The Tail of the Tip-Off

Book Description

The Tail of the Tip-Off

When winter hits Crozet, Virginia, it hits hard--and hangs on for months. That’s nothing new to postmistress Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her friends, who keep warm with hard work, hot toddies, and rabid rooting for the University of Virginia’s women’s basketball team at the old stadium affectionately dubbed “The Clam.” But the usual postgame high spirits are laid low when contractor H. H. Donaldson drops dead in the parking lot. And pretty soon word has spread that it wasn’t a heart attack that did him in. It just doesn’t sit right with Harry that one of her fellow fans--perhaps even an acquaintance or neighbor sitting close by in the stands--is a murderer. And as tiger cat Mrs. Murphy is all too aware, things that don’t sit right with Harry make her restless, curious, and prone to poking her not-very-sensitive human nose into dangerous places. So the animals start paying closer attention to what the people around them are doing--and they’re the first ones to realize when the next murder occurs.

It seems obvious to Harry that the deaths are connected--and she intends to find out exactly how. There’s no shortage of suspects, considering that H.H. was a ladies’ man who’d left a trail of broken hearts all over town--the most recent belonging to his wife-- and that the second murder victim was not very popular in Crozet.As the police launch their investigation, Harry picks up clues through savvy questioning of everyone she knows. But it’s the critters who are most attuned to trouble--they scent something wicked wafting Harry’s way on the tail of the next snowstorm. And as Harry draws closer to the truth about a brutal killer, Mrs. Murphy and her friends realize it’s up to them to make sure their intrepid mom lands on her feet.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

When winter hits Crozet, Virginia, it hits hard—and hangs on for months. That's nothing new to postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her friends, who keep warm with hard work, hot toddies, and rabid rooting for the University of Virginia's women's basketball team at the old stadium affectionately dubbed "The Clam." But the usual postgame high spirits are laid low when contractor H. H. Donaldson drops dead in the parking lot. And pretty soon word has spread that it wasn't a heart attack that did him in. It just doesn't sit right with Harry that one of her fellow fans—perhaps even an acquaintance or neighbor sitting close by in the stands—is a murderer. And as tiger cat Mrs. Murphy is all too aware, things that don't sit right with Harry make her restless, curious, and prone to poking her not-very-sensitive human nose into dangerous places. So the animals start paying closer attention to what the people around them are doing—and they're the first ones to realize when the next murder occurs.

It seems obvious to Harry that the deaths are connected—and she intends to find out exactly how. There's no shortage of suspects, considering that H.H. was a ladies' man who'd left a trail of broken hearts all over town—the most recent belonging to his wife—and that the second murder victim was not very popular in Crozet. As the police launch their investigation, Harry picks up clues through savvy questioning of everyone she knows. But it's the critters who are most attuned to trouble—they scent something wicked wafting Harry's way on the tail of the next snowstorm. And as Harry draws closer to the truth about a brutal killer, Mrs. Murphy and her friends realize it's up to them to make sure their intrepid mom lands on her feet.

“Mrs. Murphy is [a] cat who detects her way into our hearts.”
   SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BOOK REVIEW

“Brown writes so compellingly of the sprightly residents of the Virginia Piedmont, both human and animal, that you have to be a real curmudgeon not to be won over. The author breathes believability into every aspect of this smart and sassy novel.”
   PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Customer Reviews:

The purr-fect mystery to accompany a nice, warm mug of cocoa on a cold winter's day.......2006-09-22

Winter has hit the small town of Crozet, Virginia with quite a blow, but Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, the town postmistress, isn't shocked, or perturbed by the abrupt change in weather. After all, she and her friends (both furry and human) know exactly how to keep warm by indulging in warm treats, working hard, and...rooting for the University of Virginia's women's basketball team, in an effort to keep their spirits high, and bring the gold home for the team. But when local contractor, H.H. Donaldson, dies in the parking lot after one of the spirited games, word quickly spreads that it wasn't your average death...H.H. was killed, and his murderer's trail is cold. Harry is shocked to believe that one of her fellow basketball fans, and acquaintances is a cold-blooded killer, finding it hard to let H.H.'s death sit right with her. And everyone knows, best of all Harry's tiger cat Mrs. Murphy, that when something doesn't agree with Harry, she has a tendency to start poking her nose where it doesn't belong. Even if she risks putting herself, and her feline (and canine) friends in danger. Now, in an attempt to ensure that their curious (okay, downright nosy) mother doesn't waste one of her nine lives, Mrs. Murphy, along with her feisty feline pal, Pewter, and their canine relative, Tee Tucker have decided to join the amateur sleuth in uncovering who exactly H.H.'s killer is, and why he (or she) did him in. But with Harry constantly gallivanting off at all kinds of odd hours of the day and night, it's becoming complicated for the feisty furballs to keep their eyes on her 24/7, leaving Harry wide open for discovery, or, even worse...gambling with her own life.

