Mother Nature (An Em Hansen Mystery)

Average customer rating:

Environmentalist Mystery

A good read

Mother Nature (An Em Hansen Mystery)
Sarah Andrews
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312966164

Amazon.com

The unfashionable, but fascinating area of Santa Rosa, California, is the setting for Sarah Andrews's third book about oil geologist Em Hansen, who finds more dead bodies than oil. Hansen comes to this flat basin of industry, agriculture, and occasional floods to probe the death of a young woman--daughter of a U.S. Senator--who seems to have turned over one too many rocks in her work as an environmental consultant. As in her two previous books about Em (Tensleep and A Fall in Denver), Andrews maintains a laudable balance between her main character's personal life and her down-and-dirty working life.

Book Description

Geologist Em Hansen digs into greed, deception, murder....and other natural disasters.Looking to distract herself from the grief she feels over her father's recent death, geologist Em Hansen agrees to investigate the rocky murder of fellow geologist Janet Pinchon.Asked to step in by Janet's father, a powerful senator, Em travels to Northern California where Janet's body was found in a roadside ditch.Soon hired by the environmental firm where Janet worked, Em steps into her life to find some answers. But shadowed by the darkness of her own past, Em must face more than shady politicians, greedy land developers, and an endangered ecosystem. This spunky geologist must grapple with her deepest fears to survive an assault be a vengeful Mother Nature....and a killer with a hear of stone.

Customer Reviews:

Environmentalist Mystery.......2005-09-12

Andrews creates a complex character investigating a murder while grappling with grief and depression, who speaks frankly of her own confused states of mind, encounters with the ghost of the woman whose murder she is investigating, passing doubts about her own mental stability, of an emotional landscape like a minefield.

Yet this protagonist, this persevering, courageous woman, whose intelligence and scientific training gleam like a diamond as she ransacks the environmentalist's computer files for information, makes lists of leads, pulling together a successful investigation despite being repeatedly lied to by people in the community she questions, manipulated and emotionally abused by the senator who hired her, and nearly being strangled to death as she gets closer to the truth, confronts her own haunted past through the trauma of the investigation. She writes tellingly of not having enough money to eat, and of the gnawing loneliness and grief worse than hunger that eats at her.

I liked the reality of this novel, the fiction that is truer than facts, of the ways a person matures and develops, opens her heart and cønnects with other people, feels compassion for her tormentors, and muddles through the obfuscations, and perseveres until she solves the murder and justice prevails. Now that's my kind of mystery!

I also enjoyed the descriptions of Sonoma County, of the land, the development, the political climate, the culture clash between ranchers and new people coming in with money, of the greed and avarice of developers and the reasons to keep wetlands intact, of the complexities of toxic cleanups and who pays for them, the calluousness of government bureaucrats, and of the consequences of generations of men controlling and exploiting women.

I've had several experiences in Sonoma County myself, those crazy ditches, especially when driving in heavy fog. The land itself is so beautiful that the tacky buildings and commercial sprawl around Santa Rosa seem even worse than in other places. Andrews writes from intimate knowledge of the terrain she set her story in.

I love the perspective she gives of an outsider coming in, a Montana rancher yet, encountering California mysticism with the skepticism of a scientist, yet opening up to a community of women gathered in a drumming circle, experiencing a shamanic vision, even if what she experienced sent her screaming out of the circle. The annual spaghetti dinner at the fire station and Em's observations about the health of the community measured by the number of children, the conversations overheard, the morale of the volunteer firefighters and such, that was priceless.

The story thread about the friendship rings makes this truly a story about women and the tender, often fierce relationships between women. The flood which leads to the final denoument, even though foreshadowed by various geologist's observations when Em studies maps of the area, still came on abruptly with little transition, the only weakness I felt in plot development. Nevertheless it was a wonderful story which I read in one sitting this Sunday afternoon with the first cold of the fall season in Seattle.

A good read.......1999-02-09

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Andrews, and I'll look for more. She does a great job of creating believable, complex characters, and the plot kept me engaged.

