December Heat: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinosa Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Intriguing and worth a second read!

Brilliant

A Trip to Rio

December Heat: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinosa Mysteries)
Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Southwesterly Wind: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinoza Mysteries)

The Silence of the Rain: A Novel

A Window in Copacabana: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinoza Mysteries)

Pursuit: An Inspector Espinosa Mystery (Inspector Espinoza Mysteries)

Havana Red

ASIN: 0312423438

Book Description

A retired policeman spends a typically alcohol-filled evening with his girlfriend, a prostitute. When he wakes up the next morning, his wallet and car key are missing, his girlfriend has been murdered, and he can remember none of the events of the previous night. Inspector Espinosa, veteran detective and friend of the ex-cop, is convinced there's more here than meets the eye, and when other bodies begin turning up, he finds himself not only racing after a killer but falling in love.

Amazon.com

There are few crime story recipes more overdone than that involving a suspect who, for some reason, can't recall whether he or she committed murder. Yet Brazilian author Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza brings considerable spice to this device in December Heat, his second novel featuring the bookish and independent Inspector Espinosa.

Leaving a Rio de Janeiro restaurant one evening, retired cop Vieira Crisóstomo, too drunk to stay on his feet, is helped into his car by his prostitute girlfriend, Magali. In the process, he drops his wallet, which is promptly snatched up by a homeless boy. The next morning, Magali is found dead in her Copacabana apartment, naked, with a plastic bag over her head, and lashed to her bed by Vieira's belt. With liquor obscuring Vieira's memory of the previous night, yet every clue suggesting that he asphyxiated his lover, Espinosa tells the ex-officer, "the only reason I'm not arresting you is because I don't think you're stupid enough to accumulate so much evidence against yourself." But who else might have murdered Magali? And is there a link between that crime and subsequent homicides related to Vieira's missing wallet? Answering those questions will send Espinosa after drug traffickers and corrupt cops, lead to assaults on both him and Vieira, and leave the inspector vulnerable to seduction by Vieira's new mistress, Flor--a woman who boasts as many secrets as she does curves.

The leisurely pace of Garcia-Roza's tale reflects that of its sultry coastal setting. His characters vary between the hedonistic and the indigent, but are drawn with unfailing sympathy. Particularly captivating are this novelist's portrayals of women; in one instance, Espinosa tells a young painter here that "you have a navel that proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that God exists and that he's a sculptor." Like The Silence of the Rain, Garcia-Roza's first installment of his Espinosa trilogy, December Heat is a coolly delivered blend of the ominous and the sensual, hinting at what Oscar Hijuelos or Gabriel García Márquez might accomplish, were they ever to try penning detective fiction. --J. Kingston Pierce

Customer Reviews:

Intriguing and worth a second read!.......2007-01-17

The prose is delightful, sensuous, and enticing. The attention to detail and nuance is captivating and yet never bogs you down. The author's intimate knowledge of his homeland allows non-Brazilian readers a glimpse into a complicated and unique world. Characters are often ambiguous -- you don't really know for sure if you should love or hate them. Garcia-Roza does not give the reader any more information than his characters are privy to. The reader is not privileged at all and can thus just go along for the ride. There are twists and turns and even experienced sleuths will be kept guessing about many things until the very end. I am glad I found Inspector Espinosa and look forward to investigating his other adventures.

Brilliant.......2004-11-24

Garcia-Roza has established himself as one of the most exciting authors of mystery novels in contemporary Brazilian literature. This book, originally entitled "Achados e Perdidos", is a testament to his good reputation. From the first page, the reader is drawn into to an all-too-real universe set in the city of Rio de Janeiro without any hope of exit before the final sentence in the book. The story starts with an intoxicated, retired policeman losing his wallet during an outing with his girlfriend, who happens to be a prostitute. The wallet is immediately picked up by a street boy, who from that point on is catapulted into a sequence of events that spirals out of control. The next morning, the girlfriend is found dead, tied to her own bed, and in the scene of the crime the ex-policeman's belt is found. Progressively, more and more unlikely participants slowly get pulled into a tight web where timelines, opportunities, and motives converge and diverge, at the same time. The prose is stylish and deep, and the story never stops surprising. All in all, an excellent book. (These comments apply to the original in the Portuguese language.)