There's nothing that I love more than curling up with a cozy mystery on a cold day, especially one with felines and canines scurrying around. So, when the temperature made a quick drop, I headed directly for Mrs. Murphy and the Crozet gang, to see what new mysteries they were wrapping themselves up in. As per usual, Harry was her delightful self. A self-confident, brave, intrepid character, whose independence is admirable, as are her hard work and sleuthing skills. Accompanied by the always-hungry, often sarcastic, Pewter; the short-legged, stubby-tailed, flying solo canine, Tee Tucker; and the oft-times conceited, but lovable, Mrs. Murphy; along with handfuls of other enjoyable characters, THE TAIL OF THE TIP-OFF was certainly one-sitting-read worthy. The descriptions of the Virginian countryside were incredible; as were the additions of some new characters, who will hopefully be sticking around for awhile. The purr-fect mystery to accompany a nice, warm mug of cocoa on a cold winter's day.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Book Review.......2006-04-22

In one of the latest Mrs. Murphy mysteries, the citizens of Crozet are on the lookout for a sneaky murderer. At one of the University of Virginia's women basketball matches, wealthy construction tycoon H.H. Donaldson drops dead in the parking lot. What scares the amateur detective Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen is that the murderer could've been sitting right behind her. After Sheriff Shaw and Deputy Cooper confirm that it wasn't a heart attack that ended his life, cats Mrs.Murphy, Pewter, and corgi Tucker are searching for a cold-blooded killer who blends in among the residents of the small Virginian town. As the answer is within the mammal detectives' grasp, building inspector Mychelle is found stabbed to death in the sporting supply closet. Before the killer claims another victim, the animal trio must figure out who's behind the killings and why. This contemporary equivalent of Sherlock Holmes will leave you breathless.
This baffling mystery includes the typical list of suspects. H. H. was widely known to be a ladies' man, so of course most thought of Anne Donaldson, his long time wife he recently left for a day. She would have motive of jealousy of his latest affair. It would also explain Mychelle's death if she were the mistress, who she surprisingly turned out to be. Harry also suspects BoomBoom, but that's mainly because she thinks BoomBoom is the mistress of every marriage, like she was in Harry's marriage to Fair. In addition, there was Fred Forrest, Mychelle's employer, and Matthew Crickenberger, a well-liked architect.
During this time around, Harry's detecting skills plummet just a little. Procedures that should've been taken didn't cross her mind until it was too late. On some occasions, her typical character was shoved aside. For example, BoomBoom persuaded Harry to return to the crime scene at UVA after H.H.'s death. The two women, and Harry's pets of course, were greeted by a very nasty, tired, Sheriff Rick Shaw who had just begun his fifth cup of black coffee. His poor attitude and vicious tone scared them off the premises before Tucker could sniff around. Usually, if this situation were to present itself, Harry would ignore Shaw's orders and find a way to sneak in to search for clues.
What really brings this book to the top is the whodunit. As mentioned Fred Forrest and Matt Crinkenburger were in the same business as H. H. Thanks to Fair and ice cubes, Harry was able to figure out what her pets had already known: how the two killed him. Someone at he game disguised a blowgun in a noisemaker at the fateful game. It whizzed by H.H. and released a poisonous icicle coated with batrachotoxin, or the toxin secreted by rare bright tropical frogs which happened to be in a terrarium at Matthew's office. H.H. had figured out Matthew's scam of using cheap materials and overcharging millions out of the clients, while Fred covered for him and approved the hazardous buildings. They put up an act of hating each other, but that didn't fool Mychelle, who figured out why H.H. had been murdered.
Mrs.Murphy along with her feline, and canine, friends continue their streak of solving Crozet's murders in Rita Mae Brown's (and Sneaky Pie Brown's) thrilling books.

R.Turner

Winter Shenanigans in Crozet.......2005-12-13

It's a brutal January in Crozet and the citizens keep warm by cheeing on their favourite University basketball team until someone drops dead outside of the gym one cold night. Of course Harry and her animal pals never for once think it is natural causes, and sure enough another body turns up in one of the storage closets where the basketball games are played. This sets Harry and all her friends on the search of a murderer. And this murderer seems particularly cold-blooded. There's lots of fun and hijinks before they unmask the "perp". As usual, lots of good times between the pages of a Rita Mae Brown Mrs. Murphy mystery.

Another one drops dead in Crozet, Virginia..........2005-08-24

I just realized that selling a house in Harry's hometown of Crozet would be very hard to do given the amount of people who manage to get themselves killed there. Maybe the residents hold grudges a bit more than most, or maybe the area just seems to attract irritating people. I have to admit, many of the people who get killed there would drive me batty, but resorting to murder seems a little over the line answer to the problems.

Anyhow, having two cats and a dog myself, I can testify to their general nosiness and their tendency to get 'into' things you don't want them to get into. Over the years I've come to realize that scientists are definitely wrong about a lot of things concerning animals and their abilty to understand. When I was growing up I remember a rather famous scientist stating that animals don't 'play' and we should stop anthromorphizing them (meaning: don't give them human characteristics). Since then, I've seen significant amount of evidence that animals do 'play', and do many other things we don't understand. I won't go so far as to give them the ability to solve crime...but I am willing to suspend judgement so I can enjoy Brown's books.

