culture prior to reading the book. It will help one appreciate the world of the story and the world of the character. Not to do so would be tantamount to reading a book like Angela's Ashes and having no knowledge of the existence of Ireland or Irish history and culture.
contrived and flat.......2007-04-16
We read this novel for Book Club, and all agreed that it did not live up to the glowing reviews. The characters were flat and unbelievable, the plot contrived. It's not that the situation could not have happened, but rather that the author wrote it clumsily, so that it did not come across as believable. In fact the heavy and clumsy writing detracted considerably from enjoyment of the book. The "subtitles" and translations in parentheses were quite annoying. None of us felt that there was any literary quality to the novel; it seemed more that Hijuelos was coasting on his reputation. If you want to read it, try the library first--I wouldn't recommend spending money on it.
A book of hidden gifts.......2006-08-25
I read "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love", and although I was impressed with the obvious writing skills of Hijuelos, I was also put off by the nearly brutal pervasiveness of its sexual content.
Still, I was willing to give Hijuelos another chance. I'm glad I did.
This is a quiet, thoughtful, subtle book. It captures the human condition in a way that raises the mundane successes and failures of life to the level of art. Not easy to do, since we tend to like characters in literature who go, boldly or not, to places and situations we will never see with our own eyes. By contrast, Israel Levis lives a life like all of us--marked not only by successes, but by the regrets of chances not taken and love not lived. Imagine a book where the character marks his life by the things he *doesn't* do--a book that devotes much of its time to...nothing. Now imagine that it all works.
Although it probably won't work for young readers. There's not enough "stuff" happening, and when it becomes clear that all that moodsetting is the actual story, I would guess a lot of young people will put it down and switch back to their television sets. But for those who are approaching middle age (or older), coming to grips with their own mortality, and starting to wonder how the great final slide will play out in their own lives, this is a book with hidden gifts. A fine book.
Two steps short of sublime.......2005-01-19
To this point I've found it difficult to separate Hijuelos's novels, all of which burst at the seams with humanity, sublime imagery, raw sensuality, and entrancing prose. HABANA MELODY does all these things too, but for the first time I found elements repetitive and digressive, even poorly edited. So while it still stands as one the best books of the year, I have to rate it a notch below the author's preceding and inseparable classics ... a small bump on Hijuelos's path to the Nobel Prize.
Solid craftmanship.......2004-08-06
The best I can say about this book is that it is wonderfully written. Hijuelos definitely is one of the best contemporary writers in America. Yet in this book he lacks his usual pace. Having read every one of his books, I must say this one was a bit disappointing. It has great lengths which could have been avoided. The fictous life story of Israel Levis also paints a picture of Cuba before Castro, which very few of us know about. Nevertheless it lacks a lot of substance. On some occasions - unfortunately - I had to drag myself through this book. I would not read it again, which I did several times with "Mambo Kings".
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A Simple Habana Melody
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1413215467 |
Product Description
"It is 1947 and Israel Levis, a Cuban composer whose life had once been a dream of music, love and sadness, is returning to Habana, Cuba, from Spain, where he has just recovered from the physical and spiritual malaise resulting from his experiences in Paris, then Buchenwald, during the Nazi occupation of France. (A devout Catholic, Levis had been mistakenly identified as a Jew because of his name.)" When Levis arrives back in Habana, after an absence of many years, his mind is reeling with beautiful memories of his life in Cuba and in Paris before the war, a life of pleasure and excitement that he owes, in part, to an unrequited, nearly "chivalrous" romance with a certain Rita Valladares, a singer for whom Levis had written his most famous song, "Rosas Puras," or "Pretty Roses." This 1928 composition becomes the most famous rumba in the world and changes both American and European tastes in music and dance - forever; and it is the song, symbolic of the composer's love for Rita Valladares, that sets Levis's life in Europe in motion.
Average customer rating:
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A Simple Habana Melody
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0965456498 |
Average customer rating:
- PAPERBACK
- An amazing read
- awsome
- Draconian Measures
- Will the draconians be able to live in peace?
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Draconian Measures (Dragonlance Kang's Regiment, Vol. 2)
Don Perrin
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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The Doom Brigade (Dragonlance Kang's Regiment, Vol. 1)
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ASIN: 0786916788
Release Date: 2000-12-01 |
Book Description
The regiment of draconian engineers featured in The Doom Brigade seek a safe haven for their precious cargo of young draconians. All they have to do is stay alive. Surely that shouldn't be too hard.
But Commander Kang puzzles over a sinister mystery. Why are some of his men vanishing? Kang will have to use draconian measures to defeat his foes and save his race. They'd better be enough -- the fate of his entire race hangs in the balance.
Customer Reviews:
PAPERBACK.......2007-07-09
FAST SHIPPING FLAWLESS TRANSACTION BOOK IN EXCELENT CONDITION WOULD BUY FROM SELLER AGAIN THANKS
An amazing read.......2002-06-02
"Draconian Measures" was a great book full of action, humor, and almost any other emotion that you can think of. This book is amazing. Kang's dracos have successfully found the female eggs and are now among some of their own kind.