A Trip to Rio.......2004-10-14

Although I probably will never travel to Rio de Janero, Garcia-Roza makes me feel as if I have been there. His sensual descriptions of the city and its people bring the city to life. The plight of the inner life of a street boy is poignantly realized, recalling the tragedy that unfolded in this year's fine documentary, Bus 174, which was more about the desperation of what it means to be a product of the streets, a sadly common phenomenon of Rio. Espinosa, Garcia-Roza's protagonist, is reminiscent of Inspector Montalbano in Andrea Camilleri's Sicillian series. Both have the same time worn quality, both love their food -- there are very sensuous descriptions of their meals, sometimes hilarious (as in Espinosa's consumption of a Big Mac on the Copacabana), but they both end up with answers to their puzzles and will hopefully expand on their experiences to us, their USA-bound fans.

Book Description

Slim's a Texas bluesman of a certain age, down on his luck, and just about broke--but hey, that's what the blues are all about. Then, one day, in a single hot burst of lightning that comes straight up out of the ground, Slim finds himself in Tejas. Not Texas, but somewhere else. It's a little bit magic and a whole lot different, but the blues are the same.And the blues--manifest here in the form of a maple-necked pearl-gray Fender Stratocaster with blue-chrome pickups a.k.a. The Gutbucket--needs him and needs him bad. The Strat's fallen into the hands of T-Bone Pickens and his Vipers, who want to suck up all its power and turn it to evil.Slim's off and running on the Gutbucket Quest, with the help of his new mentor, rhythm guitarist Progress T. Hornsby, and a purely unstoppable blues singer named Nadine.

Customer Reviews:

I enjoyed it........2003-10-18

I have conversed with Ron on the net for some time, and I finally got around to buying and reading his book. I like Ron and wanted to give the book a 4, but I think that would more about Ron than the book. Honestly it deserves a 3, so that is what I will give it.

Ron writes from experience, and IMOP the lead character is a little too much Ron. The idea is good, but the villain is cardboard (with the exception of Slim, and to an extent Progress, all of the characters are basically 2D) and most of the plot predictable (not always a bad thing).

Despite what I perceive as flaws the book flowed well, and it was a quick and enjoyable read. And he included some very cool ideas that I wished he had delved more into, such as the voodoo-like religion (I don't have the book with me and I cannot remember their name), the gris-gris man and his "unique" zombies, and the MIB-like Vipers.

All in all I feel the book was worth the money.

Not bad for a first attempt.......2003-06-01

I too read the Authors notes and appreciate that this is more Leming than Anthony...It IS an enjoyable read though. I suffered through unfamiliarity with the music quoted throughout the book - lyrics always mean more married to the metre of a melody.
I enjoyed it though....

Doesn't even deserve 1 star.......2002-08-16

I love Piers Anthony, I love fantasy and science fiction, I love the blues, and I love to play guitar, so I thought this book looked interesting. Turns out that it's the ... ... that ever .... Obviously Ron Leming is unable to get over past failed relationships, hippy-ism, and theophobia. He sees no hypocrisy in constantly bashing mainstream religions but then pushing his own set of ethics and morals. And a world where there is no Fender? Or what about Gibson, man? That's no world for me.

Not quite.......2001-10-04

Too simplistic and not at all what I would expect from Anthony. Apparently this book was written by Leming and Anthony lent his name to it in order to help a new author get some exposure. And it shows. I love the premise - the Blues as a mystical force in a world where race is not an issue. But the storytelling was too simplistic and it dwelled on the protagonists character flaws and self consciousness way too much. However if there was a sequel I would probably buy it in hopes that would go deeper into the mythical world created in Gutbucket Quest.

A waste of time.......2001-09-30

The book *looked* interesting. Unfortunately the plot, what there was of it, dragged and the characters were uninteresting. Slim's whining got old after about a paragraph. I would suggest that reader take their time and money to other books that have something worthwhile to offer.

