Corina's Way: A Novel

Average customer rating:

3.5 Stars a little better than ok

Way Way Out Corina's Way

Kennedy Toole this isn't.

A great book

A great book...especially if you love New Orleans

Corina's Way: A Novel
Rod Davis
Manufacturer: NewSouth Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1588381293

Book Description

The spirit world of New Orleans incubates a volatile and offbeat mixture of religion, politics, race, and fate in this latter-day parable of the interaction of a man adrift in life and a woman rooted in her faith. As efforts by Corina Youngblood — Christian minister, voudou priestess, and botanica proprietor—to stop the construction by a former Cuban padrino of a SuperBotanica, a "Wal-Mart of spiritual supplies," begin to founder, she finds accidental alliance with Gus Houston, Acting Chaplain at a prominent girls' prep school in the Garden District. Despite a calamity in the Gospel Tent at Jazzfest and a cost to her family, she emerges victorious in the struggle. Thanks go to her Jesus, and her santos, as they have all her life, for such is her way.

Customer Reviews:

3.5 Stars a little better than ok.......2007-07-08

This was an interesting read, although not exactly what I expected. It was believeable and a bit humorous too. The characters are a bit strange ...all of them, and its worth it to see what happens. I agree with one of the other reviewers that once you start reading, you won't want to put it down.

Way Way Out Corina's Way.......2003-11-14

Before you start reading this book, I highly recommend that you check your calendar and find a stretch of time that will enable you to read it cover-to-cover without interruptions (okay, okay, allow breaks for water, bathroom, and to catch your breath). Because, I guarantee you, you won't want to put it down once you dig in.

It's evident that Mr. Davis has spent a lot of time in New Orleans, as he picks you up and drops you, slap-dab, in the middle of the Big Uneasy with its torpid coulees and backstreets, offbeast (some would say weird) characters, its rich standing in music history, and its twisted sense of being on the outside of a biosphere that houses 21st Century America.

His characters are as real as your neighbors, only they're unforgettable, and you wouldn't want them living next door. There's Corina Youngblood, a sexy, Pentecostal spiritualist cum Voudou priestess who is part Mother Theresa, Part Marie Leveau; Gus Houston, who conned hs way into the job of acting chaplain at a Catholic (what else?) girl's prep school and gets so wrapped up in the con that he becomes his own victim; Elroy Delgado, Cuban expat with dreams of becoming the Sam Walton of botanicas; and for good measure, there's a sleazy politician, an inept assassin, a fiery and beautiful Latina and a gospel sing-off.

If you've never heard of a botanica or a gospel sing-off, you've got two choices: hop the next plane to N'Orlenz or read this book. I recommend the latter: it's less dangerous and a lot less hassle, and a lot more bang for your buck.

Kennedy Toole this isn't........2003-10-07

I picked up this book because of Kennedy Toole's name and New Orleans were on the book cover. When I read that the main character, Gus, gets his chaplin job through a lie and a lark I thought I was in for some fun. About halfway through I realized I'd been had. The characters were one dimentional and the author was pushing them around where he wanted them to go, rather than be lead through the story. I thought there was great potential for some humor with Cuban brothers who wanted to open a Wal-Mart version of a botanica. But the humor never came. I kept waiting and thought the Jazz fest scene would finally deliver a gag but no luck there either. If you are expecting Ignatious Riley type illusions and charm then you won't be happy with this choice. If the book had been billed as a tragic drama I'd have been more impressed.

A great book.......2003-07-28

Bourbon St., Mardi Gras, etouffee...every tourist who visits New Orleans likes to think he's experienced the "real thing." But almost no one really understands the city--the one place in American where the races (black, white, brown, what have you) actually commingled and carved out a culture that celebrates the best of its disparate influences. Author Rod Davis is the exception to the rule. He brilliantly explores New Orleans' multi-cultural world in "Corina's Way," a transcendent novel about love, voodoo, Gospel singing and yes, even Jazz Fest. Reviews of Davis' book have compared him to Southern literary icons Walker Percy and John Kennedy Toole. That's heady company, but Davis has done something even more unique. Percy and Toole wrote about white protagonists like themselves, and they never explored the world of black or mixed-race people. Davis dives into that world with both feet first and writes a novel that opens our eyes to other worlds. "Corina's Way" is a great book.

A great book...especially if you love New Orleans.......2003-07-28

Bourbon St., Mardi Gras, etouffee...every tourist who visits New Orleans likes to think he's experienced the "real thing." But almost no one really understands the city--the one place in American where the races (black, white, brown, what have you) actually commingled and carved out a culture that celebrated the best of its disparate influences. Author Rod Davis is the exception to the rule. He brilliantly explores New Orleans' multi-cultural world in "Corina's Way," a transcendent novel about love, voodoo, Gospel singing and yes, even Jazz Fest. Reviews of Davis' book have compared him to Southern literary icons Walker Percy and John Kennedy Toole. That's heady company, but Davis has done something even more unique. Percy and Toole wrote about white protagonists like themselves, and they never explored the world of black or mixed-race people. Davis dives into that world with both feet first and writes a novel that opens our eyes to other worlds. "Corina's Way" is a great book.