But just when they think things are going right, events start happening that Kang and company seem helpless to stop. Someone has hired a huge army of goblins and hobgoblins that are bent on the draconians destruction.
This story is amazing and full of action and adventure. Don Perrin does an amazing job with Draconians. His writing style puts him up as one of the top Dragonlance authors. "Draconian Measures" is a fun, exciting, and smooth read. It is nice to see draconians portrayed as the good guys. This book is a must for any Dragonlance fan.
awsome.......2002-03-08
it was one of the best fantasy book i have ever read other than lord of thring sit has great chars. and has aot of plot twists, u should read the first bood first though
Draconian Measures.......2002-01-07
Draconian Measures definately lives up to its prequel, "The Doom Brigade". As with all Margaret Weis books, the writing is excellent, filled with great character and plot developement, intrigue, drama, and awesome fight scenes. Draconian Measures (as well as Doom Brigade) provides an actual look on the character and personalities of Draconians, instead of portraying them as brainless, feelingless, lizards like most other DL books. If you haven't already, buy both books; it's worth the money. I hope that Weis and Perrin write a third volume about the Draconians new civilization, to give some finality to the questionable fate of the Draconian race.
Will the draconians be able to live in peace?.......2001-07-06
"Draconian Measures" picks up after where "Doom Brigade" leaves off; the story follows the adventures of the First Dragonarmy Engineers lead by Kang. The draconians live in a world where they are pretty much hated by everyone, and the only thing these particular draconians want is a place of their own so they can live in peace. Unfortunately, someone is out to completely destroy all draconians, and it is up to Kang and his men to prevent that. "Draconian Measures" also introduces us to the female draconians whom Kang feels the need to protect at all costs. The females want to experience the world, but they have not been able to do that under the watchful eye of the commander. This book is full of action and sure to please any fan of the Dragonlance world. One thing that any D&D fans should note is that the statistics for the draconians are listed in the back of the book.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on March 21, 2002. The length of the article is 977 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Board laments Draconian cuts.(Schools)(Schools: Board and budget panel members say fairer measures must be found.)
Publication:
The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: March 21, 2002
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: B1
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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Draconian Measures: The History of FBI Political Repression
Ward Churchill
Manufacturer: Common Courage Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1567510582 |
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- All hail the Coyote Kings!
- Holy Moly!
- Smooth style, sharp wit, and food for thought.
- Bad Title, Wonderful Book
- A joy!
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The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad
Minister Faust
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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Binding: Paperback
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Life
ASIN: 0345466357
Release Date: 2004-08-03 |
Amazon.com
What do Edmonton, D&D, cannibalism, Star Wars, comic books, ancient African mythology, black culture, drugs, organic food, magic, and television shows have in common? They all play important roles in The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad, a zany, stylish, and fun novel. Coyote Kings, the debut by Edmonton writer, teacher, and radio host Minister Faust, has a large cast of characters but mainly follows two roommates--Hamza, a former graduate student who's been reduced to working as a dishwasher, and Yehat, a video store clerk who invents insane gadgets in his spare time. They're stuck in a rut of self-pity and going nowhere real slow when a mysterious woman shows up and seduces Hamza by quoting his favorite comics and sci-fi films. (The only problem: she may not be human.) Before long, the three are caught up in a quest for a magic artifact, but they're not the only ones. Arrayed against them is a wide assortment of characters--including an old romantic rival of Hamza's, drug dealers who peddle a mystical high, and a former Canadian Football League player with aspirations of immortality--all with their own plans for the artifact. The action takes the cast through the streets of Edmonton and to Drumheller, where an ancient, startling secret is revealed.
The originality of the plot of Coyote Kings is only half the appeal of the book. It's also strong on characterization--the story is told entirely in first person, from the perspectives of all the major players involved--and culturally hip without being pretentious. For instance, the characters are introduced with D&D-style character sheets listing their vital stats--Hamza's alignment is "SF (general), ST (original series), SW, Marvel, Alan Moore +79." You can't help but appreciate style like this, even if you're not a geek. But if you are a geek, it doesn't get any better than Coyote Kings. --Peter Darbyshire
Book Description
Hamza and Yehat are The Coyote Kings–best friends, one a disgruntled dishwasher and the other a video store clerk, but each brilliant in his own right. Yehat builds prototypes of space-age inventions in his spare time, while Hamza, a former English honors student who was kicked out of the university, writes lush, lyrical poems when he’s not blocked–which, these days, is nearly always.
When the gorgeous, mysterious Sherem shows up in E-Town decked out in desert finery, Hamza’s creative spark is ignited. Who is this sophisticated woman that speaks arcane African tongues, quotes from obscure comics and Star Wars movies, yet seems somehow too ethereal for the world Hamza inhabits? And what is the lost artifact that she and a cast of coiffed collectors and criminal cultists so desperately seek? As Hamza falls blindly in love with Sherem, little does he know that he and Yehat play the biggest part of all in the recovery of the ancient relic–and in the future of all living beings. . . .