Average customer rating:

The Gutbucket Quest
Anthony & Leming
Manufacturer: PB-41 Paperback Science Fiction very good condition TOR 2001 has spinal creases
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LEJTIY

Book Description

Hailed as "one of the literary giants of science fiction" by The Denver Post, Gene Wolfe is universally acknowledged as one of the most brilliant writers the field has ever produced. Winner of the World Fantasy Award for best fiction collection, Storeys from the Old Hotel contains thirty-one remarkable gems of Wolfe's short fiction from the past two decades, most unavailable in any other form.

Storeys from the Old Hotel includes many of Gene Wolfe's most appealing and engaging works, from short-shorts that can be read in single setting to whimsical fantasy and even Sherlock Holmes pastiches. It is a literary feast for anyone interested in the best science fiction has to offer.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2002-08-04

The very title is a gentle pun: "storeys" rather than "stories", and it opens the door to another of Gene Wolfe's just slightly cockeyed universes. I usually read Wolfe's books with an unabridged dictionary nearby, and I am never annoyed at interrupting my reading in order to refer to it. As with all his books, reading him is a slow process, and yet that only makes me feel that I am getting more for my money.

His characters are real. While they are all characters in the other sense of the word, none seems unbelievable.

Read this book. And read "Free Live Free."

A book for completists..........2001-07-11

This isn't a bad collection, but it isn't a great collection -- which means that, for Gene Wolfe, it's a lesser book. Shorter stories than is typical of Wolfe's other collections, well written but mostly lacking the punch of the stories in "The Island of Dr. Death" or "Strange Travellers." Entertaining, occasionally brilliant, very quirky, even funny in places: essential Wolfe for those to whom Wolfe is essential.

A fascinating and eclectic collection.......2000-06-23

I am having a hard time trying to figure out what I should say in this reveiw. I think this mostly because these stories are so varied and all of them well written. I guess I'll just list my favorites: "Sightings at Twin Mounds"; "Westwind"; "Redbeard"; "Cherry Jubilee"; "Trip, Trap"; "Straw"; and "The Packerhaus Method".

Look at what some publishers pass up!.......1999-10-26

I should try to load this review down with penetrating insights into Mr. Wolfe's methods and modus, and his (to me, lofty) place in the post-modern literary world, but I get toungue (finger?) -tied and flounder and it comes off sounding lame. Suffice it to say that this short story collection is interesting in that it is comprised almost entirely of stories that were never published or published only with great difficulty. Not all, or even most, of these stories are science fiction (but then, what of Mr. Wolfe's work has ever been exclusivly SF? And who cares?) These tales form a diverse collection ranging from a various ghost stories, wide ranging fantasy pieces, a light meditation about life as seen from a train, and, as always (Mr. Wolfe's forte'), some very incisive comments on humans and why they do the weird things they do.

My own favorites are "The Sightings at the Twin Mounds," "The Death of the Island Doctor," "Redwood Coast Roamer," "A Solar Labyrinth," and "Redbeard."

If you've never read Wolfe, this is a good place to start. If you have read Wolfe and you don't have this book, then what the heck are you waiting for?

Average customer rating:
Storeys from the Old Hotel
Gene Wolfe
Manufacturer: Kerosina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0948893281

Average customer rating:
Storeys from the Old Hotel
Gene Wolfe
Manufacturer: Orb Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTNS38

Book Description

More than 50 of Elvis' favorite recipes. Includes his mama's recipes for mashed potatoes and lemon meringue pie, peanut butter and 'nana sandwiches' and Priscilla's magnificent wedding cake (make the whole thing or only a tier). With great pictures of Elvis at work and play as well as full-color food photography. 70 photos, mostly color. 64 pages. 8 1/2 X 11. GRAMERCY.

Customer Reviews:

Pedestrian at best.......2007-10-10

Very few recipes, very few pictures of Elvis, very much a slap-dash cobbled together effort. Nothing unique here other than the wedding cake.

