Making Waves #2: Tease

Book Description

When Kate's father refers to the beach house as a "love shack," he's not so far from the truth. The fact is, everyone's hooking up-but are they connecting with the right people, or is it just one big tease?

Customer Reviews:

GOOD.......2003-10-29

ok, well like everyone says they're not going to tell the ending, well i am. I think knowing the ending makes everything more fun. Molly shows up, who is connor's ex g/f from ireland. WEll she shows up right, and she says that the baby she has is connors. Right as Connor and Chelsea are about to get married. Then Molly fleas and leaves Chelsea and Connor with the baby. I think thats what happens in this book. I've read all of them except 6-11. So yea I also havent read it in a while so i'm not sure if this is the ending to this book or not. Have fun reading

THEY JUST KEEP ON GETING BETTER.......2002-09-07

i think this book is better than the first one. ROMANCE is the main topic in this book...kate and justin are back together, and things are as good as ever. chelsea hooked up with someone and so did conner...if you liked the first book then you will love this one!

loved this book.......2001-07-15

i loved this book!!! i thought this was one of the best books in the series.in this book connor and chelsia finaly get together!!!and something big happens at the end but im not gonna say anything else u will have to find out for your self and read this awsome book which i recomend to anyone who liked the first ine because this one is much better!!!!

Making Waves 2: Tease.......2001-07-13

I read this series on the recommendation of a friend who was unable to put it down. Since then I have begun to read the entrancing stories about these young adults lives and have to say that I completely agree with my friends assesment. These books deal with many issues that teens of a similar age are actually dealing with. This allows the reader to be able to not only sympathize but empathize as well with many of the situations that take place throughout the story lines. Whether it be about relationships, both friendships and sexual, or about racism and acholism they are presented in a very real and interesting, yet still informative light. I would recommend these books to any teen as an entertaing and delightful summer read.

Book Description

*Bloody swordplay, evil demons, average high school kids getting swept up in a story of love, death and the spawn of evil. *Will appeal to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

As evil encroaches on Yumi and Tae, they meet up with another defender of good in Mirae, a young exorcist from the Vatican. Will this growing force of good be strong enough to overcome the ensuing carnage? However in a moment of darkness...Tae will have a grand revelation: his purpose in life and who he truly is will come to light!

Amazon.com

Should a textbook be this fun to read? If it's a science fiction anthology put together by the Science Fiction Research Association, the answer is yes! This hefty (798 pages) tome is meant to be both a primer to the SF of the '90s as well as an enjoyable book in its own right, and it succeeds fully on both counts. With more than 30 "classic" stories from the current decade supplemented by critical essays from some of the genre's finest writers, this book is both a scholarly resource and road map to some of the best short fiction in recent years.

Book Description

For years, those bringing SF into the classroom have had to improvise their course materials from anthologies and collections not designed for classwork. Now, David G. Hartwell, award-winning anthologist, and Professor Milton T. Wolf, Vice President of the Science Fiction Research Association, present a carefully selected reading anthology reflecting the SF field in all its modern diversity. Here are Golden Age writers like John W. Campbell and Jack Williamson, and here also are towering latter-day titans like Gene Wolfe and Ursula K. Le Guin, along with today's popular writers such as Greg Bear, Robert Jordan, and Vernor Vinge.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting anthology.......2002-11-23

David G. Hartwell has been a rather well-known editor in the science fiction field for quite a long time, and in Visions of Wonder he collects quite a few fine stories and authors, which include such contemporary luminaries as Lucius Shepard, James Patrick Kelly, Greg Bear, Terry Bisson, and Nancy Kress, along with an older crowd consisting of Brian Aldiss, Algis Budrys, Kate Wilhelm, and Philip Jose Farmer. A series of essays (my favorite of which, probably, is Samuel R. Delany's) is also included in this book, which examines the state that science fiction was in, is now in, and postulates various theories about what science fiction might become in the future. Does the collection work as a whole? Generally speaking (with a few rough areas), yes. With standout stories such as "Mr. Boy" by the very excellent J.P. Kelly, this anthology includes some very interesting and genre-spanning fiction, and, in the end, is an anthology that I am very willing to recommend.

