Customer Reviews:
An enjoyable Victorian mystery .......2007-08-08
When his young groom is found dead, the Prince of Wales asks Sir Charles Sheridan to look into the matter. Ably aided by Kate Ardleigh, an American who secretly pens penny-dreadfuls, Sheridan soon finds that behind it proper facades, the upper class is hiding some very sordid secrets.
Death at Daisy's Folly is a treat for readers of historical British mysteries. It is obvious that a lot of research went into the creation of this book. Set at an 1890's weekend house party and featuring real historical figures, the story explores the private lives of the privileged and contrasts it with the daily lot of the servant class.
Charles and Kate make a likable team. I was particularly glad to see the authors finally develop Charles into something more than just a science geek.
Having enjoyed this book, I will definitely read the next entry in the series.
Brilliant.......2006-06-29
Kate Ardleigh and Charles Sheridan are back. Clever Kate and nerdy but ahead-of-his-time Charles are a wondeful sleuthing team. Robyn Paige is wonderfully adept at including real historical figures in her books, and this installment is no exception.
Aside from the mystery, which is excellent, this book provides a fascinating look at the slightly disturbing lifestyles of the aristocracy and royalty in Victorian England.
Competition for Amelia Peabody!.......2006-03-25
Heroine Kate Ardleigh is an independent woman helping to solve crimes during Victorian times (late 1800s) in England. She doesn't quite fit in: she's American, she's of Irish descent, she's independent, she's interested in corpses, and she writes lurid crime stories under the pseudonym Beryl Bardwell. None of these characteristics is suitable for a proper British lady of society!
Part of what makes this series interesting is the historical research the authors have done into the people, time, places and events that Kate experiences. The time period is the birth of many techniques and technologies, such as photography, crime scene investigation, air travel, and the automobile.
Another element making this series enjoyable is the developing romance between Kate and Sir Charles. They are a perfect match for each other, but their secret backgrounds and responsibilities threaten to keep them apart.
The story is filled with actual historical figures, all of whom Kate and Charles manage to meet. Beatrix Potter and her furry characters become Kate's friends in the first book of the series. In Death at Daisy's Folly, Kate and Charles mingle with the Prince of Wales and his mistress, Daisy, at a weekend house party at Daisy's husband's estate. Daisy's Folly is the"hideaway" on the estate outfitted with boudoirs for amorous assignations. In all the books, death comes unexpectedly, and Kate and Charles are eager to solve the crimes.
For those of you who have devoured all of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, there are similarities in Robin Paige's
books, though in a decidedly more sedate tone and with fewer harrowing adventures. Just as Amelia knows better than Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter where to dig in the Valley of the Kings, Kate and Charles are on the cutting edge, setting forensic practices in motion, always at least one step ahead of the constables. The characters are charming and the details make the Victorian Era come to life. And if a little murder and some sleuthing can be done among Britain's elite, so be it.
A great book!.......2006-01-30
I love how the authors always bring real historical figures into their plots - it such a fun way to learn a little more history! This is definitely a wonderful series! I love the characters!
Disappointing .......2005-09-22
While I enjoyed the first novel in this series, I thought this second novel was not up to par. The characters were not particularly deep or engaging and I was not sure why Beatrix Potter was in the plot. I was not drawn into the characters' world as I had expected to be based on the first novel and probably will not pick up the next novel in the series. It seems to me that the author(s) were aiming at a much younger audience than grown women.
Average customer rating:
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Daughter Dedannan and the Cauldron of Undry
Eben Reilly
Manufacturer: Braiswick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Ireland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1898030898 |
Book Description
In the misty twilight between ancient Irish history and legend, emerged a tribe who surpassed all others in the arts of music, medicine, magic and war, but not until the return of the Daughter Dedannan, can these mystical warriors master the art of peace. On the eve of Samhain in the year 995 AD, a young girl ventures out never to return to the simple pleasures of her solitary life on a hillside in Sligo. Instead she is swept away to the Other Side where mythical gods lead the way to Tara, the ancient capital of Ireland, where generations of her ancestors feast at the same table. For the follower of Irish ways, folklorist and pagan alike, this story of Dagda and Danu, myth and reality, will strike a chord where the worlds of dream and waking reverberate, and all dimensions converge. Eben Reilly lives in Southern Vermont, where the mountains are as lush as they must have been in medieval Ireland, and is currently completing Daughter Dedannan and the Broad Arrow, a novel which takes the reader along with Finn MacCool to Botany Bay in Australia to participate in the victory of the Irish spirit over bondage.