Download Description
"In Hamza and Yehat, the author has concocted such a killer comic pair, constantly brawling but with a resolutely sweet loyalty to each other and to their scrappy, multiethnic Edmonton neighborhood, THE COYOTE KINGS could be twice as long and still be a blast to read. The pop-obsessed male-bonding of Kevin Smith mixed with the wit of Neal Stephenson, set to a Public Enemy soundtrack." -Kirkus Reviews
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
All hail the Coyote Kings!.......2007-09-08
What caught me first was the title. Inside it's still caught me. The SF references and the use of D&D-style character sheets to introduce/highlight the characters so totally is amazing/amuzing. Some of the SF & Gaming references are gonna be unfamiliar to the Mundanes. Not since Niven/Pournelle/Flynn's _Fallen Angels_ have I read a book that casts the SF/Gaming geeks as *heroes*! I would have read this book faster (it's a real page-turner) if it wasn't for the fact that I have 2 small children (4 & 15mos as of the writing of this review) who occupy most of my time. Minister Faust left us a little hanging at the end with a few untied ends.....but that's fine. Perhaps we'll see another one of the adventures of Hamza & Ye, the Coyote Kings in the near future
Holy Moly!.......2007-08-13
Wow. This book is absolutely fantastic. It moves, it jives, it slides and grooves. Fe Fe Naa Efe is the theme song, indeed. This book moves to a beat all its own with incredible characters, fantastic story, mysticism, magic, love, cannibalism, E-Town, Alberta, and, last but certainly not least, humour. This book should be required reading for any geek; it references so many things, known and unknown, it jumps off the page and smacks you right in the face like the smell of Category 5 Jimp.
Smooth style, sharp wit, and food for thought........2007-07-13
When I first ran into this book at the library, I just had to take it home. Any author with the stones to name a book "The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad" probably has the writing skill to back up the title. I was right. Minister Faust has undeniable literary skill. I don't believe that this book will ever end up on Oprah's book club list, and I prefer it that way. This book is one that opens your eyes to new possibilities.
Minister Faust is skillful in his mixing of different genres throughout this work. The characters are very aware of real-life current events, but it doesn't read like the author is trying to smack you over the head with any particular ideology. In fact, one of the strengths of this book is that it allows different moral inclinations to coexist without stamping a strong judgment on any of them. Faust reminds us that despite the fact that many in the world prefer to think in terms of black and white, there is plenty of gray out there.
Being a bit of a geek myself, I loved many of the geeky references (and character sheets) throughout the book. At times, though, I wished that there were some sort of "Pop Culture Reference Appendix" at the back of the book. For example, I had never heard of FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI, the Inventor Of Afrobeat, before reading this book. It's not that I don't want to know more. In fact, I'd love an easier way to delve into these references. I suppose that wikipedia does a good job filling in the gaps, but I usually read books when I'm away from the computer, and sometimes it's tough to keep a running list of "cultural references that I didn't get the first time around". I blame myself for not getting some of these references, since I grew up in the monogamous Midwest of the United States.
That brings me to another point- Minister Faust's description of Edmonton, Alberta is so compelling that I often wish that I could stroll those same streets and see life through the eyes of the Coyote Kings once again.
OK, I've ranted and raved, but I haven't even brought up the plot OR the characters.
The plot could be described as a mix of present day fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, allegory, and a sprinkling of romance, mixed up and baked into a delightful whole. Each of the elements feels right, though I never would have guessed the recipe before opening the book. The two main characters remind me a little of Dante and Randal from Clerks, insofar as each of them is mired in a dead-end job that doesn't truly define them, but allows them to search for fulfillment outside or their "careers".
Hamza and Yehat truly are a dynamic duo, and I'd love to read more about them if their adventure ever continues. Bravo.
Bad Title, Wonderful Book.......2006-04-08
Let's get this out of the way first: horrible, god-awful title! It screams that an amatuer wrote it. It belongs to some "self-published" book you find at the ComicCon, sold in a booth decorated by construction paper and duct tape. Awful, awful title.
But the book is amazing. In an age where pop culture sometimes becomes a plot in itself, Faust weaves science fiction and world mythology together in a highly entertaining, vividly stylized, and entirely engaging manner.
The characters are real, flesh and blood people who happen to fall into Sci-Fi genres. This is an accomplishment, since it would have been easy for Faust to just render his people as stereotypes or cardboard cut-outs you'd find trumpeting in dim-lit Sit-Com.
The allusions work, not just as clever refences but they also depict the emotional topography of the story. At the end of the novel, I actually was caring about both hero and villain.
As a side note, he got Edmonton right. I live 3 1/2 hours north of this grand city and it was neat to see Edmonton, one of the characters of the novel, depicted well.
Check it out!
A joy!.......2006-02-13
Every closet geek and every secret Trekker should read this book, but so should everyone who enjoys a stylistic tour de force. The characters are unforgettable, the slang infectious (I'll be calling chumps "jimps" for the rest of my life), and the whole thing is just incredibly charming. People say _I'm_ blatantly Canadian, but Minister Faust takes Canuck SF to a whole new level. E-town, here I come!