A good mix of speculative fiction and scholarly articles........1999-07-31

This is a memorable collection. From new stories like "Blood Music" and "Bears Discover Fire" to classics like "The Girl Who was Plugged In," the stories are sometimes disturbing but always engrossing. The scholarly articles are insightful from an academic standpoint, especially "What do you mean, 'human'?" This is definitely a "keeper." If scholarly articles bore you, don't read them. But you'll never know what you missed!

Good, but peculiar........1998-06-29

Actually it is quite intent on the reader saying it's peculiar. Ostensibly for sf classes it nevertheless says its for non-academics like myself. Actually the choices weren't as peculiar as I'd expected. It is slanted towards recent stories though. Science fiction is starting to throw the old authors off too much for my taste. For instance the first story I read in this was Bears Discover Fire by Bisson. Although good ,maybe even great, the sf sites on the web made it sound like the best short science fiction story ever. I feel bad that I expected that because it is enjoyable even if it isn't the best. Still there were good stories (including Bears...)in here & good essays. I have no interest in reading any Delaney, but his essay was interesting. Especially when he talked about the proper way to visualize spaceports in the original Foundation trilogy. I always thought I was visualizing them wrong. Knight's essay appealed to my love of history, & of what I know educated men of the past snickered as much at tales of distant lands in much the same way some snicker at sf. Meanwhile Merril's had a trippy Beatles' feel that was uninformative, but amusing. Worth reading, but maybe not worth buying considering the price. One last thing I'm sad to see how few comments anthologies receive. I hope that's not because noone's reading them. Outside magazines like F&Sf, Sf Age, Analog, & Asimov anthologies are the thing for sf short stories. I hope that "message" didn't ruin my review since this was largely a book about short fiction & anthologies.

Average customer rating:

Inspirational and Amazing

A fascinating look at 10 different cuisines

A great book, if you can find it!

Global Historical Cuisine American Style & Flair

Take a trip around the world through 10 different cuisines.

The New American Chef: Cooking with the Best of Flavors and Techniques from Around the World
Andrew Dornenburg , and Karen Page
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0471363448

Book Description

America's leading authorities on ten influential cuisines offer a master class on authentic flavors and techniques from around the world
Today's professional chefs have the world to use as their pantry and draw freely on a global palette of flavors. Now Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page bring together some of the foremost culinary authorities to reveal how to use different flavors and techniques to create a new level of culinary artistry. Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse, Paula Wolfert, and many others share the foundations of ten influential cuisines:
* Japanese
* Italian
* Spanish
* French
* Chinese
* Indian
* Mexican
* Thai
* Vietnamese
* Moroccan
Packed with information, ideas, and photographs that will inspire every cook, The New American Chef shares a mouthwatering array of nearly 200 authentic recipes, including Honey Spare Ribs from Michael Tong of Shun Lee Palace, Gazpacho Andaluz from José Andrés of Jaleo, and Steamed Sea Bass with Lily Buds from Charles Phan of The Slanted Door.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational and Amazing.......2005-09-30

Well, I can't say anything less than great about the book because every page was useful. I read and reread the book several times to appreciate all of it since you get so much information without any thats garbage which is what most books contain when they are as thick as this one. The recipes I already had a chance to try to make were a success. This is only my 8th book in the culinary field so I am no expert but if my word means anything- i say get this book and learn A LOT!

A fascinating look at 10 different cuisines.......2004-06-08

I have been trying to buy a copy of this book on Amazon ever since hearing the authors speak at the Cascadia Culinary Arts conference here in Washington on May 22 (they were incredible) but it's been "out of stock" for weeks. VERY frustrating. I wish that I had bought a copy at the conference, but I didn't want to carry it around at the time. If I knew how hard it would be to find a copy, I would have! I spent two hours reading a friend's copy of "The New American Chef" and found it fascinating. The authors joked that it's the "Cliff Notes" of 10 different cuisines, but it's so much more. I love the idea of their "culinary compass" that they wrote about in the beginning of the book that maps out the way chefs cook today, and whether their focus is on experimentation or authenticity. It was obvious from their talk and from what I saw of this book that they think about food differently from other writers. I want my own copy!