Book Description
A top nutritionist provides her simple, proven five–level diet plan to safely make the transition to eating raw foods, and to detoxify and achieve a perfect body no matter how you eat now.
The raw food craze has taken off, as raw restaurants spring up and celebrities, models, and other fans tout the effects of eating raw. However, many people who are intrigued by raw food simply don't know how to make the transition from what they're eating now, or how to achieve the benefits of eating raw without giving up their lifestyle or the foods they love. Natalia Rose, an in–demand nutritionist, shows how in The Raw Food Detox Diet. Whether your diet is primarily made up of meat and potatoes, or tofu and tempeh, you can incorporate the flavour and lasting health benefits of raw food into your life.
Over time, our bodies build up poisons and store waste from food that is not fully eliminated. Raw food helps to detoxify the body by flushing out these poisons and setting us back on a course toward greater energy, clearer skin and shinier hair, and a slim, natural figure. But making the transition to a raw diet too quickly can have negative effects on the body. Instead, the healthier way is to make a gentle change based on your previous diet and current needs. You do not conform to The Raw Food Detox Diet; it conforms to you, and you choose how far you want to go. Whether you're looking to live an all–raw lifestyle, or just to improve your energy and shape while still eating the foods you love, this groundbreaking diet book will energize and inspire you to achieve your goals safely and easily.
Customer Reviews:
BEST BOOK ON RAW FOOD.......2007-09-28
This is one of the best books on Raw food I have ever purchased. If you are a just learning about raw foods Natalia makes the transition easy! Don't let the word DETOX scare you away! It is more than a detox plan it is a plan for life. If you are new to the raw food movement and you are looking for a comprehensive and simple place to start I urge you to buy this book!
Nothing really that revolutionary, but a nice gradual approach.......2007-09-27
I borrowed this book from the public library. After reading this book, several other books on nutrition/diet, and web searches and forum discussions, plus trying out her plan up to phase 3 for several weeks, this is my take on it: It certainly encourages you to eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, which is a very healthy thing. I'm pretty good with eating fruits only until noon. That's easy and I like it most of the time. However, all the food combining stuff is a pain in the rear, and pretty much unfounded (no scientific basis for it at all). I will say that while I was following this plan, I became very regular. Every morning like clockwork. So that is a plus. I never got to the juicing stage, although I am intrigued by it, and some time within the next year I will probably buy a juicer and try doing veggie juices. The real plus about this book is the gradual approach she encourages. She even allows you may want to just be "raw vegan" for breakfast and lunch and eat a regular dinner with your family (i.e. meat/animal products). In that sense, this is a very doable plan for almost anyone. She doesn't try to insist that you go 100% raw vegan, but that you take from the book what works for you. The recipes seem pretty decent. I made a few of them. I'm not doing this books so closely at the moment, but it has influenced my eating. I eat more fruits and veggies than I did before reading this book and trying out the plan for a few weeks. And I do feel better, too.
An excellent 'how to' entry point........2007-09-23
What I really enjoyed about this book is that it understands the key fact about most human beings - even with the best of intentions 100% is a hard thing.
That's where this book is ideal for people looking to transition to the raw food lifestyle. Because it does not ram 100% compliance down your throat it makes it an easier book to work with.
The way it is written is warm and friendly and encourages you to try more raw food in your diet while respecting where you are today.
A good all-round book for a wide audience.