Part of the reason Brown's books are enjoyable is the fact that she characterizes well. It would be lovely if we could all live in small towns where people really know each other and their quirks. But the reality is that most of us don't stop to take the time to get to know people and enjoy them, as well as the animals around us.

Harry always manages to be involved some way or another in these crimes. In this case the guy who was sitting behind her during Crozet's beloved basketball games, manages to keel over in the parking lot. Harry is nosy and very observant, and not only does she notice a needle-sized hole in the man's neck, she feels something 'whoosh' past her during the game. Funny thing is that, Brown never seems to go back to that particular clue...I kept waiting for it and it never was mentioned again (the 'whooshing'), though the cops and Harry did manage to figure out how the poison was administered to the man without leaving a needle or some other trace.

Other than that, this was typical fun with Harry and her beloved animals, who she can't live without. I know the feeling. My house will never be free of animal life completely while I have any say in it...much to the chagrin of my very neat mother!

Karen sAdler

Very pleasant.......2005-01-10

This was my first Rita Mae & Sneaky Pie mystery. I don't recommend starting with this one, because there are so many characters (both human and animal) and they take a while to keep sorted. Nevertheless once I really got into it, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Somehow a cozy mystery is very comfortable, and this book satisfied me thoroughly in that respect.

Still, it does ask you to suspend belief in so many ways! Not just the talking animals, but the whole set-up of Crozet (this is my first to read, but it's obviously a murder capital). And there is the idiocy of the main character at the end of the book as she confronts the murderer - done in such a way that the animals can play a role. A cozy of this nature can never reach great literature, hence only four stars. But a very enjoyable four stars, and I will be reading more by these authors.

7 Titles in the Mrs. Murphy (Sneaky Pie Brown) Series: (1) Wish You Were Here; (2) Rest in Pieces; (3) Murder, She Meowed; (4) Murder on the Prowl; (5) Cat on the Scent; (6) Pawing Through the Past; (7) The Tail of the Tip-off (Set of 7)

Average customer rating:

7 Titles in the Mrs. Murphy (Sneaky Pie Brown) Series: (1) Wish You Were Here; (2) Rest in Pieces; (3) Murder, She Meowed; (4) Murder on the Prowl; (5) Cat on the Scent; (6) Pawing Through the Past; (7) The Tail of the Tip-off (Set of 7)
Rita Mae Brown
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WWTBHE

The Tail of the Tip-Off (A Mrs Murphy Mystery)

Average customer rating:

I LOVE Mrs. Murphy, Tee Tucker, and Pewter!

The Tail of the Tip-Off (A Mrs Murphy Mystery)

Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0739433393

Product Description

A Rita Mae Brown Mrs. Murphy Mystery.

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE Mrs. Murphy, Tee Tucker, and Pewter!.......2005-06-20

I really love this entire series of books. If you are a REAL animal lover, you will appreciate how Ms. Brown gets inside her pets' heads. This series of books could only be written by someone who has spent a lot of time around animals of all types.

This specific addition to the series is not the best as far as the mystery aspect of the story, but I no longer read these books strictly for the mystery. It is still a great light read that continues the story of the denizens of Crozet, VA, human and animal alike. Ms. Brown's humor and story-telling ability continue in this book. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!

Average customer rating:

TAIL OF THE TIP-OFF (MRS. MURPHY)
RITA MAE BROWN
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RJ4RU8

Average customer rating:

The Tail Of The Tip-off - A Mrs. Murphy Mystery
Rita Mae & Sneaky Pie Brown; Illustrations by Gellatly, Michael Brown
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RJ2A0C

Average customer rating:

Probably my favorite Shinn novel, if just for the ending

Dreary Mystery and Romance

Was excited by the potential, but this is a disappointment

Melodrama and Unbelievably Beautiful Women

Tired
Wrapt in Crystal
Sharon Shinn
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Shinn, Sharon | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0441007147
Release Date: 2000-04-03

Amazon.com

Wrapt in Crystal examines religious faith and the nature of love while providing a riveting murder mystery. Shinn's setting is the desert planet Semay, whose culture and language are mostly Spanish, with some French and Italian influences. Here, two orders of priestesses worship the goddess Ava: the Triumphantes, who live in worldly comfort and celebrate her with joy; and the Fideles, who renounce wealth to serve the poor and see her as the comforter of the hungry, the sick, and the sorrowful.

A serial killer is murdering members of both orders alternately, and Semay has asked Interfed, an alliance of federated planets with an elite peacekeeping force called the Moonchildren, for assistance. Cowen Drake, the Moonchild assigned, is under pressure to solve the case quickly, impressing Semay with the benefits of joining Interfed and keeping the priestesses safe. Though he has lost his own faith, Drake sets out to understand the victims, the orders, and the role of religion in Semay. His guides are the powerful, charismatic Jovieve, head of the Triumphantes, and the self-abnegating, dedicated Laura.