Book Description

A WORLD OF MODERN MECHA AND MAGIC

Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane, and Mokona venture to the Hanshin Republic to find one of the missing pieces of Sakura’s memory, transformed into magically powerful feathers. There, Syaoran meets his “Kudan”: a fierce wolf-spirit whose fiery power mirrors Syaoran’s personal strength. But with foes like a pop idol who sings words of pain, Syaoran’s hunt for feathers is no child’s game! Even if he finds the feather, will Sakura ever wake up from her magical sleep? And since Syaoran bargained away their relationship in a pact with a witch, can their love ever return to the way it was?

Includes special extras after the story!

Customer Reviews:

Tsubasa.......2007-06-15

I've been reading "Tsubasa" for a while now, and while I'm not crazy about it like some, I still enjoy it pretty well.

The art is beautiful- some of CLAMP's finest. It's flowing and soft, and there are plenty of money-shots to gawk at. The characters' facial expressions have great subtlety of emotion, better than any other manga I've read.

The plot is all right. It's a bit hard to judge it, because it's so segmented. There are certain arcs that are interesting, but overall it's sort of repetetive and dragging. It starts to pick up around volume 13, but some people might not want to wait that long.

The characters are a mixed bag. Syaoran and Sakura's personalities have been watered down a lot. Syaoran is determined and of course wants to help Sakura, just like in CCS, but here, he's lost that bit of arrogance he had. It makes his character one-dimensional. Sakura is still sweet, but she's lost her optimism and her take-charge attitude. She doesn't fight anymore and is always having to be rescued by Syaoran. Mostly, she sulks about being a burden to the rest of the team. She does help out where she can, but she's there pretty much to be cute. The romance between Sakura and Syaoran suffers too. The build-up in CCS was sweet. I liked the gradual change from rivals to friends, and then to something more. That's gone in "Tsubasa". The relationship consists of a bunch of too-sweet childhood memories and rescuing on Syaoran's part, and a lot of thankfulness and admiration on Sakura's. The characters that really interest me are Kurogane, the hot-tempered samurai, and Fai, the mild-mannered magician. These two have a lot more personality and depth.

Let's face it- "Tsubasa" is based on a gimmick. The whole point is to see the different CLAMP characters make their appearances, and if you really like CLAMP, it'll be enough to hold your attention. I enjoy it despite its flaws. But if you're want a good story and character development, you might want to look elsewhere. Still, the art alone almost justifies the purchase. Don't get me wrong, the plot and the characters are ok, but they're nothing special. If you want a better manga by CLAMP, try "xxxHolic".

An epic begins.......2007-06-12

First of all, let's deal with the elephants in the room. Is this massive crossover including star turns and cameos from most of CLAMP's most famous works a love letter to their favorite characters or a cynical bid to milk their cash cows? The answer is probably somewhere in between. Do you need to read all of CLAMP's works beforehand? Of course not - but the more inside references that you're aware of the more you'll probably like Tsubasa, and certainly you should probably have read Cardcaptor Sakura beforehand and should probably follow the companion series xxxHOLIC alongside it.

With that out of the way, on to the story itself. The lives of alternate universe teenage versions of beloved Cardcaptor characters Sakura and Syaoran are turned upside down when Sakura is suddenly stricken with a mysterious condition - her memories have been turned into feathers and scattered to different dimensions. The girl will die if the feathers are not retrieved, so they are sent to xxxHOLIC's Yuko (in this dimension) for aid, as she is the only one with the power to consistantly jump dimensions. Even with paying the price of that most precious to them - their shared memories with eachother - it's still not enough to allow Yuko to grant them multiple jumps. Therefore, she suggests combining payment with two other travellers who also desire dimensional jumps and who couldn't be more different from eachother: Hot-tempered, macho ninja Kurogane, who was exiled for willfully ignoring the order of his princess (the alternate universe Tomoyo from Cardcaptor) to refrain from using deadly force to protect her and has given his precious sword as payment; and fey, coolheaded magician Fai, who we first see leaving a massacre for which he may or may not be responsible and has given use of his magic in payment. While Kurogane is adamant that he wants nothing to do with the others and Fai airily claims he'll be happy to help the kids out as long as it doesn't put him in danger, it's quickly obvious that the children's plight has gained the sympathy of both men although they have their own problems. So with an unconscious Sakura and two adult guardians, Syaoran begins his journey - knowing full well that even if Sakura recovers her memories of him can never be returned...

So far, the story is off to a good start. It's fun seeing the Cardcaptor characters (as well as some others) again; and the inclusion of Kurogane and Fai give the story just enough new elements. I'm eager to see what direction it will take.

Give this a chance - it only gets better!.......2007-04-07

I almost missed out on this one. After having just finished the Cardcaptor Sakura manga series, I opened this at the bookstore and thought 'Meh.'
However.
Sometimes you have to give something a second chance. This is one of those times. I was completely turned off by the sketchy style drawings and the fact that it was some kind of crossover type story. I mean, this was really hokey, right? A needless plug for other Clamp series that we can all see coming a mile away.