Gladys's cornmeal mush......now at fancy restos they call it "polenta".......2007-02-08

Excellent recipes that surprisingly never call for lard. These are all wonderful, from the burnt-bacon BLT to the ham and apple sauce. The chicken-pot-pie, meatloaf and gravy, biscuits, fried chicken, and corn recipes are standard favorites. There is a false note in the "blueberry pie" recipe, since Elvis was from the river delta (the flatlands), not the hills (the foothills beginning near Jackson, Tennessee, where the author is from). The recipe for Elvis and Priscilla's wedding cake is no doubt attached for the "completists' only of Elvis fans, and adds little practical to the book, but is a welcome curiosity of kitsch. The famous fried-peanut-butter and banana sandwich (not deep fried, it is pan fried, BTW) is actually a common winter staple grilled sandwich for certain southern homes: a real kid pleaser. Banana pudding with Nilla vanilla wafers is here too (although true authentic details are left out). And Elvis's love of thick slices of fresh beefsteak tomatoes is alluded to throughout (the one food item everyone aggress on that he loved).

The combination of author's devotion and the wry art production make this an excellent example of hidden humor. Check out the recipe for glazed donuts and the photo of Elvis making the "ok" sign with thumb and forefinger, and you know for what to look for in the rest of the book. The spaghetti and meatballs recipe with Elvis giving a meatball smile is also too rich to ignore.

Fun and Useful.......2006-11-10

It was really fun learning about Elvis....Also, I have made some of the recipes and they were really good....I really enjoyed this cookbook....

Old fashioned, deep fried goodness.......2005-09-10

Elvis loved to eat. Who doesn't know that? This was a good concept for a cook book, and the recipes are quite good. It's comfort food but they made a point to include a chapter on vegetables subtitled with "Yes, the King ate vegetables". There are many typically Southern foods (grits, biscuits and red eye gravy, fried chicken, etc.), but the main dishes are crowd pleasers.

What prevented me from giving this 5 stars is the fact that these recipes are old fashioned. Elvis lived in the days before time saving cooking devices (the microwave, for example) and a lot of prepared foods. No doubt as the child of sharecroppers in Post Depression Era Mississippi they probably spent a lot of time cooking, canning and storing foods than the average person would today. These recipes are more labor intensive than even the most experienced cook is used to.

It includes the famous peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. This sandwich is the singular staple of Elvis's diet that has taken on a life of its own. They're good eating, for sure. Lisa Marie said recently about this odd phenomena that will this will never die, she never once saw Elvis eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich (at least not in front of her).

To me, the crowning achievement of this book was the release of the Elvis and Priscilla wedding cake recipe, but it was also the most ridiculous. This is a tremendous project, and they recommend that if you've never prepared something like this before to not only pick up utensils and ingredients at a wholesale bakery shop but to set aside at least 3 days to assemble it. Why someone who would want to replicate this would do this in their home kitchen is beyond me.

Great concept.......2002-04-10

What a great time to be buying cookbooks! While we have for a long while had access to recipe collections and representations of the cuisine of various nationalities and popular restaurants, recently there has been a growing library of culinary tomes that give us the skills for producing creations of our own minds. Titles such as Sauces by James Peterson, the 1-2-3 series by Roxanne Gold, Culinary Artistry, Great Wine Made Simple, and now this book provide us with the information about tastes and combinations of flavors and textures to deconstruct, reconstruct, and just plain construct familiar and novel dishes.

Are You Hungry Tonight provides a brief introduction to the celebrity subject's theory of flavor. Editor Butler broadly groups flavors into four categories based on the purpose they serve in a dish. Thus, Tastes That Push represent the well-known seasonings that we use to balance sauces, for example: Salty, Sweet, and Picante. Tastes That Pull represent those taste elements that highlight underlying flavors. The authors include here Tangy, Vinted, Floral/Herbal, Spiced Aromatic, Funky (pungents or musky flavors), and Bulby (what have commonly been called Aromatics such as onions and garlic). Taste Platforms represent the textures upon which dishes are built. These include Garden Platforms, Starchy ones, Oceanic ones, and Meaty ones (what the Japanese call umami). Finally, the fourth category is Tastes That Punctuate, basically bitters that stop tastes and cleanse the palate.