Book Description
This collection of essays by eminent traditionalists and contemporary thinkers throws into sharp relief many of the urgent problems of today.
Download Description
The Betrayal of Tradition is an anthology of essays which excavate the deepest roots of the spiritual crisis of modernity. It is controlled by several large themes: the loss of traditional metaphysical and cosmological principles which have been replaced by the pseudo-mythologies of modernity; the erosion of traditional religious and social forms; the triumph of a profane and materialistic scientism. Some of the essays are primarily concerned with an exposition of traditional principles which are contrasted with the prevailing ideas, assumptions and values of modernity, while others focus on particular problems and issues which are of immediate and urgent concern to thoughtful people everywhere-the desacralisation of work, the global ecological crisis and the destruction of indigenous cultures, for example. All of the essays in the anthology are informed by the sense, that the most pressing problems in the contemporary world are, in one way or another, related to "the betrayal of tradition", which is to say the loss of a living understanding of those principles and values which governed the traditional civilisations of both East and West. The distinctive nature of the anthology is to be found in the range of writers who consider the most urgent problems of modernity from a variety of perspectives. Behind the apparent diversity of these perspectives, readers will discern an inner unity deriving from the unanimous conviction that modern civilisation has lost its spiritual bearings and that a return to the timeless truths of tradition is a necessary condition for any recovery. The contributors to the anthology include not only eminent traditionalists such as Ananda Coomaraswamy, Titus Burckhardt and Frithjof Schuon but many well-known contemporary scholars and commentators such as Robert Aitken, Karen Armstrong, and Mary Midgley.
Customer Reviews:
"Traditionalist school of philosophy.......2006-05-16
was founded in its current form by the French metaphysician Ren? Gu?non, although its precepts are considered to be timeless and to be found in all authentic traditions. It is also known as Perennialism, the Perennial Philosophy, or Sophia Perennis. The term Philosophia Perennis goes back to the Renaissance, while the Hindu expression Sanatana Dharma - Eternal Doctrine - has precisely the same signification.
The other founding figures of the Traditionalist School were the German philosopher Frithjof Schuon and the Ceylonese scholar Ananda Coomaraswamy. To these were added over time such imposing figures as Titus Burckhardt, Huston Smith, Martin Lings, William C. Chittick, Rama Coomaraswamy, Marco Pallis, Whitall N. Perry, Jean-Louis Michon, Michel V?ls?n, William Stoddart, Charles le Gai Eaton, Tage Lindbom, Reza Shah-Kazemi and Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr."
I find this quote from Wikipedia to be helpful if your thinking about buying this book. The names speak for themselves. Most of these were a major influence on the philosopher Ken Wilber. I'll just leave it at that.
It might not be your cup of tea, but if you want to learn about Sophia Perennis this is a good place to start and to start only.
If you want to look at an in-depth study go with Traditionalism: Religion in the Light of the Perennial Philosophy by Harry Oldmeadow and Kenneth Oldmeadow.
Book Description
A witty and vividly remembered culinary memoir about how eating once was, and still can be, a joy.
Food has never been more exalted as part of a lifestyle, yet fewer and fewer people really know what good food is. Drawing on enough culinary experiences to fill several lifetimes, Gina Mallet's irreverent memoir combines recollections of meals and their milieus with recipes and tasting tips.
In loving detail, Last Chance to Eat muses on the fates of foods that were once the stuff of feasts: light, fluffy eggs; rich cheeses; fresh meat; garden vegetables; and fish just hauled ashore. Mallet's gastronomic adventures appeal to any palate: from finding the perfect grilled cheese ("as delicate tasting as any Escoffier recipe") to combing the bustling food department at postwar Harrod's for the makings of "an Elizabeth David meal." The search for taste often takes her far from the beaten path—to an underground "chevaline" restaurant serving horsemeat steaks and to purveyors of contraband Epoisses, for instance—but the journey is always a delight.
Customer Reviews:
A delectable memoir and history of foods.......2007-01-03
The author writes beautifully about her food experiences in post-war England and North America. She helped me understand why food in America, as a rule, just isn't as good as the food I've eaten in Europe. It has nothing to do with culinary skills, but rather that American culture truly does view food as death. We've been protected by FDA requirements and production standards, as well as market pressures right out of most of the taste of our foods. Unpasteurized Brie, anyone?
Excellent read, excellent information. A must read for any foodie.
Left, Right, and Center-Cut.......2005-09-06
Attempting to get a book published under the banner "people don't eat right"--even with great gobs of anecdotal evidence--would probably elicit little enthusiasm from potential publishers. Who wants to be scolded, especially about all those Big Macs you're tucking away? Ah, but wrap this theme around a weighty political or social commentary theme--say, people don't even know what food *tastes* like anymore and evil forces are conspiring to keep it that way--and you might have something to sink your teeth into. Consciously or not, Gina Mallet is in a scolding mood in "Last Chance to Eat" and while I appreciated her broadsides against food hypocrisy the barely-concealed "you people don't know what's good for you" tone was often hard to, well, stomach.