Average customer rating:

Vengeance...

Beautiful Scenes

Don't Pass This Up

Vivid and Intensely Involving Fantasy

Thoughtful fantasy with enjoyable characters
Harpy's Flight
Megan Lindholm
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
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Wolf's Brother

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The Inheritance

ASIN: 0007112521

Customer Reviews:

Vengeance..........2007-07-06

Love, magic and blood is what this tale is about. Ki is an outcast, partly because of what happened to her family and partly by her own actions. Now she must decide, where is she going, what will she become? But what goes around comes around and, after getting her revenge, it looks like she may end up running for her life. The problem is, who is she running from and who can she trust?
I was first exposed to the skill of Megan Lindholm when I read a short fantasy story starring Ki and Vandien while in college, in the early 90s. I was very impressed by the friendship between the male character and female character. They were partners in arms but not lovers. It seemed fresh, interesting and didn't in any way take away from the story.
So a few weeks ago, looking for some good fantasy to read I searched for a novel with the same characters. And I was not disappointed as you can plainly see.

Beautiful Scenes.......2007-05-28

The plot was limited, and the conclusion obtuse, but the beautiful scenes were a pleasure to read. I've read some of Robin Hobb's other works, which are also wonderful, and I can see her apprenticeship in this novel.

Don't Pass This Up.......2003-08-14

Let me just say I LOVE this book. I received it when I was 12 and here at 22 I still enjoy it. Young adults and adults alike will not be able to put this book down. I wouldn't recommend it for a preteen just because some parts are hard to understand and it can get kind of grizzly.

Vivid and Intensely Involving Fantasy.......2000-10-06

I first read this book (and the other books of the Windsinger series) about 15 years ago. I know I enjoyed it then. I have enjoyed many fantasy novels over the years, and occasionally I have enjoyed rereading them. But I have never felt compelled, after so many years, to seek out a book which was out of print. When I finally got a hold of Harpy's Flight, I found I remembered the central characters vividly, but the plot seemed new and fresh. Ki has lost her family in a brutal attack by harpies, sentient flying creatures. Her first thought is vengeance, and then survival. Along the way, she meets a down and out adventurer, Vandien, when he makes an unsuccessful attempt to rob her. The central characters, Ki and Vandien, are tough, strong, and very human. Their relationship, as they confront dangers, grows in a measured, realistic way. They do not solve each other's problems, but they do help each other survive. As I continued reading, I found some insight as to why I felt so drawn to this particular book at this time of my life. It is about letting go of the past and making a positive decision to live in the face of loss. In the midst of a rich, brightly colored, and strange world, Lindholm somehow draws you in to experience the most intense and sensual grief, anger, love, and compassion, and to make it your own. (Is this a kind of surrealism?) This book is a classic of fantasy literature, and should never have gone out of print.

Thoughtful fantasy with enjoyable characters.......2000-04-16

Harpy's Flight is the beginning of Megan Lindholm's Windersinger trilogy, which, although overlooked by many and often regarded as just another couple of fantasy novels, stands far out of the crowd. Lindholm created a vivid world and tells us enough of it to understand the deeper mechanisms that keep it working but still leaves enough to the reader to let him fill in the rest with his own imagination. In Harpy's Flight character development seems a little shaky compared to the following novels, but Ki and Vandien, the two main protagonists, are highly enjoyable to be acquainted with. There are some quite surprising twists in the story and the book will keep you glued to it to find out what it all comes down to. You probably won't regret buying this book.