Couldn't be more wrong. Once you start reading this story, by the 3rd volume, you know you're on to something big. By 12 or 13, you can't believe that you could have missed out on it because of a snap judgment.
This is just one of those things that takes some adjusting to. I adore Clamp. I loved the art style in X 1999 and Rayearth. I was a little put off at first by the art in this story because it appears to be simpler and the story is a little bumpy at first. But believe me, it gets better, so please try it once more if you threw it away in disgust.

I am now up to volume 18 (Japanese release) and I can only say I'm amazed at Clamp's ability to pull something like this off. Most artist/writers who try crossovers end up failing because it's usually campy and stupid. In this case, it becomes vital to the storyline and if you've read some of Clamp's other series, it's like having a reunion with an old friend. For example, (spoiler alert) you get to see some of the cast from x 1999, both in peace time situations, and also in the Armageddon setting that the manga x 1999 never got around to. Since that manga is unfinished, it was great to get something more on those characters and it really has huge emotional impact. By the time you run across this world, you care about the current manga characters and just get a kick out of seeing Kamui interact with Kurogane. Awesome! Even better is when Kurogane faces off against Fuma. You don't need to know any more, do you?
Give this a shot, you won't regret it!

Very good.......2007-03-19

For all manga fans this book is a must according to my daughter. She loves the story and the quality of the drawings. She is very happy with this purchase!

Everything OK!.......2007-03-19

My daughter already knew the book that why she wanted to have it. She loves the story and the quality of the drawing. Buy it you will be satisfied!

Average customer rating:

Tsubasa Volume 2 : RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
CLAMP
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVCTGI

Customer Reviews:

Star Travel and More.......2004-09-15

I only had read this book from the series, in fact until I looked it up I didn't know there was a series. This book is set that the 2 main characters don't know they are aliens or even that they are siblings at the beginning of this book. Then they find each other, but both had always felt they were different from other people. They can use "mind-speech" to talk. In the end they fiddle with an amulet that sends out a call, and at the end a spaceship appears. The book ends with the 2 aliens assuming they have been rescued, but it doesn't actually tell of the spaceship's inhabitants or its mission.

I don't know if the whole series would be as good, or even if it continued. But I think that for young teens and preteens it is a good sci-fi book for light reading. It doesn't dwell on details or explanations, instead it is fixed upon the characters' feelings on their discoveries and events that happen. So it could be a good book to begin an interest in science-fiction/star-travel books and the questions they deal with: like advanced technology versus a primitive society.

Average customer rating:

Good premise, but flawed
The Skyborn

The Skyborn
Paul Collins
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Earthborn

ASIN: 0765312735
Release Date: 2005-10-13

Book Description

After the crash of the ship Colony, fourteen-year-old Welkin was left for dead on the inhospitable landscape of a ravaged Earth. Rescued by a gang of Earthborn, Welkin proves his value and becomes a trusted member of the Family. But existence is still hand to mouth. The nuclear-ravaged landscape is hardly more than a vast wasteland. Dangers from bands of mutants threaten continually, as does the ominous presence of Colony itself. Inside the grounded starship Skyborn inhabitants feed on their hatred of the Earthborn. When on routine patrol a Colony scout is captured by the Family, he reveals a secret: authorities onboard Colony have regrouped and mean to launch a final assaultto rid the Earth of the savage Earthborn for ever. But even Welkinarmed with his knowledge of Skyborn ways and methodscould never have been prepared for what he finds.

Customer Reviews:

Good premise, but flawed.......2006-04-21

Premise and plot: A huge ship, "Colony," left Earth to colonize a planet orbiting the star Tau Ceti, but returned three hundred years later and crashed near Melbourne, Australia. The crew (the "Skyborn") have a rigid, hierarchical society, and see themselves as being superior. Meanwhile, those who remained on Earth (the "Earthborn"), have experienced a sub-Apocalyptic holocaust, famine, rampant disease (including widespread progeria, that causes death, by old age, before age twenty-five), and have, for the most part, declined into nomadic clans, savagery, and barbarism. The Skyborn view the Earthborn as a plague to be eliminated, so that the Skyborn can colonize Earth and start over. A small band of Earthborn and exiled Skyborn dissidents, who are trying to establish a peaceful farming community, find out about the Skyborn's plague-elimination plan, and move to disrupt the plan. Meanwhile, an Earthborn religious fanatic, tries to usurp power over the peaceful farming community.

Commentary: These are the seeds of a very interesting action-adventure story. The strengths of the book are its action sequences, the different ideologies described, and the relationships between the characters.

However, there are many more flaws than strengths. First of all, this is the second book in a series and, when an author writes a sequel, he or she has several choices: present a recapitulation section, like a preface; have the continuing characters describe their "history" to new characters, and thereby enlighten the reader; write the book in a way that it can stand alone; or, do none of the above, and leave the reader floundering to figure out who is who, what is what, etc. Mr. Collins used the last option, and the reader will be quite lost, for at least the first third of the book, unless the reader has recently read the preceding book, "The Earthborn."