This perspective sours, for me, an otherwise superb extended essay on good, basic food and why we love it. The author is at her lamenting best when skewering nonsensical food regulation; the bit on a chapter dedicated to eggs (`The Imperiled Egg') displays in naked terms how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other bureaucratic dimwits drove the egg market to the point of extinction--for absolutely no scientific reason. This expose comes after a long paean to eggs in history, how gourmands from Escoffier to Julie Child have feted them, how wonderfully nutritious they are (eaten *properly*, of course), and segueing into their ill-deserved bad rap. Ms. Mallet's equally loving descriptions of beef, fish, cheese, and produce clearly show her love of The Real Deal; it's when she starts tut-tutting what's happened to the apparently glorious near-past of cuisine that she loses me.
Simply put, Mallet's gripes against her imagined food villains--the FDA excepted--hold little water (primary source references and research--not to mention footnotes--are nowhere to be found) and undercut the backside of her argument: that good food and "taste" are imperiled in our fast food/agri-business-dominated culinary wasteland. That a huge food conglomerate may strive to extend irrational bans on unpasteurized cheese, for example, might be no surprise. But to rely on "my friend Guy" as an authority (hey, he lives in *Paris*!) on the evils of big food business doesn't pump me with confidence. (For good measure we find Guy's politics are hardly confined to the food business: the cheese chapter culminates with a bizarre non-sequitor that importing can't be more diverse because according to him "this is all about trade." I've heard plenty of unsupported anti-trade arguments but this reaches a new low.)
The author uses a family narrative context--interspersed with interesting recipes--to present her arguments. This works reasonably well, though the uniqueness of her youthful experiences (daughter of a director of luxury hotels!) makes cozying up to her culinary perspective a bit difficult at times. Harder to swallow is the relentless "Philistine America steamrolling Noble France" subtext that I hope will even bore the French before too much longer.
Given how politically charged all our lives have become--from what we drive to what toilet paper we use--I appreciated Gina Mallet's attempt to stake out the high ground on food. (I like to think it's mine too.) When she stays optimistic--relating family stories, history, and her clear love of good food--I found her book very enjoyable and even inspiring. It's most of her pessimistic side--especially some very ill-informed economic rants--that drag down an otherwise intriguing effort.
Foodie must-read.......2005-04-01
Anthony Bourdain said it best when he said, "Gina Mallet is right about absolutely everything." What's even better about Last Chance to Eat, is that Mallet writes so well and entertainingly, while she's being right. This part-memoir, part survey of the modern Western food world (with all of it's tasteless horrors and rare delights) combines the best elements of the greats like M.F.K. Fisher and Elizabeth David with the growing desire to know what's in our food and how it came to our table. This is a foodie must-read and destined to be a classic.
- Malcolm Jolley, Publisher, Gremolata.com
Covers the history and problems of five popular foods.......2005-02-13
Where has all the good food gone, and what is the fate of food in the world? In the last fifty years 'food' has become associated with 'bad', with diets and the focus on weight and food nutritional value overcoming the prior focus on food affection. In Last Chance To Eat: The Fate Of Taste In A Fast Food World, Gina Mallet covers the history and problems of five popular foods: eggs, cheese, beef, vegetables and fish. Individual chapters narrow the focus to a cultural examination of the evolution of dishes around each of these ingredients - and changing perceptions about their health and value.
The very best of the food books out there.......2004-12-18
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in eating wonderful, exciting food which has not been tainted by the huge macro food business. Gina writes with a superb command of the English language and one can literally taste food she describes.
It is a touching, humorous great read and I think anyone who loves to eat and/or cook would be very happy to have this book.
Book Description
Miller's Collector's Guides is a series of books aimed at providing an essential introduction to varied and popular subjects for the budding collector. Reflecting the growing trend in the antiques market towards "collectibles" (small, often affordable items) these practical guides are filled with ideas on how to form a collection, what to specialize in, and how to identify objects. Often showing specially photographed items, these are guides no collector can afford to be without.
Customer Reviews:
Intriguing Intro to Blue and White.......2002-04-04
Lots of information and pictures, written in a breezy, informative, energetic style. I learned a minimum of one new thing on every page. I only wish there were more pages. The pictures are good but too small, as is the caption print. I don't understand why the English produce their outstanding guides to antiques in such small formats. Full of tips on how to spot subtle defects and repairs, and not-so-obvious features that can enhance or detract from value. The American edition has price information in US dollars. Get this book and read it and it will add to your enjoyment of your collection or get you started on one!
Blue & White Pottery.......2000-07-16
This book is set up to accomodate the beginning collector as well as the experienced. Found among its 64 pages are an introduction to blue and white pottery, guidlines for care and repair, a list of dealers, an index, a glossery, and suggested reading lists. Most of all the great color pictures and pricing guidelines make for interesting reading. Heavier cover and glossy pages make it a permanent part of a research library.