This model is very useful one. Ms. Butler seems not to have done her research in examining precursors to this model, and makes little reference to other cuisines than the one Elvis constructed during his lifetime. She neglects to include several important items, especially in the Platforms section (breads, pastries, soy products, seitan, and mushrooms as a basis for other flavors, for example). There are similar, usually less complex models, already in the literature. Butler and Presley's model is more extensive than most, however. Surprisingly, there is little space given in the book to theory. The majority of pages is devoted to recipes that demonstrate their combining philosophy. Butler does not describe how Presley took the elements of taste and mixed them to concoct these dishes. (A reader must refer to Culinary Artistry for such guidelines.) She does, however, provide tasting notes after each recipe that dissect the elements used in the dish.

The recipes are very complex, involving multiple steps and sub-recipes. Even a cook enjoying kitchen challenges would be hard pressed to prepare a full meal using this book alone-- one would run out of burners and pans before the dishes were complete. For example, the Honey Glazed Celeriac involves making the glaze, which is a reduction of wine and acids with sauteed aromatics sieved and kept warm, plus Celeriac slices baked and then broiled, plus a garnish of sauteed zucchini with chives, plus Ginger Curry Sauce, a mayonnaise of reduced wine and aromatics whisked with other ingredients.

The writing is an interesting, not entirely successful juxtaposition of aw-shucks, down-home attitude, sophisticated epicurean philosophy, and fancy foods. The recipes are heavy on the Meaty and Oceanic food platforms, making this definitely a carnivore's cookbook. Produce usually stands as garnish and accompaniment to the flesh. In the end, the most special part of the book represent a few precious pages and is underdeveloped. Perhaps a follow-up volume will expound on this interesting culinary model.

Average customer rating:
Are You Hungry Tonight? Elvis' Favorite Recipes

Manufacturer: MetroBooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 076076302X

Product Description

Color & b/w photos of The King. Try such recipes as Biscuits and Red-Eye Gravy and Fresh Kale with Cheese.

Book Description

Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats A-Z is filled with natural and holistic practices that can return your pets to health and keep them there. Set in an A-Z format, this beautiful book makes it easy to look up any issue your pet has.

As cats and dogs live with us for longer periods of time, they are privy to our habits and faults, facing environmental toxins, antibiotic overuse, commercial convenience foods, and chemical parasite products. As a result, they're developing more complex imbalances affecting the immune system. They also get stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, high cholesterol, and thyroid and heart disorders. In short, they mirror all of our problems.

Some of the important subjects in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats A-Z are:

—Healing the whole way

—What are acupuncture & acupressure

—Common & scientific herb names

—Healing by flower—using the essences about diet

—What homeopathy is

Customer Reviews:

Fun for beginner.......2007-04-04

This is a fun book, especially for the beginner.
The drawing are wonderful!

Dr. Cheryl is my vet!.......2001-06-02

Not only is this a great book, but Dr. Cheryl is a wonderful veterinarian!! She is incredibly intuitive and knowledgeable and my animals (cats, dogs, and horses) have been in the best of health since being under her care -- and I had some rather difficult cases.

what every pet owner needs!.......2000-06-26

It's about time someone put together a clear and concise guide to the numerous alternative veterinary treatments available. Dr. Schwartz gives us a path to greater involvement in our pets' care, while stating clearly when to consult a health care professional. As an obedience instructor for over 20 years, I recommend this book highly to all owners of dogs and cats!

Great Gift for the Holistically Minded Dog or Cat Lover.......2000-03-25

This beautifully illustrated, colorful, spiralbound hardcover book would make a great gift for the dog or cat lover with an interest in natural remedies for animals. Of course it's nowhere near as thorough as Dr. Schwartz' excellent "Four Paws, Five Directions," but this A-Z guide to dozens of ailments (from abscesses and arthritis to worms and yawning) is nonetheless a solid reference for those who prefer to tackle health problems with nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, and massage instead of drugs and chemical insecticides. Don't expect elaborate treatment plans and diagnosis techniques from this little book -- just safe and natural remedies you can try at home. And yes, Dr. Schwartz does take care to point out when it's a good idea to see a professional for diagnosis/treatment.