Readers will find the characters compelling, the suspense taut, and the developing love story moving. If you enjoyed Shinn's Samaria trilogy, you shouldn't miss this one. --Nona Vero

Book Description

the breathtaking conclusion of her Samaria Trilogy in The Alleluia Files, Sharon Shinn, winner of the William C. Crawford Award for Outstanding New Fantasy Writer, delivers a compelling new novel that is at once a murder mystery, a reflection on religion, and a bittersweet romance. When a serial killer begins stalking the priestesses of a planet's two religions, Interfed Agent Cowen Drake must immerse himself in an unfamiliar world of stark spirituality to catch the killer. A world that will trap him between opulence and sacrifice, duty and desire, and between two extraordinary women-one who could become the killer's ultimate victim...

The award-winning author of the Samaria Trilogy draws readers into a world of barren beauty and mystery, where religion lures an elusive killer...

"Shinn can make you see angels." -New York Review of Science Fiction

"The most promising and original writer of fantasy to come along since Robin McKinley." -Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

"The spellbinding Ms. Shinn writes with elegant imagination and steely grace." -Romantic Times

Customer Reviews:

Probably my favorite Shinn novel, if just for the ending.......2007-09-07

Having read about this book for years I have no idea why it was so hard for me to read it at first. I would pick it up, put it down, and find a new book to read (something I never do) and then try t again. Something just wasn't clicking for me. Finally I decided that I had read too many books by this author and they were too formulaic somehow. All of Sharon Shinn's heroes are noble, hopelessly, selflessly, charmingly, noble. Admittedly if one must have a hero in a book it is good to make that hero a good man, but the profile with this author is too narrow. You could take a hero out of any of her novels and drop into another one and with the exception of some angel wings, never know the difference.

Only this book is different. To summarize-"Wrapt in Crystal" is about a planet that is on the verge on joining a confederation of planets (think Star Trek) and brining with it a much wealthier planet. But this planet has some reservations. So when priestesses of the major religion on the planet, from both sects of the religion, start turning up murdered the planetary forces strike a deal. A Moonchild investigator (the moonchildren are like the space police) will come and solve the serial killings, and then maybe the planet will federate.

So we meet Cowen Drake, a man who lost his faith a long time ago. Like all of Shinn's heroes he is selfless, smart, charming, and more than a little bit damaged. He's also puzzled about the murdered because on Semay (the planet) the priestesses are sacred and off limits to any kind of violence. There is no discernable reason anyone would want to kill either a joy worshiping Triumphante or a more solemn Fidele. In fact the only clue he has to this mystery is one that doesn't even fit the puzzle-a young Triumphante priestess who disappeared into thin air after unspeakable tragedy.

And as he learns the language and culture of the planet, and becomes friends with two very different amazing priestess ("as different as joy and sorrow") the murdered is coming closer and closer to what he seeks....

I say this book is different because of the spiritual nature of it. Shinn obviously put in a lot of thought to the religion she created and the culture it serves. Not only that but the book raises some interesting issues in and off itself about faith and it is a double edges sword: how easy it is to lose it, or lose yourself in it to avoid life altogether. There's also a current running through this book about light and redemption that is-well, almost spooky because of how appealing it is. I would recommend this book for that aspect along, although the mystery isn't that bad. I figured it out before Drake did, but he was a little distracted, and too be fair I didn't have every element figured out.

So in the end this is a book worth reading. Tragic heroes do have their place after all, and Drake is a great example of that. And the ending is amazing.

Four stars.

Dreary Mystery and Romance.......2005-08-02

Lt. Cowen Drake, SAO (Special Agent) for Interfed's Moonchild Forces, has been sent to the desert planet Semay to investigate a series of murders. Priestesses from Semay's two ruling religious factions, Triumphantes and Fideles, are the victims and Drake must find the connections between the two very disparate sects. During his investigation, Cowen must confront his own sad religious history and deal with the fact that he is slipping into love with one of the high priestesses.

This was a hard book to finish, the main character is repressed (and depressed) and the entire story sad and dreary. Shinn explores in great detail religious convictions and faith, but there is none of the humor and spark of her Samaria novels. It also didn't help that the solution to the mystery was evident hundreds of pages before the ending.

Was excited by the potential, but this is a disappointment.......2005-02-04

Love mysteries and fantasies so when there's a crossover, I have to buy the book. Purchase is particularly a must when one of my favorite authors has written the novel.

This is not the best of Shinn's work. I like "Heart of Gold" or any of the prior "Alleluia Files" better.

A serial killer is stalking priestesses from two very diverse orders on the planet Semay. The Triumphantes worship the Goddess as joy and live a lavish life, while the Fideles serve the poor and live very spartan lives. The killer's taking women from both septs. Detective Cowan, who has lost his faith, is tasked to charge this mystery and to understand the sisters.

The novel definitely breaks ground and it's interesting to read, but doesn't pull you from page to page as a good mystery should. If you're just starting with Shinn's books, pick another. You may want to read this later because her work is very good, but this is not the best first impression.

Melodrama and Unbelievably Beautiful Women.......2003-10-09

I loved The Shapechanger's Wife. I loved the Samaria Trilogy (except for the plethora of "riotous curls").