Book Description
Rug hookers will love The Secrets of Primitive Hooked Rugs brought to you by Rug Hooking magazine. Create the look of an antique primitive-style rug with author Barbara Carroll's complete hooking instructions and tips. Includes information on tools, design transfer, color choice, cutting, hooking, and finishing, close-up shots that show intricate details, and step-by-step instructions to complete a Woolley Horse Rug.
Customer Reviews:
Rug Hookers Rejoice.......2004-03-20
I can not believe all I did not understand about this art. This book is easy to follow, but well written. Well worth the price, I am glad I own a copy. Buy and use this book!!!!
Book Description
This comprehensive collection offers a wealth of fast, fun home decorating ideas that can be accomplished in two days or less on a budget. With step-by-step instructions and 250 photos and illustrations, the book guides readers through projects that can increase the convenience, beauty, and value of a home. Both seasoned remodelers and inspired novices learn how to revamp a wall or find a new solution for a simple window treatment, how to decorate a lamp or skirt an ottoman, or even double storage space with clever wall-mounted racks. Here are clear, concise plans for everything from bordered draperies and piped Roman shades to stenciled floor cloths and glazed walls to refurbished bar stools and crackle-finished sideboards. With both substantial projects like slipcovered headboards, and super-easy accents such as ribbon-trimmed lampshades, 52 Weekend Decorating Projects shows readers how to transform every room in the home without a decorator and on a budget.
Customer Reviews:
Great resource for DIY projects.......2006-05-18
I love ideas for DIY projects and enjoyed this book very much. It gives a few ideas each for furniture, windows, lights, accessories and more. Projects are rated beginner or intermediate level.
Average customer rating:
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Pressing On: The Graphic Work of Wilmer Jennings
Claude Elliot
Manufacturer: Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Graphic Arts
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Printmaking
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ASIN: 0911517685 |
Book Description
Pressing On: The Graphic Art of Wilmer Jennings is the first publication to examine a large body of work of Wilmer Jennings (American, 1910-90), who studied under Hale Woodruff while earning a degree from Morehouse College, Atlanta. Jennings then came to Rhode Island School of Design for further training as a jewelry designer, painter, and printmaker. He stayed in Rhode Island and designed jewelry for Imperial Pearl Company while continuing to work on his art. Jennings achieved artistic recognition primarily for his intimate wood engravings. He represents the third generation of African American artists active in the state.
Customer Reviews:
The Sexiest (and damn Luckiest) Psychedelic Siren of the Swinging 60's.......2007-01-24
There's alot of reading between the lines here.Michelle didn't write about John inviting both Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate ,along with the hob-nobing crashing Mansons.One night a segment of Mansons went prowling and crawling into the Phillips' home basement.Searching for the quartet's gold records,that along with musical fame, had so eluded Charles Manson.John heard something going on in the basement,and grabbed his shotgun.With John's known hot temper,it's amazing no blood was shed.John also had an address book,(mostly of old drug dealers for suppling),with some names scratched out.Those were the power-players who had screwed him over on various dopes deals.Next to the bogus and/or defunct addresses was the listed words,"PIG".Denny claimed that he and John were invited guests for an evening with Polanski's wife,Sharon Tate.Denny and John narrowly missed being sliced up for a satanic feast that night.The Manson's claimed the ritualistic slayings were apart of Charley Manson's Helter Skelter.Yet,the Mansons may simply have been the doped-up and brain-washed assassins of revenge for Frytek Frykowski's increasing involvement in international drug dealings,that went against the wishes of a fixed cartel of old Hollywood dope-dealers.In the Bible,in the 'passover' section it is written that the meaning of 'passover' refers to a destroying angel passing over the blood-sprinkled doors of the children of Israel.Many blood sprinkled and smeared words were left at the victim's houses.The word 'PIG' was smeared on the Polanski/Tate front door.And in ancient Mayan culture,the over-head doorway was smeared with the name of the murdered victim.Dr.George Hodel had a keen interest in Mayan culture and his L.A.mansion was built like a Mayan temple.-Michelle is also a friend of the daughter of an eccentric doctor,Dr.George Hodel.Hodel is still a prime suspect in the 'Black Dahlia'case and possible Zodiac mentor.Nowhere does she mention this.She does reveal much about her numerous affairs.She forgot to mention the time she tried to entice Rock Hudson,in 1977.She believed in his screen image,and did not know of his real preferences.I think she would have had better luck with the center-square flip,Paul Lynde. This is still an readable and interesting autobiography.Fate is on her side.
A Tale of Missing Values & Missing Parenting.......2006-12-31
Our nation has come to this, after 200 years? A minus-10 would be a more accurate rating.
A tale of drugs -- 'Acid 25' -- 'bad checks,' and casual infidelity. After Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Madison, Adams, President Jackson .......?
I will never buy these persons' product or 'music'-making, in any format. I could not, in good conscience, support the source.
To send your 17-year old daughter off to live with a 'room-mate' in San Francisco, who then takes up with a married man with children? (Today, he'd be on a 'predator list' on some website, if not arrested by the FBI for taking the minor female across state lines.) This young female was among the most beautiful produced by over 200,000 years of DNA effort among our tribe, and yet what was the outcome?