A great book, if you can find it!.......2004-06-02

As a fan of the Dornenburg and Page duo, I love their new book The New American Chef. I am also happy they expanded beyond restaurant chefs to include some of my favorite culinary writers in their roundtable of experts (Paula Wolfert, Corinne Trang and Julie Sahni are three of my favorites).

With summer here I am looking forward to making Jose Andres's "Gaspacho Andaluz" and Daniel Bouloud's "Cherry Gratin".

I only have one problem with this book. I am dying to order copies to take as house gifts this summer but it's been listed as "out of stock" on Amazon for the last three weeks.

A great book for year-round cooking or summer hammock reading.

Global Historical Cuisine American Style & Flair.......2004-03-31

Andrew and Karen are at it again! After writing excellent, provocative works such as two of my favorites: Becoming a Chef and Culinary Artistry, combine again to research and bring together this impressive volume sketching out the emerging New American Chef. Words like fusion and New World and other concepts seemed to fall short of what they were trying to get at, so this concept: New American Chef showcases ten world cuisines which bring there own philosophies and emphases and ingredients and techniques to these United States to combine with our burgeoning wealth of culinary talent to produce this wonderful new cuisine which this book showcases.

I can remember becoming first interested in high school when taking a date out on that impressive prom meal when gourmet was specific dishes, e.g. Steak Diane, etc. But now, there is such a wide variety of everything, with so many more choices of not only dishes, but cuisine specialty houses and more. This book gets to that. The mixture of cultures and global reach has brought us to this melting pot concept of gourmet. Here there are ten major world cuisines: Chineese, French, Mexican, Indian, Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese. Each of these is represented by its approach, similarities and specialties, then a representative recipe sampling.

While there is ample opportunity here to learn more about cuisines I'm already into: French, Moroccan, Italian, Mexican, Chineese, Japanese; there is certainly opportunity here to explore some new cuisine such as Thai, Indian, etc. although I'm not all that enthralled with them in my experience so far.

And just that is the beauty here, one doesn't have to be excited about all ten, or the majority of them. There is so much here to be learned and experimented with. The standards of each are explemfied in all: balance, aroma, harmony, seasonality, etc.

Recipes that caught my attention to make include: Deep-Fried Fillet of Trout(Masu no Agemono); Shrimp in "Crazy Water" (Gamberoni al'Acqua Pazza); Barcelona-Style Flounder with Raisins, Nuts, Lemon Butter and Anise; Cherry Gratin (Gratin aux Cerises); Maine Lobster Tail on Salsify with Pinot Noir Sauce, Vanilla Oil, and Crispy Leeks; Rock Candy-Ginger Short Ribs; Chile-Orange Cold Noodles; Braised Lamb Shanks with Masala Raan;Guajillo-Spiked Pork-and-Potato Tacos (Tacos de Puerco y Papas al Guajillo; Salmon Panang (Grilled Salmon in a Creamy Red Curry Sauce); Quail Bisteeya;Chicken Tajine with Prunes; Couscous Mango Mousse.

Many of the contributors are already great culinary friends and inspirations to millions: Batali, Bayless, Boulud, Feniger, Vongerichten, Wolfert to name a few. I'm sure many of the others will go on to such fame and become regular fixtures in this growing, wonderful world of cuisine.

With each cuisine there is ample background text as well as cookbook and other reference suggestions. No color photos, just the author's usual nice contrasty B&W but with unbelievably good text for chefs both pro and amateur.

This is definitely one to grow and have fun with. It proposes one choose a cuisine direction and then gives advice on that pursuit. An unusual and welcome addition and approach.

Take a trip around the world through 10 different cuisines........2004-03-26

THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF has a simple premise: Interview some of America's pre-eminent experts on 10 different cuisines (Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Moroccan), and share their knowledge and insights with readers through honing them down into 35 fascinating pages per cuisine. The result? Readers are able to take an educational and delicious tour around the world through the histories, cultures and cuisines of 10 nations. This is a great book to read, and an even better book from which to cook, as it features dozens of recipes perfected by some of the country's best chefs and cookbook authors including Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Penelope Casas, Susan Feniger, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Zarela Martinez, Mary Sue Milliken, Julie Sahni, Piero Selvaggio, Nina Simonds, Masa Takayama, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Paula Wolfert, Su-Mei Yu, and many more. This single volume can take the place of 10 tomes on your cookbook shelf. However, if you're looking for even more great reading about each of these cuisines, Nach Waxman (legendary owner of New York's infamous Kitchen Arts & Letters bookshop) provides his recommendations for further exploration at the end of each chapter. THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF is the perfect gift for the food lovers in your life (even yourself!).