Next, I have never read a book wherein there is as little physical description of the characters, as there is in "The Skyborn." I did not read "The Earthborn," and maybe the descriptions are there. I read all of "The Skyborn" and have very little mental imagery of the characters.

This book is identified as being for Grades 8 through 11, or ages 13 through 17. Much of the story does fit that age range, and readers in that range will identify with many of the characters, as the rampant progeria has left teenagers as the main people in control on Earth. However, there is a fair amount of highly technical jargon, in physics and genetics, that will test the limits of understanding of many adults.

My biggest age-related concern though was the rampant violence and minimal remorse. You might be thinking now, "Well, the bad guys are supposed to be mean and cruel." I was referring to the Good Guys as much as to the Bad Guys. When the protagonists are on the way to sabotage the genocidal scheme of the Skyborn, the protagonists slaughter a group of "cavers" (cave-dwelling clan members) and a group of "the Penitent" (cave-dwelling religious extremists). And, our heroes show very little compunction, reluctance, or remorse, about killing dozens of people. True, it was defensive, but they just didn't seem to care that many people ended up dead.

The bottom line is that this book has a good premise and some strengths, but the myriad of flaws drops the overall quality to mediocre.

The Skyborn.......2006-04-09

Starscape, Tor Books.
271 pp.

The Skyborn is a science fiction novel that presents a vision of the future that is startlingly relevant and intriguing sequel to The Earthborn. Set in an Australia (Melbourne) of the future that has been devastated by war and disease, The Skyborn picks up the story of Welkin Quinn, a former Skyborn himself who found a home among the Earthborn after being separated from the colony ship that had carried him back to earth. But his new found family is under threat by the Skyborn who are determined to rid the earth of its inhabitants.

This is a book that asks big questions about genocide and colonisation but it is also a vastly entertaining narrative that never flags. Paul Collins makes you care about these characters and it is that caring that makes the issues this book addresses all the more chilling. There are concepts in this story that are not easy to read or to think about but it is such a compelling tale that you will read on anyway and it is a journey well worth making.

The Skyborn is an excellent story, above everything else and I would have no hesitation about recommending it to a very large number of people. Because it's always excellent to share stories like these.

Olive Rish reviews for Educare.

Average customer rating:

Skyborn: Omni #3
Marcia Kruchten
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PB2PY8

Customer Reviews:

Great book, but annoying too.......2003-03-29

The author does a good job of presenting the Toltec path for those who might otherwise struggle with the writings of Carlos Castaneda.

He claims to have met "Don Juan". I won't comment there, perhaps it was a vision, perhaps Castaneda only had a vision. Perhaps Don Juan met a lot of people (I've met a lot of people, why shouldn't he?). The quality of the work stands above and beyond such things.

However, one thing that was a major turn off was that the author changed a lot of the Castaneda terminology so it would be "politically correct". Personally, I think that the term "ranger" sounds pretty dumb. The terms "warrior" and "stalking" reflect and suggest the strong link to death that runs very strong in the Toltec world. Are we really only "tracking" power? Do we just want to see were it has been so a real "stalker" can capture it for us because we're a bit to PC for the job? :P

Why "pretty it up"? This annoying feature couples with what I found to be a bit too much of a "joy joy" New Age and PC perspective. I suppose the author isn't just redoing Castaneda, and offers his own perspective. Frankly, this addition isn't appreciated. What I loved so much about Castaneda was the "no bs" grit of the perspectives offered there. Castaneda kept it real and this author does harm in my opinion by bending the system like he does. I'd rather have seen him simply offer his own view of the Toltec universe without the references to Don Juan or Castaneda and thereby sully them by association. Either you have the ethos to do it on your own or you ought to submit something more in the spirit of those whom you want to represent.

Oh well, otherwise, it's a comprehensive introduction to the world of the Toltec "sorcerers" found in Castaneda's books (my apologies for saying a bad word).

5 stars for a comprehensive and readable job, 1 star for the patronizing PC goop that pervades this book. I'm weighting the content, and simply plugged my nose when I had to, so 4 stars.

On the bandwagon.......2001-06-08

I too should write a book like this and jump on the fantasy bandwagon. I know as much as Ken does about Castaneda, his book is a rehash of the Castaneda books and says nothing new. Why pretend you knew Don Juan. The book is full of ego and self importance and is completely opposite to the teachings of Don Juan.

Ken, you're supposed to lose self importance not inflate your ego even more.

Excellent overview of Toltec philosophy.......2000-11-10

Writers like Victor Sanchez and Ken Eagle Feather are valuable because they help to clarify, codify, and make practical what don Juan has taught through Castaneda's books. Although on the one hand, it's ultimately a barrier to further growth if you try to make something into a philosophy with certain dogmatic strictures, on the other hand, I found Castaneda's books hard to apply to my own life, until I started reading books by other Toltec writers.