Going raw? start here.......2007-09-20
This is a good book to start with if you're thinking of going raw. All the basics are here. The author encourages you to start slowly and introduce raw foods gradually into your diet rather than going raw overnight. On this diet, it is so important to food combine properly, which is explained in the book. Also, she includes easily digestible foods that are not raw. I would have given this book 5 stars, but she did not fully explain that apples and lemons can be combined with vegetables, so I think it looks like she is contradicting herself when she includes a recipe with apples, lemon, and greens. Earlier in the book she says that fruit must be eaten alone. Also, she says that avocado is metabolized as a starch, but all other food combining sources say it is a protien. It's okay that she has a differing opinion, but she doesn't state why she thinks so. Read this, get what you can from it, but also do your homework and read from other sources, as well. Gourmet Raw is also good.
Very Informative.......2007-09-17
I learned some interesting things about transitioning to raw, and the importance of sequencing your food intake by anount of time that particular food takes to digest. Very informative.
Average customer rating:
- Deliciously easy hand-held bundles to stuff, wrap, and relish
- It's a wrap!
- Sometimes brilliant, sometimes puzzling
- Asian Wraps
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Asian Wraps: Deliciously Easy Hand-Held Bundles To Stuff, Wrap, And Relish
Nina Simonds
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Quick & Easy
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
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Asian Noodles: 75 Dishes To Twirl, Slurp, And Savor
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Asian Wraps & Rolls (Essential Kitchen Series)
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A Spoonful of Ginger : Irresistible Health-Giving Recipes from Asian Kitchens
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Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health
ASIN: 0688163009 |
Amazon.com
Asian Wraps will surely add to the way you enjoy food, tempting you with a wide assortment of highly flavored, Asian-accented dishes eaten without benefit of fork, knife, or chopsticks. Nina Simonds, known for her impeccable versions of classic Asian dishes, cuts loose in this book, offering, for example, a creative seafood and rice salad tucked into lettuce leaves and a clever adaptation of Chinese Lion's Head. This dish is usually meatballs with a mane of cabbage, served floating in a soupy casserole; Simonds transforms it into stuffed cabbage rolls served with the rich broth in which they cook. For bite-size appetizers, there are skewers of grilled pork sâté, unexpectedly enveloped in radicchio leaves, a more classic Flaky Curry Turnover filled with ground meat and green peas, and colorful smoked salmon spirals filled with sushi rice, capers, and red onion.
Going still further afield, Simonds fuses Asian and Caribbean flavors in her Chinese Jerk Chicken in a flour tortilla, including ginger, scallion, and rice vinegar in the jerk paste. Her Hawaii-style grilled swordfish kebabs served with pineapple salsa almost dare you to skip the wrapper and enjoy the lightly soy-sauce-marinated fish simply with its piquant accompaniment. As in her previous book, Asian Noodles, Simonds details all you need to know about special ingredients, covering 17 kinds of wrappers, from wonton skins and rice paper to lotus leaves and Indian flatbread. To make dishes accessible to everyone, particularly when there is not an Asian food store nearby, Simonds offers more readily available tortillas, pita bread, and lavash as substitutions. Asian Wraps resembles other recent books by Simonds, including A Spoonful of Ginger, in its generous use of beautifully styled color photos of prepared dishes and key ingredients. --Dana Jacobi
Book Description
In this beautifully photographed full-color book, Nina Simonds shares her culinary expertise in more than seventy-five delicious recipes for all manners of wrapped Asian delicacies. Throw away those forks and knives and dig into these fresh and flavorful wraps, stuffed with everything from succulent, plump shrimp glazed with vibrant sweet-and-sour sauce to fragrant curried coconut chicken. Asian Wraps is a delightful exploration into the varied flavors of Asia, from small enticing tastes of Bite-Size Wraps and the delightful crunch of Salads in a Wrap to satisfying Entree Wraps and cutting-edge New Asian Wraps.
Nina Simonds tempts us with her inspiring and fabulous creations, such as Flaky Curried Turnovers, Lemony Thai Salad Packages, delectable Seared Garlic Beef with Roasted Rainbow Peppers, Barbecued Halibut with Cilantro Pesto, and Singapore Noodles in Napa Leaves. Asian Wraps wouldn't be complete without suggestions for a variety of wrappers, whether store-bought--leafy greens, pita bread, tortillas, and nori; or homemade--Mandarin Pancakes, Steamed Lotus Buns, and Baked Indian Flatbread. Asian Wraps is sure to make eating a tasty and handy experience!