I could not stand Wrapt in Crystal.

The world was minorly interesting, but the religious beliefs did not have the fullness and richness that marks the beliefs of any religion I've encountered before. (...Dogmatic people tend to be dogmatic about more than one thing...)

Also...the characters.
Her male hero is completely unbelievable. He's supposed to be macho, but the guy waxes poetic about pretty scenery, children, etc., etc. Split personality.

As with some of the other readers, the mystery was not something to carry me. Nobody that I cared about was murdered. Until the end, no part of the mystery provided tension. In fact, the "lead" that the hero follows seemed rather weak throughout.

And if I read one more word about flowing, golden, riotous, silken hair...

Is this worth my meager tuppence? Is it worth spending on a book rather than upon dinner for a few days?

Tired.......2003-08-11

This is the 4th Sharon Shinn book that I've read, loved the first 3 but I struggled to get through this one.
I'd love to have known more about the Moonchildren but by time I was 3/4 finished, I no longer cared, I just wanted to finish it. I'll keep the other 3 Shinn books that I have but this one goes to the 2nd hand book store.

Average customer rating:

A heartfelt story

The Second American Revolution

Amazing Book

Second Pass: A SIL Novel
Ken Ludden
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1418483567

Book Description

SIL, blending science and philosophic idealism, is a self-contained orbital craft providing physical survivability and intellectual stimulation-an example to eco-ravaged Earth of humanity's future. But all is not Utopian in this brave, new world. McVee, SIL's designer, commander and deceitful catalyst, is under siege. SIL's first inhabitants oppose new comers; McVee favors new blood, new ideas. A coup leads to death and SIL enters Earth's political intrigue as powerful forces vie for control. McVee's son is targeted, and he is forced to flee Earth. Meanwhile, teenage Silians experiment with altered states of consciousness, as powerfully dangerous as excitingly seductive. Is it truly mind expanding or simply life threatening? The answer contains surprising implications for SIL, and all of humanity.

Customer Reviews:

A heartfelt story.......2005-10-11

I found Second Pass to be a heartfelt science fiction story about ordinary people in extreme circumstances and the wonderful and amazing things they do to not only survive, but to live life in the best way possible and gently further the potential of the human race. It leaves you feeling emotionally and intellectually satisfied, but still wanting more - an anticipation that is rare in someone who is usually not a fan of Science Fiction! If you are looking for a book that stirs something in you, with characters you actually feel for and a world you truly experience as it develops before you, this is the book for you.

The Second American Revolution.......2005-07-20

One of the most provocative books I've read....ever,in ANY genre.
Mr Ludden deftly balances both Utopian and Dystopian elements and achieves a true sense of wonder and fun.
The idea of a new society established by breaking away from an older society shows a distinctly American sensibility, though the characters and ideas have universal appeal. Especially interesting are the clashes between old and new Sil dwellers, the establishment of a spiritual elite, a Messiah figure, the need for altered states of consciousness, alternative healing,and many other intriguing and timely ideas.
Definitely a good book to discuss amongst friends.Also, a good reading group selection

Amazing Book.......2005-03-30

Once you get to know who's who and what's what, the book gets very fascinating and suspenseful. The technical aspects of the systems on the space station are very impressive, as is the story. I love the combination of the politics, along with the metaphysics aboard the station. I can't wait for Ken's next book in the series.

Average customer rating:

Grassfed Gourmet greatly gratifying.

She sure spiced up our dinner table!

Eat well, eat healthy, and eat local grassfed meats

Finally! Fantastic recipes and educational info appropriate for grassfed meats, fowl, eggs and dairy products.

Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook
Shannon Hayes
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Meats | Meat, Poultry & Seafood | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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In the emerald-green fields of America's finest pasture-based farms, cattle, pigs, bison, goats, sheep, and poultry roam free, eating what nature intended them to eat. In THE GRASSFED GOURMET COOKBOOK, Cornell professor of sustainable agriculture and community development Shannon Hayes presents 125 recipes spotlighting the unique flavors and distinct characteristics of foods that come from animals raised on pasture. Discover how meat and dairy products are meant to taste through mouthwatering recipes for a wide range of pasture-raised meats and dairy products, including beef, bison, venison, veal, lamb, goat, pork, poultry, rabbits, and cheese. Hayes also discusses the nutritional, environmental, social, and animal-welfare benefits of pasture-based farming as well as simple strategies for finding and preparing grassfed and pasture-raised foods.

Customer Reviews:

Grassfed Gourmet greatly gratifying........2007-06-22

I've owned this book for 2 years now and use it so much that I've given copies of it as Christmas gifts to 20 food-loving friends and relatives on both sides of the Atlantic. Everyone loves it. The recipes are mostly uncomplicated, foolproof and delicious. The book is also a great read: Shannon is an amusing, enormously knowledgeable person who will inform and entertain you with delightful style. I just bought her new book, "The Farmer and the Grill", a fascinatingly different slant on a familiar subject with a surprising and very promising Argentinian flavor. Can't wait to try it.