The values and behavior portrayed here are beneath our great nation, our people, and our family lines. This tale made me want to join EURO, or some such traditional values effort, and quickly.
With All This Drama, How Could It Fail?.......2006-07-29
When a celebrity chooses to write his/her own story without the aid of a collaborator, there is often a trade-off. The writing can be clumsy and inconsistent, but the sentiments ring authentic and true. Mama Michelle's memoir is just such a book.
Written (assumingly) in her own words, it is at times disjointed, repetitive, and overly simplistic. In places, I found it almost agonizing to read. But I reminded myself that the words were straight from the horse's mouth and, therefore, what it lacked in style it made up for in veracity.
Besides, Michelle had so much great material to work with, it was nearly impossible to go wrong: her unconventional childhood and family life; meeting the very married John Phillips; recounting their early days on the New York City folk scene; the incestuous, tempestuous dynamics of the quartet; and the swinging Southern California music scene in the Sixties. John and Michelle were in the eye of the creative storm, and their house in the Hills was the site of seemingly one continuous party, hosting film stars, rock stars, and everyone who was anyone at that time in our popular culture. With all that fodder, a titillating book was an inevitability.
Michelle looks back on those times with fondness. She is charitable when writing about her former partners. She admits her promiscuity and addresses sexual indiscretions without the book ever becoming seedy or exploitative. You sense that she is aware of how lucky she was to have been at the right place at the right time to have made such an enduring contribution to American music. And she is right.
Mama Michelle Sets the Record Straight.......2002-07-18
I have read the three definitive books on the history of the Mamas and the Papas (including "Papa John" by bandleader John Phillips and the recently published "Creeque Alley" by Matthew Greenwald) but the only book that really captured my interest and gave me a truly in-depth view into the Mamas and the Papas was the wonderful "California Dreamin'" by Michelle Phillips. I bought this book when it was first published in 1986 while I was in college. I had always loved the music of the Mamas and the Papas but I really never knew how the band got together, how their relationships fueled their music and why the group eventually disbanded. It's all here - Michelle's coming of age, her romance with John Phillips, the burgeoning New York folk scene, the first fateful meeting with Mama Cass Elliot, their vacation in the Virgin Islands and then on to California where they met record producer Lou Adler and the rest was history. I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the detailed images of what it must have been like to have lived during the late 60's - Flower Power, the hippie scene and the "Summer of Love". The relationships between the band members, especially that of Michelle and Mama Cass was especially riveting. They were very close and their friendship survived bitter jealousy and deception. I also didn't realize the impact the Mamas and the Papas had on that generation and all they accomplished in just 3 years - several hit singles, four successful albums, a Grammy Award for "Monday, Monday", sold-out concerts from The Hollywood Bowl to Carnegie Hall and their participation (and headliners) with the Monterey Pop Festival in the Summer of 1967. I loved Michelle's writing style - you felt the gamut of emotions from her budding romance with John Phillips, her humilation of being briefly fired from the group, her enthusiasm for being a part of one of the most successful pop groups in history and, finally, the pride of having been so fortunate to have been so resilient and "better off for all you have read". I know I was!
Mama Michelle Sets the Record Straight.......2002-07-18
I have read the three definitive books on the history of the Mamas and the Papas (including "Papa John" by bandleader John Phillips and the recently published "Creeque Alley" by Matthew Greenwald) but the only book that really captured my interest and gave me a truly in-depth view into the Mamas and the Papas was the wonderful "California Dreamin'" by Michelle Phillips. I bought this book when it was first published in 1986 while I was in college. I had always loved the music of the Mamas and the Papas but I really never knew how the band got together, how their relationships fueled their music and why the group eventually disbanded. It's all here - Michelle's coming of age, her romance with John Phillips, the burgeoning New York folk scene, the first fateful meeting with Mama Cass Elliot, their vacation in the Virgin Islands and then on to California where they met record producer Lou Adler and the rest was history. I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the detailed images of what it must have been like to have lived during the late 60's - Flower Power, the hippie scene and the "Summer of Love". The relationships between the band members, especially that of Michelle and Mama Cass was especially riveting. They were very close and their friendship survived bitter jealousy and deception. I also didn't realize the impact the Mamas and the Papas had on that generation and all they accomplished in just 3 years - several hit singles, four successful albums, a Grammy Award for "Monday, Monday", sold-out concerts from The Hollywood Bowl to Carnegie Hall and their participation (and headliners) with the Monterey Pop Festival in the Summer of 1967. I loved Michelle's writing style - you felt the gamut of emotions from her budding romance with John Phillips, her humilation of being briefly fired from the group, her enthusiasm for being a part of one of the most successful pop groups in history and, finally, the pride of having been so fortunate to have been so resilient and "better off for all you have read". I know I was!
Customer Reviews:
The short life of the Mamas and Papas.......1998-03-18
Michelle Phillips. now an actress primarily acting in TV movies and was in Knot's Landing, tells her version of the rise and fall of the group. Acid, sex and wild spending were part of the lifestyle of the Mamas and Papas, fired by the musical genius of John Phillips. Very interesting reading for those interested in this cultural phenomenon of the sixties.