Windsingers Trilogy (Harpy's Flight, The Windsingers, The Limbeth Gate)

Average customer rating:

Windsingers Trilogy (Harpy's Flight, The Windsingers, The Limbeth Gate)

Manufacturer: HARPER COLLINS 1 PAP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GOXXQI

Book Description

Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism are detected earlier and more accurately today than ever before. Children and teens with these disorders often stand out for their precocious intelligence and language abilities--yet profound social difficulties can limit every aspect of their lives. This hopeful, compassionate guide shows parents how to work with their child's unique impairments and capabilities to help him or her learn to engage more fully with the world and live as self-sufficiently as possible. From leading experts in the field, the book is packed with practical ideas for helping children relate more comfortably to peers,learn the rules of appropriate behavior, and participate more fully in school and family life. It also explains what scientists currently know about autistic spectrum disorders and how they are diagnosed and treated. Real-life success stories, problem-solving ideas, and matter-of-fact advice on everything from educational placements to career planning make this an indispensable reference that families will turn to again and again.

Customer Reviews:

not comprehensive .......2007-09-10

This book is ok if you are just beginning to understand aspergers, but it doesn't have the practical advice implied, and it's not as comprehensive as Atwood's books.

My favorite for HFA parents!.......2007-01-26

I have read several books on ASD and this one was by far the most helpful. Most books are aimed at younger and more severely affected children, so it was so helpful to read detailed information concerning older childre, adolescents, and adults. As both a parent of a PDD-NOS child and an adult with some autistic-spectrum traits myself, I can attest that the information on learning styles and social difficulties is dead-on.

As an aside, I was surprised that the book mentioned nothing about one major problem common to HFA children and adults: a severe difficulty with recognizing faces.

Packed with information, a must read for new diagnosis.......2007-01-22

Our son's psychologist recommended this book following his Asperger's diagnosis and it has been tremendously useful already. We were able to gain understanding of our son with every chapter and implement new strategies immediately with positive results. This book has so much information in such a tiny space that you can read and re-read this many times and still glean more information. It helps you to understand what Asperger's is, why your child does what s/he does, and most importantly how to work with your child, teachers, and others to make life enjoyable and more functional again. I highly recommend this book to any parent of a newly diagnosed child. When you finish this book, you should read Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin - another fascinating and useful perspective on the ASD world of your child.

Positive Outlook.......2007-01-09

This book was refreshing in that it focuses on how to use the strengths that ASD children possess in order to work through some of the difficulties they may face. This approach gave me a different way of viewing my son - a little guy with many tools that will help him overcome the challenges that will come his way.

Must read!.......2006-07-11

This book provides really good insights into children with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. Recommended to me by a school social worker, and I understand why.

Average customer rating:

B C Italian Cooking

Authentic, delicious Italian cooking

Great tasting, easy Italian recipes!

The Best Italian Cookbook I've Seen

Great, easy Italian recipes!

Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking
Betty Crocker Editors
Manufacturer: Betty Crocker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Italian | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
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Betty Crocker's Quick & Easy Cookbook

ASIN: 0764560786

Amazon.com

This is not your mother's Betty Crocker. Put aside the ham and canned tomato sauce and get out the prosciutto and fresh plum tomatoes. From zuppa to dolce, this cookbook is filled with enticing, aromatic recipes compliments of chef Antonio Cecconi. You can almost smell the sharp Parmesan grated generously over Spinach Gnocchi with Nutmeg and the tang of fresh basil in Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup.

Featuring recipes from Italy's 20 regions, Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking is a primo introduction to the varying tastes of Italy that's straightforward and easy to read. Recipes are referred to in English and shadowed by their Italian counterparts (what sounds more intriguing: Linguine with Spicy Chicken Sauce or Linguine con Pollo al Pepe?). Each page clearly lists the ingredients, the steps, prep and cook time, serving size, and nutrition guidelines. As a bonus, Cecconi proffers historical context for every recipe. He also suggests substitutions in case you're just not up to creating a homemade tomato sauce or roasting your own red peppers. Make sure to stock your pantry with Cecconi's list of Italian cooking essentials (extra-virgin olive oil, anchovy paste, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth) before attempting these recipes, then give Ravioli alla Bolognese a whirl. Try the Grilled Beef Short Ribs with Savory Lemon Sauce and a side of Potatoes with Artichoke Hearts and Olives, or maybe Pizza with Spinach, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese. Follow it up with homemade tiramisu and piping hot espresso, or even a grappa to "aid the digestion and end the meal on a relaxing note." If you need help with meal planning, there are menus and suggested wine accompaniments in the back. --Dana Van Nest

Book Description

From pizza to pasta to the classic cannoli, Americans have an enduring love affair with la cucina Italiana -- renowned for everything from its great taste to its beautiful presentations.

Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking has been completely revised and updated, with recipes by Italian native Antonio Cecconi, who provides tantalizing and authentic Italian recipes to delight the palate. With chapters ranging from appetizers to desserts, it is easy to find the ideal, authentic creation for any occasion. But there's more to this book than just recipes -- special features enable you to expand your understanding of Italian cuisine:

An introduction discusses the cuisines of Italy and how the history of the areas influences the food there.
Complete glossaries of Italian cheeses, pastas, vinegars, herbs, and olives and olive oils can help you choose the right ingredients.
Both "first course" and "main dish" servings are included for adapting the dishes to different placement within the meal.
A menu section provides delicious ideas for creating complete Italian meals, from appetizers and main course to desserts.
Match Italian wines to the menus you plan.

With 80 full-color photographs and 200 tantalizing recipes, Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking opens the door to the food and culture of Italy."

Customer Reviews:

B C Italian Cooking.......2007-07-28

This is avery good book on Italian food. I have added the book to my cooking library.

Authentic, delicious Italian cooking.......2007-01-20

I love this cookbook! The recipes are very authentic and the variety is excellent. I make a recipe from this book at least once a week, and I've had the book for a year. I recently bought a copy for my mother-in-law. I've had people tell me that my food tastes better than something from an Italian restaurant. The recipes do involve a lot of cooking, since most of them use fresh herbs and vegetables. But the quality makes it worth the time! Happy cooking!

Great tasting, easy Italian recipes!.......2004-06-14

This is one of my favorite Italian cookbooks. The recipes in this book are easy, don't require hard-to-find ingredients and best of all, taste great! I have made several recipes and have been pleased with all. Another book I would recommend would be the Italian Cooking Encyclopedia published by Hermes and Hermes (these recipes are more complicated, but authentic!).

The Best Italian Cookbook I've Seen.......2002-09-02

Being of half-Italian extraction (and having learned many recipes and techniques from my Italian Grandmother), and considering that I've read and/or purchased more than a dozen Italian cookbooks, I can safely say that this is the best Italian cookbook that I've seen thus far. I really like the recipes that Mr. Cecconi puts forth, but I will caution the novice cook that his directions seem aimed at those who are completely comfortable in the kitchen or have some cooking experience. If you know your way around a stove, can handle a knife and know the difference between basil and oregano, then I encourage you to expand your culinary expertise via this most awesome Italian cookbook; beware though, this is not a numbered, step-by-step, fully illustrated, hand-holding direction guide for new cooks. On the other hand, if you're looking to hone your repertoire of Italian recipes, I'll save you the trouble of looking elsewhere for a single-volume cookbook that covers it all......this is it. From appetizers to desserts and everything in between, this book gives you the recipes and insight needed to fool your guests into thinking that you are a true Italian chef. If cooking is more than a chore to you and you're looking to cook in the true Italian style, then you must buy this book. My applause to Mr. Cecconi and to Betty Crocker.

Great, easy Italian recipes!.......2001-09-23

I just got this book, and the book is fun reading as well as informative about the foods in the 20 regeons in Italy. Each recipe contains easy to follow directions, prep times, and cooking times. If you love simple and great Italian food, this book is for you.

Average customer rating:

Not a good choice.
Not a good choice.

Betty Crocker's New Italian Cooking
Betty Crocker
Manufacturer: MacMillan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Not a good choice........2000-08-30

I bought the first "Betty Crocker Italian Cooking" book.(published 1991)It was the best Italian cook book I've seen. The receipes were great. The history of the dishes were included in the margins. It was very interesting. I loved this book so much, I wanted to give it to my sister. The 1991 edition was not available so I bought this edition. I was VERY DISAPPOINTED. The receipes were different and called for "jarred" ingredients. I suppose there are people who want short cuts, but it ruined the book. My sister never uses her book, where as mine has fallen apart!