She sure spiced up our dinner table!.......2007-04-04

I have far too many cookbooks, but when I leave town, this is the one cookbook I bring along. Shannon has taught me how to season grassfed meats to create some very delicious flavors. Several recipes for rubs are included. Instead of buying some MSG laced seasonings from the store, you can whip up your own and keep them on hand for healthful, quick and delicious flavored meats. I've used them on conventionally raised meats too, when I couldn't get my hands on the good stuff. The flavors still shine through.

The best meal I've ever eaten in my life were the maple brined grassfed pork chops, served over creamed leeks and topped with a tart and savory chunky apple topping. Truly gourmet eats! I also loved the bourbon steaks and have made this dish several times. (There was just one recipe I did not like - I made the sweet and sour chicken recipe, and found it was not for me - too much sugar, boiled veggies, not enough fat).

For the most part I am truly enjoying cooking my way through this cookbook.

Vicki

Eat well, eat healthy, and eat local grassfed meats.......2006-01-04

This is an amazing cookbook and includes a host of fine recipes.
With a refrigerator full of grassfed beef and lamb it's perfect to have ideas for each and every piece of tasty meat. The cookbook was given to me as a Christmas gift; now I'm ordering five more for my friends who want to eat well, eat healthy, and eat locally produced meats.

Finally! Fantastic recipes and educational info appropriate for grassfed meats, fowl, eggs and dairy products........2005-07-15

As both producers of grassfed beef raised on our small family farm and avid cooks of pasture-raised foods, we are delighted with The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook! Shannon Hayes presents marvelous, doable and delicious recipes for excellent culinary results appropriate for pastured foods. She also educates the reader about the health, environmental, social, and economic benefits of pasture-based products/foods generated on small-scale family farms. In this time of mass-produced livestock, factory farms and foodlots resulting in animals and fowl--"foul food"--laced with chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones as well as inhumane treatment, the author points out that it doesn't have to be that way. She nimbly guides the cook through the preparation and enjoyment of high quality "clean" foods raised through sustainable farming. We continue to delight guests and ourselves with meat raised on our farm frequently using recipes from this highly pleasing book geared toward home-cooked meals. It makes a great gift for anyone interested in food preparation in the marvelous world of unique flavors and healthy eating with pasture-raised foods. Bravo Shannon!

Book Description

Operant conditioning is a specific type of learning whereby behaviors are altered or changed primarily by manipulating the consequences that follow them. Author Brenda Aloff uses the theory of operant conditioning and applies it to dog training in this informative book. Written by an experienced dog trainer in language that the novice can easily understand, this step-by-step guide to reliable obedience and effective training method is based on the belief that the best way to teach your dog appropriate behavior is to use positive reinforcement instead of punishment.

Customer Reviews:

Realistic, Thorough and Concise.......2006-01-28

Brenda Aloff is a pioneer in her field. She knows the in's and out's of dog behavior better than anyone I have ever read.
This book explains not only what you should do, but why you should do it and helps dispell some of the "old school" trains of thought regarding dogs, behavior and training.
TRULY A MUST HAVE!

The Bible for Dog Trainers!.......2004-07-26

Fixed action patterns, negative punishers, unpredictable avoidance responses, bridges, and reward marks... OH MY!!!

Do these terms make you dizzy? Do you want to train your dog using the most gentle and effective way, but phrases like successive approximation make you lose interest?

Brenda Aloff has finally done it... In this wonderfully written and funny book she explains all of the terms and methods for training your dog the fun and easy way. One-by-one she shows you the proven techniques for shaping your dog's behavior into that of a well-behaved canine companion. This book also has a lot to offer the more-advanced dog trainer, and even obedience/agility instructors!

As the owner/handler of Fox Terriers, a notoriously difficult breed, Aloff makes it clear that all dogs are trainable if you know how to communicate with them clearly. She is also careful to emphasize that when training your dog it's "the journey that counts" and that the desired behavior is of no consequence if you have ruined your relationship with your dog in the process!

I especially enjoyed this book because although she stresses using a reward mark, or a "clicker," she also discusses training WITHOUT one! I have a noise-sensitive dog who is actually scared to death of clickers, so this was of great use to me. I am able to apply her methods, even though I'm not using a clicker.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in dog training... if your goals are professional, a hobby, or just for fun. This is a great book!

Book Description

Snowflakes and cedars, santas, reindeer, and silent nights 'people' the quilts included in this collection of fall and winter patterns. Join quiltmaker Jan Patek as she continues to try to make sense of the mid-life crises she and other women face. You'll love both her thoughtful journal entries and her charming folk-art-style quilts. This second book in the Seasons of the Heart Home series offers much material for those quiet hours of thinking and quilting that winter often brings. Full patterns and instructions for 18 projects are included. REVIEW: This book is easy to use and includes many items that have never before been seen in print. More than 1,200 color photographs make this an invaluable reference to Shawnee Pottery.