Customer Reviews:
Deliciously easy hand-held bundles to stuff, wrap, and relish.......2007-05-16
Oh this book is so tempting, you just want to make wraps all day. So deliscious
It's a wrap!.......2004-07-15
I own more cookbooks that any one could possibly use, but this is my favorite. I've tried many of the recipes and never had a flop. All are flavorful. I love having pictures for most of the recipes. Great ideas, descriptions of ingredients, and descriptions and recipes for the wrappers! Last week I bought all of her books. This week I'm ordering two copies for my friends. If you want to make healthful tasty meals, this is the cookbook for you. Be sure to try the Grilled Miso Salmon with Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers!
Sometimes brilliant, sometimes puzzling.......2000-08-19
One drawback about shopping for books online is the lack of tactile information, so first things first: this book looks and feels more like an art book than a cookbook. It is made of very heavy, glossy paper that displays the many photographs beautifully. Most of the book is laid out the way I much prefer - photo on one page and complete recipe on the facing page. Only a few longer recipes force you to turn the page mid-recipe - those are the ones that get decorated with most of the flour/soy sauce fingerprints.
The book doesn't just concentrate on fillings - there are instructions for making some of the most popular Asian wrappers from scratch - not many people will go that route, I suspect (I haven't as yet), but it is nice to have the option there.
Some of the recipes are nothing short of brilliant. I've always struggled with sesame oil - I love the flavour, but it is far too easy to swamp a recipe with it. Ms. Simond is a master of the stuff -- her sesame vinaigrette is alone worth the price of the book. She uses sesame oil in several of the filling recipes, too, and the results are always wonderful.
Some of her other recipes, while always interesting, exhibit some rather strange choices. The first time I make an unfamiliar recipe, I like to follow it exactly, because I can never be sure what its author intended. Only when I make the recipe again will start to incorporate my own ideas into it. I wouldn't advise doing that with this cookbook - if you are merrily cooking along, and read something that gives you pause, like adding ½ lb of frozen peas to an otherwise wonderful filling, or using "finely-chopped lemongrass" rather than "lemongrass pureed in a blender so that you don't have to hand toothpicks out to your guests," then by all means make the change immediately.
With that one caveat out of the way, I can highly recommend this cookbook.
Asian Wraps.......2000-02-02
Being a novice on the topic of asian wraps, I wanted to find a cookbook that was simple, well written and not costly, and I found all of the above in Nina Simonds "Asian Wraps". This cookbook is well written, the recipes are easy to understand, and the cost was very reasonable. I would recommend this cookbook to any of my family or friends who wish to add versatality to their menu's.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book for new owners.......2006-11-01
Very good information and a must read for potential owners and new owners of Doberman Pinschers.
Nice.......2004-01-19
If I could, I would give this book a 3.5. The book is well written, and if you are new to Dobermans, it is a very nice book to add to you collection. Though to anyone experienced, it does not add any personal insight, and nothing extremely new or exciting. Overall it reads nicely, and has a nice sound to it. I was pleasantly surprised, as this is one of the few good Doberman books I have come across. For anyone who is interested or new to the breed, this is definetly a good choice.
Good book for the beginner.......2001-07-25
Being a Doberman enthousiast, I read every dobe book that I can get my hands on. The author is a well known and successful breeder and judge, but I was dissapointed that this book was not filled with more personal insight into the breed. If you know absolutely nothing about how to raise a dog, this would be a good book. I did enjoy some of the pictures, however.
Great Book for Any Doberman Pinscher Owner.......2000-06-14
I was surprised to search Doberman Pinscher on Amazon.com and find out Faye had written a book! Faye knows Doberman Pinschers quite well and was co-breeder of one of my males, Sherlucks Pan Am Machu Picchu. I was skeptical but decided to purchase the book. Faye is an excellent author and really gets into grooming and health plus training, what to expect from your Doberman and about every aspect of canine ownership. Having several books already on Dobermans I was pleasantly surprised by Ms. Strauss's book. It reads well and is well written. I'd recommend it to both new and experienced Doberman owners. It's never too late to teach an old dog, or owner for that manner, a new trick or two! I am now going to buy a second book for a friend as well.