Not a good choice........2000-08-30

Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking, 220 Authentic Italian Recipes

Average customer rating:

Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking, 220 Authentic Italian Recipes
Antonio Cecconi
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TLY2V8

Average customer rating:

Good for 1st time Corgi owners

A book for novice dog owners

Great book

A New Owner's Guide To Pembroke Welsh Corgis (New Owner's Guide To...)
Susan M. Ewing
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Breeds | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 079382821X

Customer Reviews:

Good for 1st time Corgi owners.......2007-09-16

This is a great book to find out all about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. It gives good detail has how to take care of your Corgi, what kinds of activities they like; such as agility and where to go to find more information on it. For a first time Corgi I think it's a pretty good book.

A book for novice dog owners.......2007-05-15

This is probably a good book for someone who has never owned any kind of dog; however, I was looking for a book with breed-specific information. I found more information searching the Internet about the idiosyncrasies of the corgi breed than I did from this book.

Great book.......2006-01-26

Very informative and useful book! Author presents information in an easy to understand and enjoyable manner.

New Owners Guide to Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Average customer rating:

New Owners Guide to Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Susan M Ewing
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K76IAY

Book Description

short description: An expertly written introductory guide to collecting military medals. Narbeth offers the reader all the requisite background information, the aims to which a new collector should aspire, and the pitfalls to guard against.

Collecting military medals: A beginner's guide

Average customer rating:

Collecting military medals: A beginner's guide
Colin Narbeth
Manufacturer: Lutterworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Intelligence & Espionage | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0718817818

Customer Reviews:

Eat your heart out J.J. Spielvogal.......2002-02-26

As a student of history I have had to read many books about the the rise of the Nazi party, and I must say that this one by far is the best! It is well researched and quite honestly a real page turner. I highly recomend it for anyone interested in Nazi politics.

Magnificently researched, Exceptionally useful.......2002-02-14

Benjamin Lapp's magnum opus, "Revolution from the Right" is a fantastic source for scholars looking in the Weimar period of German History. Lapp's style is much like the style of William Sheridan Allen's "Nazi Seizure of Power". Lapp's book is simply a superb historical synthesis. Not many authors have choose to study single towns/provences during the Weimar Republic/Nazi revolution. One can only ponder of all footwork and sweat in writing such a concise historical book. One can study the social, political, economic, and emotional aspects of the Nazi revolution in Saxony. I would recomend this book to anyone who believes they know how common German people reacted to the Nazi movement. This book will add another aspect of the Nazi movement in Germany to anyone's repertoire.

Book Description

Countering the popular misconception that racial discrimination has largely not existed in Puerto Rico, Jay Kinsbruner’s Not of Pure Blood shows that racial prejudice has long had an insidious effect on Puerto Rican society. Kinsbruner’s study focuses on the free people of color—those of African descent who were considered nonwhite but were legally free during slavery—in order to explore the nature of racial prejudice in nineteenth-century Puerto Rico. In considering the consequences of these nineteenth-century attitudes on twentieth-century Puerto Rico, Kinsbruner suggests that racial discrimination continues to limit opportunities for people of color.
Following a discussion of Puerto Rican racial prejudice in historical perspective, Kinsbruner describes residential patterns, marriages, births, deaths, occupations, and family and household matters to demonstrate that free people of color were a disadvantaged community whose political, social, and economic status was diminished by racism. He analyzes the complexities and contradictions of Puerto Rican racial prejudice and discrimination, explains the subtleties of “shade discrimination,” and examines the profoundly negative impact on race relations of the U.S. occupation of the island following the Spanish American War.
Looking behind the myth of Puerto Rican racial equity, Not of Pure Blood will be of interest to specialists in Caribbean studies, Puerto Rican history, and Latin America studies, and to scholars in a variety of fields investigating questions of racism and discrimination.

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