Book Description

From easy toys and great gifts to wonderful room decorations, these 50 projects give children a terrific way to recycle and feel creative, too. “This appealing volume is not only a craft book; it also educates users to be more aware of packaging, waste, and of making conscious decisions about how products are used and discarded. Years of Earth Day ideas flow from between the covers of this creative book.”—School Library Journal.

Earth-Friendly Crafts for Kids: 50 Awesome Things to Make with Recycled Stuff

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Earth-Friendly Crafts for Kids: 50 Awesome Things to Make with Recycled Stuff
Joe Rhatigan , and Heather Smith
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Crafts for Children | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1579903401

Book Description

From easy toys and great gifts to wonderful room deco-rations, these 50 projects give children a terrific way to recycle and feel creative, too. “This appealing volume is not only a craft book; it also educates users to be more aware of packaging, waste, and of making conscious decisions about how products are used and discarded. Years of Earth Day ideas flow from between the covers of this creative book.”—School Library Journal.

Customer Reviews:

superb how-to.......2003-04-07

This is a superb how-to and idea book that gives basic information about how to stencil and paint woodcrafts (works for clay pots, too). Lots of appealing photos and craft ideas. These are "country" crafts. Well written, well illustrated, very helpful.

Better Homes and Gardens Country Stenciling

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Better Homes and Gardens Country Stenciling

Manufacturer: Meredith Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HM0MJA

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Country Stenciling
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Meredith Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V8XHJ2

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Better Homes and Gardens Country Stenciling
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Meredith Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JC8SEO

Book Description

You never had a lunch box like this to take to school, and would have been thrown out if you did. Featuring retro-look Technicolor photography by Bunny Yeager, this sizzling-yet -substantial carrier is authorized and licensed. Sure to be a collector's item, our Bettie Page lunch box is perfect for all your hot tamale needs.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Cool Item for Bettie admirers.......2003-08-28

OK. I admit. I am 41 years old but I love this novelty lunchbox like a kid. But when I had a lunchbox in early-grade school, I didn't have one as beautiful as this. It's a cool addition to a single-guy's pad (I have this one in my kitchen) and the photos of Bettie herself are captured well and true. Check out her smile while she rides the swing on the one side of the lunchbox. It's the classic Bettie. Look at that expression. Wow! Va-Va-Voom! is right. There will never be another Bettie Page. Often imitated, but never duplicated. This lunchbox is very cool, whether you want to actually use it or simply display it like I do.

Amazon.com

Some friendships spring instantly to life, while others require a lengthy period of germination. The rapport between Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray fits into the second category. Both attended the Tuskegee Institute in the fall of 1935, and while they were never formally introduced, Murray recalls being impressed by his fellow student's formidable intellect, not to mention his snappy wardrobe. It wasn't until 1947, however, that their relationship got rolling. The two shared a love for jazz and photography and the American vernacular, along with a comically skeptical view of the social sciences. They were also joined by a sense of literary vocation that seems truly bracing in our own age of ironic retrenchment: "He and I conceded nothing to anybody," recalls Murray, "when it came to defining what is American and what is not and not yet."

Their intention was to create a "universally appealing American epic." Ellison delivered his epic, Invisible Man, in 1952, while Murray's arrived on the installment plan, parceled out among nine books and three decades. Yet this divergence in their careers, which might have easily divided them into literary turtle and hare, never made a dent in their friendship--a fact amply testified to by the letters collected in Trading Twelves. The title refers to the old custom whereby jazz soloists would lob 12-bar phrases back and forth, upping the ante with each exchange. Murray and Ellison seem similarly energized by their epistolary cutting contest. Here's the latter on the as-yet-unpublished Invisible Man, which he describes in surprisingly gutbucket terms:

For me it's just a big fat ole Negro lie, meant to be told during cotton picking time over a water bucket full of corn, with a dipper passing back and forth at a good fast clip so that no one, not even the narrator himself, will realize how utterly preposterous the lie actually is.

Elsewhere he urges his correspondent to hurry up "that low-down southern cullud jive of yours and spread it all over western civilization," while Murray takes their mutual idol William Faulkner to task: "As for Marse Faulkner, he's good, but he ain't never come to terms with poro & straightening combs, let alone jazz and all that cadillac kick dynamism." Decades after they were written, the letters in Trading Twelves remain an ardent and entertaining conversation about art, politics, race, and the intricacies of what Murray would later call Omni-American life. --James Marcus

Book Description

This absorbing collection of letters spans a decade in the lifelong friendship of two remarkable writers who engaged the subjects of literature, race, and identity with deep clarity and passion.

The correspondence begins in 1950 when Ellison is living in New York City, hard at work on his enduring masterpiece, Invisible Man, and Murray is a professor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Mirroring a jam session in which two jazz musicians "trade twelves"—each improvising twelve bars of music around the same musical idea-their lively dialog centers upon their respective writing, the jazz they both love so well, on travel, family, the work literary contemporaries (including Richard Wright, James Baldwin, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway) and the challenge of racial inclusiveness that they wish to pose to America through their craft. Infused with warmth, humor, and great erudition, Trading Twelves offers a glimpse into literary history in the making—and into a powerful and enduring friendship.