Excellent beginner's book on Dobes.......2000-03-27
This book is great for people new to the Doberman. It gives an overview of the breed's history, temperment, care and training requirements. It touches on the different activities you can participate in with your Doberman and lists addresses to contact for more info. The health care chapter briefly explains all the major diseases and parasites that you must have your dog vaccinated against. For more indepth training methods for the novice, however, it is best to consult a specific manual on the subject. Overall the book is one of the better I have read on any breed!
Average customer rating:
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Victorian Book of Ribbons and Roses
Pamela Westland
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Home & Garden
| Bargain Books
| Stores
| Books
Decorating
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Ribbons
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0785803815 |
Book Description
This volume of conference papers presents new discoveries, updated information, and technological advances in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Two papers examine the identity of the messiahs in 4Q246 and 4Q521. A thorough analysis of scribal markings in the Dead Sea texts is presented. Biblical studies include multiple literary editions of biblical texts, the book of Numbers at Qumran, and the appearance of the Tetragrammaton in 4QSam(a) texts. The notions of judgment and salvation according to Sapiential Work A are thoroughly examined, and the relationship of the six Barki Nafshi texts is carefully considered. New developments in the field of Dead Sea Scrolls studies include the Dead Sea Scrolls Database and DNA studies on the scrolls themselves.
Product Description
This is a special edition of Currier & Ives full of prints.
Customer Reviews:
The Ubiquitous Backdrop to 19th Century America.......2005-01-13
I have been a collector of Currier and Ives prints for over three decades now, and I still consider this to be the best single volume reference on the subject. In fact, this was the volume that introduced me to the forgotten world of popular 19th century lithographed prints when I experienced a strange sense of deja vu while flipping through it. That is what is revealed here- a forgotten world of America as she saw herself between the years of 1835 and 1907. These prints were sold for as little as six cents apiece when they were first published. They enabled the average man to bring artwork into his home and life at a price that he could afford. Indeed, these prints were the ubiquitous backdrop to the 19th century, since they could be found adorning the walls of barrooms, barbershops, firehouses, and hotels, as well as the homes of rich and poor alike.
The book starts with a good concise history of the firm and it's founders, as well as, a brief description of the lithography process itself. Next, brief biographies are included of the principle artists (when the book was first published the author had actually known some of them in their later years.) Then there is a section of brief descriptions of the prints on the included plates indexed by number. There are 192 plates; each containing between one and four reduced sized reproductions of the original prints. Approximately one in five plates are reproduced in the rich, full color of the originals.
The subject matter included in this selection is very representative of the firm's output and includes: landscape views, political cartoons and banners, portraits, historical prints, moral and religious prints, prints for children, country and pioneer home scenes, humor, sheet music, Mississippi river prints, railroad prints, horse prints, sporting events, and ship prints. Yet even this is only a small sampling of Currier and Ive's output since they claimed to have produced on average three new prints a week for over fifty years. Unfortunately the company itself did not maintain the most complete record of its own production- unknown prints still turn up to this day.
Average customer rating:
- Sensitive and moving
- Story of Bengali Mddle Class of Mid-20th Century
- Excellent - Writer of Great Promise
- A memoir of great promise
- an intimate look into a rich heritage
|
Merry on Little Things
Amit Banerjea
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1410798216 |
Customer Reviews:
Sensitive and moving.......2006-05-06
Reviewed by Linda Benninghoff for Reader Views (5/06)
This captivating memoir tells the story of the author's childhood in India. Sections of it also portray his experience of Diaspora--being an immigrant living in the U.S.
The book begins with leave-takings. The family moves from East Bengal to Calcutta, where the father has taken a government post. The author is poor but always has enough to eat and houses to live in--complex houses with verandahs. The houses are described in great detail. The memoir is made up of a series of anecdotes. Intricately written, it intersperses his past in India and future in the U.S. The author paints a compelling picture of an Indian boyhood and, in passing, gives some history of the country and teaches about Indian culture. Banerjea often uses Indian words, and describes in detail some of the religious rituals.