I believe Ken Eagle Feather has a superb handle on these concepts and he does a good job in conveying what they mean.

On a side note, I don't believe book reviews should descend into personal name-calling. Frankly, a lot of Castaneda's stuff could be labeled New Age crap too, and has been done so by various anthropologists and others who have investigated his life. It depends on your point of view, and what you find valuable. What is real? The point is, even if don Juan was not real, how valuable was Castaneda's portrayal of him? How much could you learn from him? Ask Native cultures about the value of stories that cannot be independently verified or seem "unreal." The same, then, applies to Eagle Feather: Even if you don't believe that he has been taught by "the man" don Juan, how much can you learn from what he's written?

Now, in other books Eagle Feather does delve into things like chakras and out-of-body experiences and chanelling, based on his experiences with the Monroe Institute. Depending on how much credibility the author his built with you, and how much stock you put into those phenomena, that will bias you one way or the other. Personally, I feel that his corroboration of various Toltec concepts through diverse explorations only adds to the validity of this material.

Put simply: "A Toltec Path" is an excellent handbook for learning about the way of the warrior. It is not, as Eagle Feather himself says, a replacement for Castaneda's works. Instead, it's a complement, a sort of Cliff Notes, and a very comprehensive one at that. Indeed, I appreciate having all of the major concepts in one place.

Moreover, I'd have to say that I'm not actually a huge Castaneda fan, I've read less than half of his books. But through neo-Toltec writers like Sanchez and Eagle Feather, I feel that I've taken advantage of the available information and used it in my own way to help craft my own path. And that is invaluable.

I highly recommend this book.

don Juan lives on..........2000-05-01

I found this book to be extremely helpful in understanding the Toltec path. It is an incredible reference book for don Juan's teachings. I have read many of Castaneda's books, and this one adds to the richness of the Toltec lineage. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in becoming a warrior-seer.

An entertaining work of ficton.......2000-02-23

Don Juan has certainly gotten around and has many newly discovered apprentices inculding Mr. Ego feather...He has jumped into one "new-age" fad as an expert then another..go figure...

Average customer rating:

Good but not great

Inspirational and full of ideas

Snack on this

Buy it

More Than Just Snacks

1001 Snacks: For Instant Gratification
Gregg R. Gillespie
Manufacturer: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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1001 Cookie Recipes: The Ultimate A-To-Z Collection of Bars, Drops, Crescents, Snaps, Squares, Biscuits, and Everything That Crumbles

1001 Muffins, Biscuits, Doughnuts, Pancakes, Waffles, Popovers, Fritters, Scones and Other Quick Breads

1001 Chocolate Treats: The Ultimate Collection of Cakes, Pies, Confections, Drinks, Cookies, Candies, Sauces, Ice Creams, Puddings, and Everything Else Chocolate

Grazing: Portable Snacks and Finger Foods for Anytime, Anywhere

ASIN: 1884822975

Customer Reviews:

Good but not great.......2007-09-29

I have been searching for a cookbook similar to this for some time. While many cookbooks offer a section on appetizers, or "snacks" as it were, they're generally limited to a small percentage of the book or too "foo foo" for my tastes. While there are quite a number of recipes in this book that don't whet my appetite or that I find downright gross, there are also a fair number that are interesting and/or inspirational. They also really run the gamut from rather effortless preparation to "do I really like these people enough to expend all this energy?" Rather than serving the same old, same old, it's nice to have a cookbook to look at for something a little different.

Inspirational and full of ideas.......2006-01-22

I agree with another reviewer that the recipes could use suggestions for alternative ingredients and yet the book is still inspirational.

I realize that a lot of the recipes are obvious and practical. The book includes some recipes that are very exotic in their origins. It inspires me to make the things that I've been thinking of making and yet when I finally have the time, it isn't obvious to me what I wanted to make, so I'll flip through this book and I'm reminded of some things I want to try.

Snack on this.......2005-10-16

Well, I'm not sure what the tastes of previous reviewers are, but they certainly are not aligned with mine. Thank goodness I checked this out from the library instead of immediately ordering it. I was appalled to discover how absolutely disgusting many of the recipes sound. To give you an idea: "anchovy balls," "cooked tongue canapes," and "mayonaise popovers" (the poor Brits would be dying a thousand deaths over what has happened to their beloved Yorkshire puddings in this recipe). Fancy a recipe for chicken skin? Because it's in here!

Many recipes favor 70s recipe stars like white bread (read: Wonder Bread), "American processed cheese," cream cheese balls and the equivalent of Vienna sausages. My stomach trembles. And then there are the Duh, Obvious "snacks" like toast (!!) or my personal favorite, a "recipe" for a hot dog and a piece of wonder bread wrapped around it. There clearly must have been a struggle to reach the 1001 total. I also had a good laugh about how often the word "Oriental" is used in a recipe's title -- dude, please, escape 1971 and enter our new century.