Product Description
based on exclusive interviews with founding band members John Pillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty as well as colleagues John Stewart & Scott Mckensie ,this biography of America's quintessential 1960's band in summer of love
Average customer rating:
- A 'must' for any interested in California culture.
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Sleepwalk: California Dreamin' and a Last Dance with the '60s
Christopher Buckley
Manufacturer: Eastern Washington University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Boomsday
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Sky
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No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel
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Star Apocrypha
ASIN: 1597660124 |
Book Description
The West means more than just a direction to Christopher Buckley; it stands for dreams and possibilities that are supple, filled with color, and tinged with memories both comic and dark. This is a book about California life from the viewpoint of an adult who weaves loosely connected stories about Catholic school, fashion, cars, and music with smooth-flowing personal reflections on the particular qualities of the western ethos and experience. These reflections show how childhood follows us into adulthood, how the culture into which we are born sustains and directs us, and sometimes blinds us.
This is a beautifully written collection, vastly entertaining, and, for anyone who does not know the West, terrifically informative.
Customer Reviews:
A 'must' for any interested in California culture........2006-09-24
The California memoir SLEEPWALK: CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' AND A LAST DANCE WITH THE '60S provides essays which cover growing up in California during the late 50s and early 60s, written by an observer who comments on California catholic schools, fashion, politics and more. His memories follow his California life and blend cultural and social observation with autobiography in chapters that recreate compelling portraits of California lifestyle. A 'must' for any interested in California culture.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Average customer rating:
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California Dreamin
Doug Hall
Manufacturer: Quarry Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Rock
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ASIN: 1550822160 |
Average customer rating:
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California Dreamin: Camera Clubs and the Pictorial Photography Tradition
Stacey McCarroll , and
Kim Sichel
Manufacturer: Boston University Art Gallery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
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ASIN: 188145021X |
Book Description
Pictorial photography in the United States has been revived as a serious area of inquiry in recent decades, surviving the mid-century denigration it received as the photography establishment embraced a more modernist, "straight" photography, yet it is still under-examined. California Dreamin' uncovers the very active, yet relatively overlooked tradition of pictorial photography practiced in the context of camera clubs in California during the first half of the twentieth century. It gives Pictorialism, and specifically the West Coast Pictorial tradition, thoughtful attention, bringing together the work of well-known photographers who have secured a place in the photography canon--including Ansel Adams, Anne Brigman, and Edward Weston--with the work of still lesser known photographers--such as William E. Dassonville, Will Connell, Arthur F. Kales, William Mortensen, and Karl Struss. This book also includes relatively unknown photographers such as Fred Archer, Louis Fleckenstein, Louis Goetz, and Kaye Shimojima, who were nevertheless quite active as Pictorial photographers on the West Coast in the early twentieth century. The broad selection of images discussed, many of which have never been reproduced before, showcases the work of over forty photographers and attests to the visual power, complexity, and breadth of photography created in the camera clubs.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Sensible Sound, published by Sensible Sound on January 1, 2002. The length of the article is 449 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: California Dreamin'. (Carousel Corner). (sound recording review)
Publication:
Sensible Sound (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2002
Publisher: Sensible Sound
Page: 77(2)
Article Type: Sound Recording Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from E, published by Earth Action Network, Inc. on August 1, 1994. The length of the article is 4494 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
From the supplier: The California Air Resources Board has told automakers that 2% of vehicles must be emissions-free, primarily electric, by the year 1998. The industry has resisted this plan and there is some concern that they will seek to sabotage the development of clean cars.
Citation Details
Title: California dreamin'. (state mandate to produce emissions-free automobiles; includes related article)
Author: Jim Motavalli
Publication:
E (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 1994
Publisher: Earth Action Network, Inc.
Volume: v5
Issue: n4
Page: p27(8)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Commonweal, published by Thomson Gale on March 9, 2007. The length of the article is 1097 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: California Dreamin'.(Book review)
Author: Thomas Baker
Publication:
Commonweal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 9, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 134
Issue: 5
Page: 29(2)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Books:
- A Tidewater Morning
- A Visitation of Spirits: A Novel
- Acting Religious: Theatre As Pedagogy in Religious Studies
- Adrift in the Pacific: Two Years Holiday
- After 9/11: A Korean Girl's Sexual Journey
- All Over Creation
- Any Small Thing Can Save You: A Bestiary
- At the Full and Change of the Moon
- Awakening Mercy (New Spirit)
- Babylon Sisters: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
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- Circles of The East : Quilt Designs from Ancient Japanese Family Crests
- Critical Issues in Restorative Justice
- Bulldog Champions, 1996-2002
- The Complete Color Harmony: Expert Color Information for Professional Color Results
- Architecture and Geometry in the Age of the Baroque
- A Body in the Bath House
Empress of the Splendid Season
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love: A Novel
The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien
Our House in the Last World
A Year and a Day: A Novel