Average customer rating:

Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats A-Z
Cheryl Schwartz
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: B000QYD548

Book Description

Beautifully illustrated and extensively researched, this is the most complete guide ever published on this popular area of Coke tray collecting. Classic trays from 1897 through the 1960s are here, as well as recent trays from the 1970s through 1999, many never before published. In addition to over 370 trays from the United States, there are over 80 Canadian trays, over 60 Mexican trays, and over 60 trays from Italy, Germany, and several other countries. Also, over 45 trays feature the wonderful Haddon Sundblom Santa Claus ads, shown with additional photos of the original magazine ads. In all, 517 Coca-Cola trays are pictured, with 65 more identified and described. Each tray description provides the name; issue date; shape and size; origin of the tray image; manufacturer, distributor, and quantity produced where known; country of issue; dollar value, and more. The books unique price guide incorporates up-to-date expert pricing as well as final sale prices from over 5,000 Internet auctions of Coke trays. Destined to become the classic volume on Coke trays, this book is a must for all collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia.

Average customer rating:

Really nice!

recommended by the accidental quilter

Great use of fall colors

Packed With Projects

The Quilter's Home: Fall

The Quilter's Home: Fall
Lois Krushina Fletcher
Manufacturer: Martingale and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Quilter's Home: Spring

The Quilter's Home: Winter

Welcome to the North Pole: Santa's Village in Applique

Quick Country Quilting: Over 80 Projects Featuring Easy, Timesaving Techniques

Stitched Raw Edge Applique

ASIN: 1564774139

Book Description

Bursts of colorful leaves, crowded pumpkin patches, hot apple pie fresh from the oven--autumn's favorite themes come to life in these easy quilted projects! This fresh new designer introduces a gorgeous sampler quilt that supplies the foundation for a range of coordinating home-decor accents.

• Ten projects include a sampler quilt, wall hangings, a pillow sham, and a table runner

• Beginners can learn quiltmaking basics in easy-to-follow lessons, and then sharpen their skills by making each block

• Many of the smaller projects can be completed in a day or less for a new decor that's fun to create and fast to finish

Customer Reviews:

Really nice!.......2007-06-28

Autumn is my favorite time of year, and when I saw this book, I just had to have it. I can't wait to finish my current project and to have the time to try some of the sampler quilts in this book. The directions are clear and concise, the pictures excellent, and unlike other 'autumn-centric' quilt books, this one isn't filled with drab pictures and quilt blocks using dark colors.

I particularly like the sampler on the front, the "apple pie" wall hanging. The only negative with this book, was the focus on the applique. I'd like to see a few more straight piecing projects. Still, this is a great addition to any quilter's library. 5 stars.

recommended by the accidental quilter.......2002-08-04

The cover quilt, in autumn shades, and colorful fall applique blocks, is what drew me to this book. I would still buy this book for this pattern alone. Plus it's laid out one block at a time, so that you may have your very own block of the month club right in your own home. Sewing an entire quilt at once is too overwhelming for me, but one block at a time is great. The print in this book is easy to read, and the directions are clear.
The applique patterns are clear line drawings that will
be easy to trace from the book to freezer paper. There are many smaller projects to make that compliment this grand wall hanging.
I may try one or two on my way to completing this quilt. I particularly like the sunflower wall hanging and the chickadees in the window wall hanging. There is also a wonderful baking day wall hanging for the kitchen, and a small squirrel wall hanging that is displayed on a branch hanger. Some of these smaller projects would look great in a mountain cabin or in an office to
bring a little of the outside season indoors.
The color illustrations are very clear. You can even see the quilting stitches on some of the wall hangings. I always have a hard time deciding what to quilt in the blank areas around applique, and Lois Fletcher has some great ideas for simple, yet effective quilt patterns in these spots.
For any of you dulcimer players out there,directions for an autumn leaves bell pull is included. If you were to widen this panel a few inches, it would be perfect to place your wall hung dulcimers over to give your instrument a little cushion against the wall.
I'm glad I bought this book.

Great use of fall colors.......2002-07-24

I thoroughly enjoy this book and am currently making three projects for my home and for gifts. The use of color is very appealing, and directions are easy to follow. The Baking Day trio is a favorite. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to get started on some new fall projects for the home.