Buy it.......2001-01-01

I stumbled onto this little goldmine in a used bookstore in Enid, Oklahoma of all places. I picked it up to pass an hour that I had before an appointment and have since crawled through the entire book numerous times. I've made almost half of the recipes as is evident by the ingredients ground into the pages themselves. . .

Having lived in 12 countries and half a dozen states in this one, I have found that I love food. All food. Food from everywhere. All of it. This book has recipes from all over the country and the world and most are as I remembered them! All are tasty, even if some are on the "Why would I spend that much time on a snack" side.

The chapters are laid out with easy to follow instructions and photos for every recipe! Recipe books without pics are a real pet peve of mine. Granted, I only have 40 some-odd recipe books, but I have found, invariably, that those that have the food represented in a visual manner are those that I go back to more often. Food is as much a visual experience as it is one of scent or taste.

There isn't much by way of history, but then again you're already getting more than what the title promises!

Why not 5 stars? It's a good cook book. It's not a GREAT cookbook. The author doesn't make suggestions as to alternate ingredients and many of the ingredients used would have to be purchased specifically for the preparation of the snack. This small problem aside, this book is well worth having.

More Than Just Snacks.......2000-09-12

This is a more versatile cookbook than I expected. There are recipes that can be whipped up quickly but also recipes to serve at parties, potlucks and to bring to work, school, whatever. Some of his 'snacks' would make a meal for me. I have all of Gillespie's cookbooks and I love them all. Buy this book--you'll find a dozen or more recipes that you can't wait to try the first time you leaf through the book.

Book Description

Roger Atwood knows more about the market for ancient objects than almost anyone. He knows where priceless antiquities are buried, who is digging them up, and who is fencing and buying them. In this fascinating book, Atwood takes readers on a journey through Iraq, Peru, Hong Kong, and across America, showing how the worldwide antiquities trade is destroying whats left of ancient sites before archaeologists can reach them. Part detective story and part meditation on the power of art and culture, Stealing History is an essential account of how the past is being dug out from under us.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Book of a Limited Scope.......2006-08-10

This is a great, GREAT book, but it essentially only covers the excavation and robbing of archaelogical sites in Sipan (Peru). The author does try to make some cross-comparison, but it is apparent that he is not nearly as familiar with other areas of exploration, such as Iraq. However, it is a fantastic exploration of an example of what is currently happening with "open" archaelogical sites. Like the book cover indicates, it also has a lot of fun detective/police chase stuff. The real life characters in this saga are fascinating. Worth a read!

MISLEADING TITLE.......2005-07-03

There is nothing to add to the detailed analyses of this book previously detailed, except:
Know what you are buying: This book is 95% about the author
's experiences excavating at Sipan; as well as some discussion regarding other sites in northern Peru.
If this is what you want, it is an excellent book; however, it, in no way. is a more general discussion of its title and subtitle.
I was really hoping for a more extensive discussion regarding the many other sites around the world. So, in this difference, I would only give it one star.
Just know what you are buying.
I am keeping the book; however it's lack of what the title promised, and the many other sources that are available regarding
Peruvian (and particularly Sipan) resulted in my being very disappointed in its restricted coverage in contrast to its title.

Preserving the Past From the Vandals of History.......2005-05-28

See my review in the National Catholic Reporter of May 20, 2005:
http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives2/2005b/052005/052005ssg.php

Riveting!.......2005-03-15

Once you've read this most-amazing book, you'll never look at museums and art galleries in the same light. Atwood's research is exhaustive, his prose is breezy and his conclusions are damning. There are few heroes to be found in this revealing and sobering look at the world of art collecting. Atwood turns over rocks and shines a bright beam on the villains who slither from underneath. I commend this to the attention of anyone who genuinely loves art.

We Are All Being Robbed.......2005-02-15

Grave robbing has always happened; the tomb of Tutankhamen was broken into in antiquity, long before Howard Carter found it in 1922. Grave robbing is part of archeological history, and continues today. The lesson in Roger Atwood's book, _Stealing History: Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of the Ancient World_ (St. Martin's Press) is that starting in the twentieth century, grave robbing became much more efficient, and is effectively robbing not just graves, but robbing civilizations of their history. Atwood has concentrated on one particular site, the royal tombs at Sipán in Peru, and has given its sad modern history in great detail, but that has not stopped him from taking a larger historical view. Throughout the book are the contrasting digging techniques and aims of the robber and the archeologist, with the practical realization that often the two must at least informally work together, particularly in the case of looters finding valuable sites with the archeologist ideally showing up very soon afterwards before the good stuff is gone. Atwood's sobering book shows that there is no reason to assume that the archeologists are winning, and that the treasures of the world may simply be dug out soon, with little learned from the spoils and no more left to learn from.