Book Description

Anywhere Around the World, and director of a consulting firm near Chicago, Illinois.

Naturally, you want the best for your canine companion's body, mind, and spirit. Ensure a lifetime of tail wags and dogged good health with THE COMPLETE HOLISTIC DOG BOOK. Animal healers Jan Allegretti and Katy Sommers discuss natural preventive health care, including early socialization, environmental safety, nutrition, and the application of alternative therapies and allopathic medicine. A thorough grounding in homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and herbal remedies provides practical techniques for treating hundreds of common canine illnesses, injuries, and health problems. Also covering the special needs of older dogs, THE COMPLETE HOLISTIC DOG BOOK is a compassionate reference for animal guardians and caregivers, at home as well as in a clinical setting.

Customer Reviews:

Very Informative.......2007-01-04

Since buying this book it has become my best friend, it has helped me and especially my animal friends time and time again. Many of my dog loving friends also own this book now because of the info i have shared with them from this book . A definate must have if you are searching for alternative health care.

Complete Holistic Dog Book: Home Health Care for Our Canine Companions.......2006-08-22

Excellent book Well Written. Great format, great philosophy well researched.
All dog lovers should read and have this in their library. High marks !

Soleng K. Tom MD
Palo Alto, California

A must-have for every serious dog owner!.......2006-07-28

Fabulous book!! It is packed with information, but easy to understand and apply. I found the book to be very balanced and subjective in it's approach and advice. For example, it fairly presents the pros/cons of different diet approaches, without specifically recommending a "one size fits all" solution. All chapters of the book are valuable, but the section on diet and nutrition is particularly outstanding! Since reading the book, I have adopted a diet of home-cooked meals for my german-shepherd-mutt that is virtually 100% vegetarian! Seeing the way she responded to the new diet has converted many of my friends into believers who were total skeptics of a vegetarian diet. Although my dog was always healthy and happy, the changes are unbelievable in terms of her temperament, appearance and personality.

Regardless of whether you're looking to change your dog's diet (as I did), this is a valuable book and must-have for every serious dog owner!

The one book I reference consistently.......2006-03-10

I have a variety of books on health for dogs, which I reference often. I noticed lately, however, that I've gone to this book first over and over and often I don't need to look at any of my other books. I usually cross reference material, but I've found valididated information from several other sources in this book so often that I save myself the trouble and just reference this book now.

Rarely do I find a "the only book you'll need" in any book, but this one definitely has it all, and the information is not extreme. The authors recognize balance, recognize that there are a variety of methods to attack a problem, and they present each method thoroughly and non-judgmentally.

For example, if a dog is vomiting and has nausea, they first differentiate between acute and chronic. If acute, they first give information on nutritional support, then homeopathy, then herbs, then accupressure and finally other methods including flower essences and considering addressing the dog's emotional state. If chronic, they are just as thorough but give other paths to follow in trying to treat the dog's vomiting.

In addition to concrete suggestions for treating many health problems, very clear and professionally drawn illustrations abound throughout the book. In the section for vomiting, one drawing shows the dog's digestive tract and another the accupressure points for the digestive tract. When referring to the illustration in the text, the authors also reference corresponding charts and additional illustrations in another part of the book (and give page numbers!) that will further explain information regarding that particular illustration, such as finding the exact meridian point on the dog.

The treatments the authors focus on in the book include diet, homeopathy, herbs, accupressure, acupuncture, TCM, bodywork, and energy medicine. The authors touch on a few other areas of therapy but they focus primarily on the topics just mentioned.

I found the illustrations to be extremely valuable. They are peppered throughout the book showing parts of the dog that are relevant to the corresponding text. The illustrations aren't too detailed; they have just enough to explain. They're clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Overall, this is the best comprehensive book on holistic dog care on my shelf. I'm gradually getting rid of the others because they don't compare at all to the accurately named, "The Complete Holistic Dog Book."