He states that Muslims and Hindus got along well prior to the division of the country into India and Pakistan, after independence. It was then that religious tensions rose. He tells the story of a Hindu man who, all his life, devoted himself to the Muslims in his village. Then, after the division of the country, they betrayed him.
Although the book focuses mainly on the author's Indian childhood, it also attempts to capture the experience of Diaspora: "In the last century, millions of multinational and ethnic groups from various parts of the world came as displaced persons or as refugees, or immigrated, or worked as expatriates in new and foreign lands, and they became diasporic populations. Each of these people has his or her own diasporic experience which is unique and heartfelt."
I sensed how much the author missed his childhood home and family. While he is in Flushing, he manages to gather other Hindus together into a cultural-social enclave. This helps him feel less misplaced and helps him preserve his Indian roots.
The characters are drawn with careful brushstrokes. As I read, I felt I got to know them well. In one of the many stories, he gives a moving picture of his grandmother, Thakuma, who is widowed at an early age and defies tradition, bringing up her son by herself in her husband's house. "She was a very disciplined woman. She did all her work routinely, she did her own cooking, and she had a separate chulla, which she lit herself when she did the cooking. She boiled her own land-grown rice, husked on dredi, producing brown rice which gave a superb aroma when cooked!" Thakuma's strength and independence emerge from the description.
I felt the author aimed high with this work and, for the most part, achieved his goal. I was moved by the little boy falling down in the strange streets of Calcutta after having gone outside while his mother was napping, still too young to be out on his own. One of the remarkable things about this book is its focus on people--family, friends, and playmates. When he describes kite-flying with a playmate, I remember my own games and my playmates.
This is a sensitive and moving book. I think not only displaced persons and immigrants will enjoy this book--but almost everyone.
Story of Bengali Mddle Class of Mid-20th Century.......2006-04-18
We knew about the author's distinguished career as an engineer, and deservedly so. But we were unaware of his literary talents.
The book is autobiographical. But that is not telling what it actually is. This book captures and chronicles in detail, the way of life of the largest section of the Bengali middle class of our times--------30s, 40s and 50s of the last century------who were generally well educated, but most often belonged to the lower rung of the society in economic terms. I also belonged to this group. And in that sense this could almost be my story as well. Yet, it is this section that formed the backbone of the Bengali culture, and its heritage. The book is a social history of our times--- written in a captivating style. I liked the structuring of the book, and the easy flowing language which retained readers' interest throughout. I also admired, and thoroughly enjoyed the blending of the author's current life and experience in the US with that of yesteryears in a kind of "flash forward" (?) style. Characters such as Abdul, Gita, and Jatin and their stories have enriched and enhanced its literary value.
This is Amit Banerjea's first book. We hope more would follow. Congratulations !!!
Excellent - Writer of Great Promise.......2005-07-18
Reviews:
Reviewed by Joanna Daneman (Delaware, USA),
Top ten Reviewer of Amazon.com
"... a writer of GREAT promise who has the ability to delve into memory and sense and produce a work that is bound to touch you. Banerjea's writing reminds me strongly of Ved Mehta.... Mehta could take you into his world of sounds, smells, texture and flavor, and Banerjea does that with masterful hand....his growing sophistication and knowledge is incredibly well reflected in his writing......it's a sensitively written and heartfelt memoir...Well done. Write more, please, Mr.Banerjea....Highly recommended."
(Go to Amazon.com for full review of the book)
BookReview.com
Reviewed by Heather Froeschl, Associate Editor (Virginia, USA)
"Excellent ....The book is full of life...the author...is relaying the culture of India, the tradition...of family and society...offers an intimate look into a rich heritage....You will become immersed in Indian heritage and come away richer for experience....delightful to
read....cherishing the variety of cultures in the world."
(Go to www.bookreview.com for full review of the book)
BookWire Review (New Jersey, USA)
"Moving between rural milieus and urban landscapes, the stories present a panorama of the everyday life of people and their cultures. These are the ordinary people who, despite hardship, are content and `merry on little things' ....Diaspora across the globe will relate to their poignant experiences."