The problem, of course, is that treasures ripped out of context lose their meaning; one archeologist said that looted objects are pretty but dumb. The problem is accelerated by faster shipping, with traders able to bring looted goods to international markets with an efficiency that was previously unimaginable. Atwood has gone out with the diggers; he gives a scary account of accompanying them on what was for them just an evening's work. He is able to do this in good conscience because the robbers themselves are not the villains of the book. They often have no other means of survival, and are using their land for its best possible production. The bad guys are the dealers, private collectors, and even museum officials who power the digging engine by means of huge payments further up the delivery chain. The main hero of the book is the famous Peruvian archeologist Walter Alva. He had dug up tombs, and run a provincial museum, a quiet and obscure professional life, until looters struck a Sipán tomb in 1987, emerging with riches in gold of a type that had never been seen before or documented. The dealers moved fast to close in on the find, and the smooth robbing of the territory was only stopped when one of the looters felt cheated of his fair pay, and alerted police. When the police found a looter's hoard, they called Alva, who got his first glimpse of the treasures which would make his
name in archeology.

Atwood has described many aspects of the world trade in archeological loot, and how it damages all of us. There is a description of steps here that might cure the problem, like a moratorium on trade in antiquities that have no accurate record of provenance. He admits that there are no magic bullets in his recommendations, and that there will always be loopholes. Museums would have to change their bureaucratic ways, dealers would have to give up part of a lucrative business, and governments would have to enact legislation without succumbing to pressure from the antiquities lobbies. Significantly, he gives examples of locals on other archeological sites who have seen the advantage of preserving their past rather than exploiting it. It will all be a tough sell at all levels, but Atwood's book is clear documentation that unless changes come, the current system will deprive "everyone who ever will live of part of the collective memory that makes us human."

Preserving the past from the vandals of history.(Book Review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter

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Preserving the past from the vandals of history.(Book Review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter
Francis Deblauwe
Manufacturer: National Catholic Reporter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from National Catholic Reporter, published by National Catholic Reporter on May 20, 2005. The length of the article is 972 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: Preserving the past from the vandals of history.(Book Review)
Author: Francis Deblauwe
Publication: National Catholic Reporter (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 20, 2005
Publisher: National Catholic Reporter
Volume: 41 Issue: 29 Page: 7a(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Stealing History: Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of the Ancient World

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Stealing History: Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of the Ancient World
Roger Atwood
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTAMNM

Average customer rating:

Big Mistake

Eener 3000

Very, very outdated

Very Complete from start to finish

Be cautious about this book!

Home Book of Picture Framing: Professional Secrets of Mounting Matting, Framing and Displaying Artworks, Photographs, Posters, Fabrics, Collectibles, Carvings and More
Kenn Oberrecht
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Furniture Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Furniture | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Framing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Mat, Mount, and Frame It Yourself (Crafts Highlights)

Matting and Framing Made Easy

Basic Picture Framing: All The Skills And Tools You Need To Get Started (Stackpole Basics)

How to Make Your Own Picture Frames

Picture Framing, Vol. 1 (Library of Professional Picture Framing, Vol 1)

ASIN: 0811727939

Book Description

8 full-color pages, 450 b/w photos, 20 drawings 8 x 11.A new and updated edition of the highly popular first edition New sections on using power tools and framing fabric art Complete directory of suppliers Over 40,000 copies of the first edition sold Framing a favorite picture, whether a gallery piece or a childs drawing, can be easy and inexpensive thanks to this revised and updated edition of the classic bestseller. Home Book of Picture Framing is the most comprehensive guide to mounting, matting, and framing oil paintings, watercolors, posters, photographs, calendar pages, and greeting cards without spending a fortune. Complete with sections on safety, tools, materials, and techniques, the book contains all the information needed to prepare homeowners for their first project. For those wanting to turn this skill into profit, the author gives advice on starting a business. Guidelines for framing three-dimensional objects are included, and new sections on using power tools, framing needlework, and creating hinged and easel-style frames demonstrate the most recent trends in framing. Kenn Oberrecht is the author of several woodworking and photography books, including the popular first edition of Home Book of Picture Framing. He lives in North Bend, Oregon. Recently, my wife, Patty, and I were brousing in a gourmet shop in Florence, Oregon, when she noticed a large, framed poster and asked the woman behind the counter if it was for sale. The proprietor said she had unframed copies available and began to tell her about getting it professionally mounted and framed. When Patty told her that Im a framer, the woman turned to me and said, Maybe you can tell meI think I paid too much, but I didnt ask ahead of time. So I didnt complain when the framer charged me $250. I gulped and took a second look at the poster. . . . I made a quick assessment and told the woman that she could have framed it herself for about $50. from Chapter One, Home Book of Picture Framing 2nd Edition

Customer Reviews:

Big Mistake.......2007-09-28

These questions are misleading - I ordered one book, and received and paid for two - I have sent emails complaining, and all I get back (weeks later) is this stupid email asking me to rate the book - which book? - where were you when I asked how I got two books? And how do I correct this? - but NO, instead you send me this idiotic questionaire about "the book" I received - is anybody there? Are you people there, or am I talking to a computer? You pretend to care, but it appears you are just robots - HOW DID I GET TWO BOOKS, AFTER ORDERING ONE, PAY FOR TWO and GET ZERO RESPONSE TO MY QUESTIONS?!! Your computer generated concern is phony - the books were fine, Amazon is suspect!