A holistic approach with science too........2006-02-24

I found this book extremely balanced in terms of providing feeding information if you are interested in providing fresh food for your dog's diet. Its good to realize that it can be done without a tremendous amount of extra time and effort. In fact, my husband and I realized that WE don't eat well enough to just cook a little extra for our dog, as suggested. We were inspired to improve our own diet to include the variety proposed for our dog!

After losing our 9 1/2 year old Boxer to cancer, we wanted to take the cancer prevention nutrition suggested by the veterinary oncologist we worked with and combine that with a good whole foods diet for our new Boxer puppy. This book, since it is co-authored by a veterinarian, seemed to give the best all around advice for those wanting to move their pet's care in a holistic direction, but who also feel more comfortable knowing there is good research and science supporting the advice given. We looked at a lot of books on the subject and truly liked this one.

Book Description

Wild by Design explores the American tradition of freewheeling, improvisational, often asymmetrical quilts, whose makers experimented boldly with design, color, and pictorial motifs. It examines both the aesthetics and the social history of quilts from the early nineteenth century to the present, including Amish, African American, and modern art quilts.

From the state fair to the clothesline, women have sought ways to exhibit the beauty and optical effects of their quilts. The "quilting frolic" of the nineteenth century was for many women an alternative to the art academy and the salon. Janet Berlo reminds us that quilts were a valued form of artistic expression, meant to be shared and admired among the company of other women.

Over fifty applique and pieced quilts are illustrated, chosen from the collections of the International Quilt Study Center for their outstanding visual qualities. Each is accompanied by a lively dialogue among quilt experts that illustrates the varied dimensions of quilts as aesthetic objects of the highest order and as reflections of the lives and societies of their makers. This multifaceted analysis of quilts sheds light on the histories of women, textiles, and American art and culture.

Customer Reviews:

Know What You're Ordering.......2004-02-12

Unlike other reviewers, I was really disappointed in this book. Because of the cover picture, I was expecting another book similar to Quilt National or Quilt Visions, but it's not like that at all. There are only a couple of quilts in the book similar to the cover quilt. The rest are variations on traditional quilts--very nice but not my cup of tea. The dialogue on each quilt was interesting, but I'd suggest taking a peek at this book in person to be sure you want to order it for your collection.

A fine history of evolving designs, colors and motifs.......2004-02-08

Wild By Design: Two Hundred Years Of Innovation And Artistry In American Quilts is an impressively informative exploration of American improvisational, asymmetrical quilting experiments provides a fine history of evolving designs, colors and motifs from the early 19th century to modern times. Of particular note here are insights on regional American and modern art quilts from local communities, as well as surveys of the collections and holdings of the International Quilt Study Center. A gorgeous analysis which includes a concurrent history of women and the textile arts in America, this is studded with color photos.

Challenging some old ideas.......2003-09-26

I am a huge fan of Janet Berlo and bought this book primarily because of her involvement. I wasn't disappointed. Her essay, which precedes the catalogue of quilts and the dialogues with the other editors, is first class. It challenges a lot of the "myths" of quilting - for example, that women used re-cycled fabric for a lot of their quiltmaking. Berlo contends that, from her study of these quilts, and letters exchanged between quilters, there is evidence that most of the fabrics used were new, and some bought in considerable amounts specifically for quiltmaking. She also does a lot to discredit the myth of quilts being used as complicated signals on the Underground Railroad.
I have always tended to think of traditional quilts being beautiful but utlitiarian, and art quilts being beautiful but artistic. This book has opened my eyes to the fact that traditional quilts can be art quilts too.
I would recommend this book to anyone who really loves and appreciates quilts.

Amazingly Graceful.......2003-06-29

Quilts used to be things that your grandmother made and either ended up on your bed keeping you warm at night, or were put away as family heirlooms. Some quilts, it turns out, are much more than that: works of art, either intentionally made as such, or defined as such after the fact, thanks to their daring and beauty. There are many books on quilts, and this is a welcome addition, focusing on a wide range of quilts from the historic to the modern. Authors Berlo and Crews give quilts careful academic study (Berlo is a professor of art history and Crews a professor of textiles and director of the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln). They provide useful context for the heart of this book: wonderful full-page reproductions of forty-eight quilts from the early 1800s to the present. The selection is breath-taking and inspiring. And the way the authors discuss each quilt is smart: it's in the form of a dialogue between them and three other cognoscenti in the field, which removes any potential for academic dryness. But Wild by Design isn't for academics: it's for all of us who can look at the wonderful range of art that women -- and a few men -- have made in the last 180 years and be astounded by the homespun beauty.