Customer Reviews:

"If Mose takes advantage of his own sense of reality he doesn't have to step back for anybody".......2007-03-06

The above quote is from one of Ralph Ellison's letters to Albert Murray and it summarizes both of these two men's positions on both art, as well as their outlook on African-American advancement in this country. I found this book to be extremely inspring, partly because these two men are/were very brilliant, partly as black history, partly as literary criticism, and very much for the fact it changed my conception of these two men. While these two cats are seen in the public imagination as some sort of conservatives in American culture, their letters show them to be two men very involved in black vernacular expression and very understanding and apprecieative of regular, as Sly Stone said, "Everyday People", and also, as people who show great disdain for bourgeise pretensions.

One of the striking things for me about this book is the fact that both of these men are older than my father, who was born in the thirties. It totally explodes my misconceptions about black people before 1954 (Brown vs Board). While messrs. Murray and Ellison talk about many issues pertaining to blacks and that include prejudice, they are in no way limited by racism, and it only periphirally comes up during their letters. Their focus is on how black expression is deeply ingrained in the American sensibility. And this is prior to the advent of Elvis Presley and Rock & Roll (for the most part). Jazz and Blues of course are the primary conduits of this. But the two also discuss Willimam Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway and Mark Twain in terms of how the motif of the black American influences their work. They're fans of great writers like Andre Malraux, Dostoyevsky, and James Joyce, and in their work they see parallels in their work to the black struggle and want to in their work describe the black experience with the same type of literary mastery.

Also very heartwarming is these two mens concern for each other and each others families. It's big fun to follow their adventures through Europe and the United States and the insights they get from them. Not to mention their love of cameras and photography.

What impressed me the most about this book though, besides the literary/cultural concerns which resound throughout all of these writers work, is the down home, city slicker, hipster black language and viewpoints of Albert Murray and Ralph Ellison. In their own way, they remind me of the "keep it real" hip hop generation and the "no sellout" soul/black power generation. In one example, Ellison tells Murray that Murray is the type of cat who would, "eat chitlins at the waldorf (astoria)", and that he'd do it not just to "slum" or "keep it real", but becuase he thought they were as good a food as any other. These two cats exemplify that old black, old American goal of not fogetting where you come from. As black intellectuals, they also have their times when they're very disdainful of black bourgeise institutions.

As an example in one instance of discussing response to Ellisons "Invisible Man", Murray refers to "...also saw Jet (magazine)'s expected stupidity. This reminds me of a line Chuck D said in Ice Cube's "Endangered Species", "When we die, then we'll make Jet." In several instances Murray and Ellison talk about things that prefigure the attitudes of hip hop. And I know this is ironic becuase Stanley Crouch, a disciple of these two men, is one of the most vocal black critics of hip hop in the world today. Examples of this are definetly these two men using the "b" word at certain points, Ellison actually takes being called a "hell of a n...." as a compliment, and Murray uses the "n-word"to denounce his former employees at Tuskeegee. Of course these men are not gratuitous with this type of language, but they take poetic liscence with them (as the greatest of tasteful M.C's like Chuck D, B.I.G, Tupac, Nas, Daddy Kane etc.) do. They totally explode the silliness of some of the cultural gatekeepers in the black community that these words should never be uttered. As artists they don't look at words morally, they use them were they fit. However they do use them with taste, and being middle aged men and educated men, they don't hafe to use them for every other word. But some of the language in this book is proof to me that the hip hop generation by no means came up with this lingo on their own, we got if from our pops, and uncles, and men in the community. However, we could also get a good lesson in taste, and how to take our "chitlins to the waldorf" from these two cats.

If you love black history, get this book. If you want to see the genesis of the modern African-American mentality and how it relates to the old, get this book. If you want fresh literary perspectives, get this book. If you want an example of black intellectuals who didn't forget where they came from, get this book. If you want inspiration for your own art, run and get this book, becuase in the words of Albert Murray:

"Maybe I really broke the bed down, and then maybe I ain't done nothing but hit it a lick and promise. Maybe I ain't no certified cocksman yet, but that g-ddamn chick is pregnant due: you examine her. Maybe i'tll be a nine-pounder and maybe we'll hafe to put it in an oxygen tank, and maybe it'll be a f*c***g miscarriage; you examine it....

a must read.......2001-02-26

I could not put this down. It is a funny, warm, and insightful jam session on the subjects of literature, jazz, and American culture. This is a must have for any student of those subjects. It's also gives fascinating background into the lives and intellectual development of these literary giants.

Music on the Page.......2000-08-17

This is an excellent book. Fans of Ellison and Murray will appreciate the intimate look at the lives of these writers that can be gained from reading the letters published in this work. Moreover, the call and response nature of the letters beautifully mimic that which can be heard in some of the classic jazz and gospel songs of America. You'll have a hard time putting this one down...

Trading Twelves : The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray

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Trading Twelves : The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray
Albert -- Callahan, John (ed) Murray
Manufacturer: The Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6484E

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Trading Twelves The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray
Ralph and Murry, Albert Ellison
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000X66LCC

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