(Go to www.bookwire.com for full review of the book)
East-West Times (Florida, USA)
"....gives you a warm feeling...."
India Post (California, USA)
"....takes readers on a delightful journey...."
A memoir of great promise.......2005-05-12
Amit Banerjea will get your attention at the opening of "Merry on Little Things." His father has moved the family to Calcutta and Banerjea describes their new home in the eyes of a little boy. Here's how the houses look, with their rail-less verandas and enclosed courtyards. Here's how the family survived, poor, in a city where poverty has levels that know almost no bounds. Amit is told by his mother and father: do not stray outside the building and when he does inevitably disobey, we see the dangers and confusion of life in this city, feeling almost as scared and confused as the little lost boy must have felt.
This memoir is far from perfect--the usual speedbumps of too many foreign words make the language a bit halting for those of us not familiar with terms like puja and lahk. However, if you overlook this minor flaw, you will see a writer of GREAT promise who has the ability to delve into memory and senses and produce a work that is bound to touch you. Banerjea's writing reminds me strongly of Ved Mehta--the blind Indian author who wrote a trilogy of biographies (Vedi, Daddyji, Mammaji) that were excerpted in the New Yorker in the 80's. Mehta could take you into his world of sounds, smells, texture and flavor, and Banerjea does that with a masterful hand. In addition, as the author leaves India for England and the US, his writing changes along with the adoption of new English words and slang--his growing sophistication and knowledge is incredibly well reflected in his writing.
But the most touching part of Banerjea's memoir is his depiction of the life of widows and women in Indian society. The socialized degradation of widows is explained and more significantly, we cry along with him for the bad things that happen to the women in his life.
This is not a perfect book, but it's a sensitively written and heartfelt memoir that had me reading it non-stop from cover to cover. I then immediately rang up the author on the phone. Well done. Write more, please, Mr. Banerjea.
Highly recommended.
an intimate look into a rich heritage.......2005-03-21
The modern Indian Diaspora evolved mainly due to the subjugation of India by the British. Being an ignorant American, I never realized this and I'd been oblivious to it. What a sheltered life we lead. Millions of people were displaced from their ancestral lands, struggling to hold onto their traditions and culture as India was divided. Amit Banerjea shares the story of his life as he grew up in Bengal and Calcutta and his eventual emigration to the United States.
The book is full of life and times that are memories of boyhood. Much like any other person holds memories of times, the author relays his thoughts, bringing to life many stories of his childhood. But he also is relaying the culture of India, the traditions of his family and society. In this, he offers an intimate look into a rich heritage.
From the simple furnishings of his household to the play of young children, from the family structure and taboos to the much enjoyed reunions with relatives, and the dealings of arranged marriage, Emit details the meanings behind the images and truly opens up a whole new world to readers. You will become immersed in Indian heritage and will come away richer for the experience.
The book is delightful to read, full of vivid images and scenes, and plain old life. You will come away from this title appreciating the little things and cherishing the variety of cultures in the world.
Review by Heather Froeschl
Books:
- Death by Inferior Design (A Domestic Bliss Mystery)
- Death of a Macho Man
- Death Without Company
- December Heat: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinosa Mysteries)
- Diagnosis Murder #2: The Death Merchant (Diagnosis Murder, 2)
- Diagnosis Murder: The Silent Partner
- Died to Match (Carnegie Kincaid, Book 2)
- Digging Up Trouble: A Nina Quinn Mystery (Nina Quinn Mysteries)
- Double Dealer : Crime Scene Investigation
- Dressed to Die: A Lindsay Chamberlain Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- My Life So Far
- Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
- Drawing With Infotrac: A Contemporary Approach
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions
- Basics of Artistic Drawing, The
- Gently Lead: Or How to Teach Your Children About God While Finding Out for Yourself
- FLOWERS OF THE ISLANDS IN THE SUN. BERMUDA. BARBADOS. BAHAMAS. CARIBBEAN ISLANDS. HAWAII.
Death at Devil's Bridge (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 4)
Death at Gallows Green (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 2)
Death at Rottingdean (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 5)
Death at Bishop's Keep (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 1)
Death at Whitechapel (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 6)