Book Description

The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act made a dramatic entrace on the American economic and social stage in December 1973. No comparable commitment of public funds to subsidize jobs had occurred since the Works Progress Administration programs of the 1930s. An important beneficiary of CETA was the Artists-in-Residence program, in operation from 1977 to 1981. As part of the largest direct monetary transfer to artists since the WPA, AIR employed 108 Chicago-area artists each year in nine fields—from dance and music to video and graphic arts.

Bureaucratizing the Muse is a study of the Chicago AIR program. By its very nature art is a nonrational process, even at times antirational, and the idea of organizing artists in this kind of work environment was an unusual one. Steven C. Dubin's account is a fascinating story of the tensions between struggling artists who need a paycheck but fear the compromise of their art and bureaucrats who need to produce measurable results.

Bureaucratizing the Muse: Public Funds and the Cultural Worker

Average customer rating:

Bureaucratizing the Muse: Public Funds and the Cultural Worker
Steven C. Dubin
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOZYIU

Book Description

Born into a life of constant financial, physical, and moral threat, Meti Birabiro takes refuge in literature and the fantastic. Blue Daughter of the Red Sea is Birabiro’s poetic account of the harsh reality of her young life spread across three continents. Her voice is a fresh mélange of child and adult perspectives, at once brutally honest and wise beyond her years. Through her journey from Ethiopia to Italy and finally to the United States, we encounter Birabiro’s relatives, friends, and enemies—relationships so intense that these people become her vampires, devils, angels, and saints. These characterizations always lead her back to the truth, helping her to decipher what is fair and good, to understand what she must cherish and what she must rage against.

Customer Reviews:

Riveting.......2004-08-23

Blue Daughter of the Red Sea is the page turning story of a girl's journey through life. The story begins in Ethiopia, takes the reader though Italy, and finally to the United States. I found Birabiro's vignettes to be most compelling. It is fascinating to see life through the eyes of someone who has gone from squalor to facing fascists to a detention center in the United States. I would highly recommend this book.

the glistening, sweet power of glycerin.......2004-08-01

This book evokes the details and places that make sense to the reader as soon as we read the words, but which were beyond our imagination moments before. Very early in the book, in Ehiopia at the time of the early 1980s famine, Meti tells her friends that she was a "very interesting and quite phenomenal secret" way to get a state of sweet flavors, by eating small drops of glycerin from her mother's lotion.

"Eew! I can't believe you've been drinking lotion. That's disgusting!"
"You eat mud all the time, debeb!"
"But that's different. Mud is cool. That's where food grows... [Y]our secrets are boring and stupid."

To me, there's no way her life is boring--I didn't get to the book for a long time, but once I did, I read it not just once, but 1 1/2 times straight through--I had to ply myself away from it, to not just read it as if it were on repeat. This means that the book is not riveting, hard to put down, but fast and immensely fulfilling. Quickly, we learn about Ethiopia and its war, Meti being shipped off by herself to Italy at age 10, surrounded by nuns, Fascists, Communists, and fellow Ethiopians and Eritreans, Meti coming to the United States by herself at age 16, being detained in the Los Angeles airport, landing in Juvenile Hall, learning Spanish from Selena songs before she learned English. Along the way, we meet family members and friends we also root for, and others.... I didn't know whether I would've stood up to those others, or withered away before their eyes.

The book's most unique characteristic, however, does not consist of specific episodes (and they are crazy) but its tone--straightforward syntax filled with deservedly lyric diction, declarative sentences undeterred by the circumstances around them, a bizarre mixture of indignation, imagination, and deep, deep faith. Because I not only know (from the words "A Memoir") but feel (from the language) that the "Meti" in the book is not a mask for the real Meti, not just a persona, I reeled with wonder for days after finishing the book.

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