Packed With Projects.......2002-06-25

This book is packed with projects! First, you are presented with step-by-step directions for creating a beautiful fall wall hanging block-by-block. Then, as if that were not enough, the author embellishes on the blocks and guides you through constructing additional wall hangings, place mats, pot holders and a table runner. The directions are clear, concise and thorough. The projects are colorful and eye catching. This book will have you searching for fabric as soon as it arrives!

The Quilter's Home: Fall.......2002-06-22

There is a gift idea as you turn each page. Three days after I recieved the book-I was able to give a friend a unique gift made from this book. Can't wait to make more gifts. Hope Lois' next book comes out soon.

Book Description

Die Fassade prÃ¤gt wesentlich das charakteristische Erscheinungsbild eines Bauwerks: oft wird sie an einem GebÃ¤ude als Erstes wahrgenommen und kontrovers diskutiert. Nachdem in den letzten Jahren innovative Fassadensysteme mit neuen Baustoffen und energieeffizienten Technologien fÃ¼r die Fassadengestaltung immer mehr an Bedeutung gewonnen haben, gibt der erstmals erscheinende Fassadenatlas nun einen systematischen Ãœberblick Ã¼ber das derzeitige Fachwissen. Er ergÃ¤nzt die Reihe der bisher erschienenen Konstruktionsatlanten um ein zentrales Thema. Das Buch bietet eine Ãœbersicht Ã¼ber die Anforderungen, die unterschiedliche GebÃ¤udetypen und Nutzungen an die Fassade stellen, sowie Ã¼ber die wichtigsten Materialien von Naturstein bis Kunststoff und dokumentiert die unterschiedlichsten Konstruktionsformen fÃ¼r ein breites Spektrum an GebÃ¤udetypen. Im ausfÃ¼hrlichen Beispielteil werden Ã¼ber 100 internationale Projekte mit einer Vielzahl von groÃŸmaÃŸstÃ¤blichen Detailzeichnungen vorgestellt.

Average customer rating:

3 or 4 star rating

Mura makes an unflinching appraisal of many important issues

A must-read for Asian American men

All Asian-American men should read this book

A not so wonderful confessional by a not so wonderful guy.

Where the Body Meets Memory: An Odyssey of Race, Sexuality and Identity
David Mura
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Sociologists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Ethnic Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei

Dogeaters (Contemporary American Fiction)

Making More Waves: New Writing by Asian American Women

Paper Bullets: A Fictional Autobiography (Scott and Laurie Oki Series in Asian American Studies)

Serving Crazy with Curry

ASIN: 038547184X
Release Date: 1997-06-16

Book Description

In Turning Japanese, poet David Mura chronicled a year in Japan in which his sense of identity as a Japanese American was transformed. In Where the Body Meets Memory, Mura focuses on his experience growing up Japanese American in a country which interned both his parents during World War II, simply because of their race. Interweaving his own experience with that of his family and of other sansei-third generation Japanese Americans-Mura reveals how being a "model minority" has resulted in a loss of heritage and wholeness for generations of Japanese Americans.

In vivid and searingly honest prose, Mura goes on to suggest how the shame of internment affected his sense of sexuality, leading him to face troubling questions about desire and race: an interracial marriage, compulsive adultery, and an addiction to pornography which equates beauty with whiteness. Using his own experience as a measure of racial and sexual grief, Mura illustrates how the connections between race and desire are rarely discussed, how certain taboos continue to haunt this country's understanding of itself. Ultimately, Mura faces the most difficult legacy of miscegenation: raising children in a world which refuses to recognize and honor its racial diversity.

Intimate and lyrically stunning, Where the Body Meets Memory is a personal journey out of the self and into America's racial and sexual psyche.

Customer Reviews:

3 or 4 star rating.......2001-10-20

Although the first half of the book is really boring, the second half makes up for the slow and banal start. The first half focuses on Japanese-American tribulations during the Pearl Harbor era, which through composition and writing style, certainly not topic, is a miserable read. The book doesn't begin to redeem itself until the author goes into his own personal struggles of sexual identity, which is great because most books that I've encountered in Asian-American issues usually goes into differences in food, domestic tribulations, or are too scholastic to enjoy on a personal level. On this point I felt it was a great read despite the first half. Though in hind sight, the first half seems integral for the continuity of which the book is based on; how history and experiences leave a residue of meaning that dissolves into reoccurring memories; these memories that keep coming back to shape our lives-these traces of identities. In this aspect it was hard for me to rate this book, which I struggled between a 3 or 4 star rating. I will say however, that it is a definite must read for any one who is familiar with Asian-American issues. Thank you David Mura for having the balls to write this book; it was worth the whole production despite the criticisms.