Eener 3000.......2007-07-28

Treat this as an encyclopedia. There is a lot of good information in this book, but a lot more than you need to get going. I have only just finished wading through this thing (after six months) and would have been better off with a book 1/8 the size of this one. For a "How To" book, the author is way too verbose on his way to getting to the bottom line--if he ever does. Only because I am very good at puzzles was I able to pick out the things I really need and the best methods to complete anything - otherwise, you can get terribly confused. The author wastes a lot of time on "you could do this" and "some people do this" when the most helpful advice would be just to say, "Do this."

Don't take this as too harsh an indictment of the book. Afterall, I Learned Everything I Need to Know About Picture Framing from the book. There is A LOT of stuff in it. But I could have done, and you can do, without the exhaustive descriptions of differences between various manual, as well as, power tools. It's a hobby, I expect to spend some money...just tell me what do.

Very, very outdated.......2007-01-20

I bought this book as one of several to get started in framing. After lots of reading and research and actual framing, I realize how out-of-date this book is. The state of the framing art has advanced a lot since 1988. Much of the book is devoted to techniques, tools, and materials that have been superceded by far superior ones. A much better book is "Mat, Mount, and Frame It Yourself" by M David Logan.

Very Complete from start to finish.......2007-01-18

Book is in depth instruction & will be very helpful from start to finish for any project. The only negative is that it is in black & white. Color photos would make it much easier to look at.

Be cautious about this book!.......2006-12-14

This was the first book I bought when I became interested in picture framing. Since then I have read many other books on the subject, met many professional picture framers, taken courses in the subject, joined the Professional Picture Framers Association, and basically learnt much much more about the subject. I CANNOT recommend this book to any one who is new to picture framing. First, the information is scattered between many chapters, and is difficult to pull together. Second, many very important topics receive very little coverage. Third (the major problem for me): the author is first-and-foremost, a wood worker, and this is reflected in the book. Thus, there are many chapters discussing tools that most professional picture framers would never buy, methods that most professional picture framers would never use, inadequate discussion of conservation framing vs. non-conservation methods, mat cutting, etc. If you are interested in making your own wood picture frames, this is the book for you. If you are new to the subject or are interested in many of the other aspects of picture framing, you would be much better off with one or more books by David Logan, Vivian Kistler, or others.

The New Decorating with Pictures: Collecting Art and Photography and Displaying It in Your Home

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Chapters are arranged for quick consultation

The New Decorating with Pictures: Collecting Art and Photography and Displaying It in Your Home
Stephanie Hoppen , and Simon Upton
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0821228668

Customer Reviews:

Chapters are arranged for quick consultation.......2004-12-09

Plenty of books provide advice on how to collect art and what to choose, but to few focus on display techniques appropriate for the home. The New Decorating With Pictures: Collecting Art And Photography And Displaying It In Your Home is the perfect item of choice for any who would collect art and photography and display it in a home, blending Simon Upton's fine color photo examples with Stephanie Hoppen's survey of techniques and common challenges. Divided by subject, chapters are arranged for quick consultation.

Displaying Pictures And Photographs: A Complete Guide to Framing, Arranging, and Lighting Paintings, Prints and Photo graphs

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Displaying Pictures And Photographs: A Complete Guide to Framing, Arranging, and Lighting Paintings, Prints and Photo graphs
Caroline Clifton-Mogg
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Framing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The New Decorating with Pictures: Collecting Art and Photography and Displaying It in Your Home

ASIN: 0517880881
Release Date: 1993-11-16

Book Description

A unique, comprehensive, and inspirational guide to the arrangement and display of pictures in the home. More than 150 full-color photographs suggest imaginative ways of using pictures, frames, and mountings to add style and individuality to your home. Full-color illustrations.

Average customer rating:

Displaying Pictures and Photographs
Caroline Clift Mogg
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0517171074
Release Date: 1996-08-14

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Book Description

Sweet¿s Kitchen and Bath Sourcebook 2001. Here¿s the complete guide to creating the perfect bathroom or kitchen. You¿ll find products from over 50 top manufacturers, including hard-to-find items like fireplaces, wood flooring, saunas and wine cellars. Contains full product information¿plus design information from the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Indexed by manufacturers, product type, and brand name for easy access.

Sweet's Kitchen and Bath Sourcebook 2001 (Kitchen and Bath Sourcebook Ser.)

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Sweet's Kitchen and Bath Sourcebook 2001 (Kitchen and Bath Sourcebook Ser.)
Sweet's Group Staff (editor)
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Shifting Ground examines the evolving relationship that Americans have with the land as reflected through selected works from the last 150 years of American landscape art. Dramatic physical alterations, uses, and experiences of the American landscape are made visible through the work of artists from Winslow Homer to Jessica Bronson. Throughout the history of the United States, artists have reacted to technological advances and physical changes in the land and their art has reflected shifts in collective American perception. The advent of train travel, industrialization, rapid urban growth, and the popularization of the automobile, the computer and development of mass communications have all had effects on the collective view of the land we inhabit.

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