Mura makes an unflinching appraisal of many important issues.......2001-04-24

David Mura's book, as the subtitle suggests, spans some fairly heavy issues. For more than a few readers in my Asian American Literature class, this book was a little too explicit, but for anyone in search of a frank and personal account of the sansei experience, this may be it. Mura discusses the problems he inherits through his inculcation of the model minority myth, and the mantra on which he was raised: "Act like everybody else and you will BE like everybody else." The book charts Mura's dawning consciousness of his racial identity, as well as his deep addiction to promiscuity and pornography--an addiction that Mura identifies as stemming from the standards of white beauty trained in him since boyhood. His discussion of what pornography does to the male psyche are particularly interesting, and his assessment of his addiction in terms of his racial identity is not one that I have heard anywhere else.

The book certainly met with criticism from those who would rather emphasize race unity for the fact that by the end, Mura seems to distill every aspect of his life and his identity into a race issue. However, it was equally applauded in my class for the same issues. The explicit nature of the book seemed as much a pro as a con in discussion as well. Whatever the case, this is book that sparked a great deal of controversy at my university, and generated a great deal of conversation. If you are interested in the Asian American experience, this is certainly worth the read. You will have opinions about this book, I can guarantee you that, and no matter what they are, you will find plenty of people willing to argue them with you.

A must-read for Asian American men.......2000-08-12

I'm an American of Korean descent (2nd generation), born and raised in the Deep South. I bought this book two years ago, based on Mura's reputation and a sense that this book would speak to my emerging consciousness as an Asian American male. It sat on my shelf for 2 years until last week, and now I can see why. This is a painful read.

Other reviewers have branded this book as "self absorbed" and "tedious," which to me are the characteristics of the journey towards wholeness and healing. Read it if you are Asian or love someone who is.

All Asian-American men should read this book.......1999-02-16

Sometimes I felt that this book did not have much relevance to me. Then Mura really foes into discussing the struggles of Asian-Americans today. Problems of fitting in, and sexual stereotypes. His description of the Asian male being this country's eunuch really hit home. He put words to very deep, very vague feelings that I have carried and that a lot of asians growing up in this society probably have as well.

A not so wonderful confessional by a not so wonderful guy........1998-12-29

Mr. Mura leaves much to be desired with this literary piece. At times extremely frustrating, at others poignant, Mura's vision of the world might be judged simply as lacking in any type of insight into the world that surrounds him, but incredibly intuitive at describing issues arising out of his personal emotions and relations. There is danger here, pedantic rants at the treatment of Japanese-Americans in American history and contemporary culture are presented without mention of the xenophobia and the abuse of other Asian nationalities by the "home" archipelago. And yet the occassional awareness of the absurdity of his formed cosmology saves Mr. Mura's work, the descent from the fictional renderings of the internment camps that his forefathers endured to the sexual frustration of a spoiled, egotistical privileged Asian-American from the Chicago suburbs who found love in the cornfields of Grinnell, make this a story of a relatively interesting person who has not/ will not make much of a mark on the world. While I disagree profusely with Mr. Mura's commentary on racial dynamics in middle America, I read the book from cover to cover and feel little remorse for the time spent. It is rare that Asian-American Grinnell alumnists get a chance to gain this much access into the life of a fellow student; it is unfortunate that this is our one opportunity.

Where The Body Meets Memory - An Odyssey Of Race, Sexuality, And Identity

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Where The Body Meets Memory - An Odyssey Of Race, Sexuality, And Identity
David Mura
Manufacturer: Anchor / Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IUZS2M

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Where the Body Meets Memory: An Odyssey of Race, Sexuality and Identity
David Mura
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J0VJ3I

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