John Goodman Books

No other writer combines a knowledge of cuisine, history, and social place with such lyricism and panache. If you want some obscure recipe in its unadulterated, early 20th century form, it is here. If you want an account of life under the hardships of war, described through the gastronomic difficulties of rationing and scarcity, look no further. But if you want all that and a style that is as beautiful in its choice of word and phrase as it is in its theme and moral, then you have arrived at the caviar of culinary insight. Fisher is so much more than a food writer and it is often easy to forget that you are reading the work of a author who is perhaps best known as merely the translator of Brillat-Savarin's masterwork, "The Physiology of Taste".

There a is haunting, autobiographical element to this work. The Art of Eating is actually a collection of Fisher's best pieces and so the anthology is divided into the books and arranged chronologically. Yes, there are recipes but I enjoy the personal stories best. Recollections of a meal in Lyon with a friend and a drunken waiter are so much more than embellishments of past adventure. They are windows to a world which has vanished; a time when food meant so much more to culture than a quirky jingle about cheeseburgers. Even if you are not a self-professed foodie this is a fantastic read and I recommend it to anyone who finds beauty and romance in a well-written story.

I thought this book was interesting. Our book group also read "The Omnivore's Dilemina". She brings a post WWII perspective to food.
The tomato soup cake was OK.

We had our meeting and each made something from the book. The author had an interesting life and has written many other books so it was a good discussion.

This is an excellent volume and great value for money as it comprises several of Fisher's best-known texts.

Even in paperback this is a thick and heavy book, which is a compilation of several of MKF Fisher's individual works offering different aspects of her thoughts on food in terms of origin, recipes, culinary preparation, and history. In addition, it divulges her own observations on the whole dining experience that we as humans go through in terms of customs, etiquette, ambience, socializing and so forth. But what makes this book stellar is the eloquent, imaginative, and sometimes even haunting style of Ms. Fisher's writing. She expresses her own thoughts and oftentimes outspoken opinions, mixing them with historical facts, tempting recipes, and home-cooked tales. With such a satisfying horn of plenty within the confines of two book covers, it is easy to understand why she still reigns as the queen of prose inspired by food and dining. I wish I had her ability to master in writing such joi de vivre and enthusiasm for food, eating, and drinking, which after all are such basic elements to our very existence.

The section I enjoyed most of all was "The Gastronomical Me", a biography-cum-travelogue in which she poignantly narrates her experiences by rendering them so lifelike that you can smell the smells and taste the tastes. She includes food episodes of her early years in California while growing up and later attending boarding school; in Dijon, France where the kitchens in restaurants and her apartments beckon you to partake of the offerings; in Switzerland where you visually can grasp the mountains and streams along train-rides she describes through the Alps to Italy; and finally in a small Mexican town, where she surpasses even the writing prowess demonstrated in her previous stories, by telling the most poignant tales.

An interesting sidelight is that this book not only covers food. You gather early on that she is far from a teetotaler since alcoholic drinks and drinking at mealtimes too are frequent topics, from sipping wines and champagnes and glasses of Pernod on ocean liners to mixing water with bourbon, which she keeps in a flask during a long, propeller-driven, airplane flight to Mexico.

The other sections I liked were the beginning (Serve It Forth) and Consider the Oyster. It amazed me that one person could write a whole expose covering around a hundred pages about only the oyster: the various types, methods of preparations, and culinary history. Plus she gives her own personal memories and anecdotes too. You name it, she said it about oysters--recipes included.

I did not care as much for How to Cook a Wolf, as I could not relate to either the off-color humor or to some of the topics she presented. (Sorry, but sweetbreads, halves of calf heads, and brains were not appetizing subjects.) Also, I gave up finishing the book. I started to read "An Alphabet for Gourmets", the last section, but got as far as "D" and couldn't force myself to read through the rest of the alphabet. It seems to me by the time in her life when she wrote this section she had become rather cynical and bitter, to the extent that everything she wrote sounded condescending. This section was such a let-down, a depressant to me after coming off the high of "The Gastronomical Me". Although I exaggerate, she seemed to repeatedly state something to the effect that she preferred to dine alone on crackers and milk rather than face gourmet meals with uncultivated people (with untrained palettes) who were unsavvy as to the proper way food should be eaten in the first place and incapable of appreciating what they shoved in their faces in the second. Anyway, other readers may disagree with me, but this last section lacks the consistency, and more important, the vibrancy and pep of her flowing, off-the-wall style that grows on you in the other sections.

Although I was a little disheartened at the end, her brilliance that shone through in the other sections more than outweighed the few negatives. I can recommend this book to everyone, especially to people who are interested in food as a literary subject in its own right instead of something that we simply cook and eat. Of course, foodies and cooks alike should appreciate it. And though it does have some very good recipes as added bonuses, this should not be considered a cookbook; instead, this book's function is to serve up delicious tidbits for our minds and imaginations to savor and enjoy.

"The Art of Eating" recountss the tale from post World War I to World War II France in gastronomic terms. This is a collection of several books. "Serve It Forth," first published in 1937, is a history of gastronomy. In "Consider the Oyster" written in 1941, Fisher finds her voice. "How to Cook a Wolf" published in 1942, when wartime shortages were at their worst includes recipes for stretching the smallest of ingredients to meet nutritional needs and the needs of the spirit. "The Gastronomical Me" is this reader's favorite, which recounts Fischer's life in France. If you have any interest in good food, well-written memoirs or French culture, you really must read this book. It defines the word "classic."

Excellent book! I wish I had known about this book before I went to Angkor Wat.

Angkor, Celestial temples of the Khmer Empire is a photobook limited to the Angkor Site and some outlining temples. Although the quality of the photo's is excellent, the book itself with regards to the informative value is disappointing. An exception to this is the chronology of sites. Angkor: Temples et monumentsThe Treasures of Angkor: Cultural Travel Guide (Rizzoli Art Guide)Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Fifth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide)Ancient Angkor (River Book Guides)Angkor Cities and Temples

I purchased three books on Angkor Wat after my week visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia and this book was by far the best I have seen. The photos are excellent and the narration in very informative. It is expensive but worth it.

Wow, what a spectacular book, truly amazing. I was blown away by the quality of the photography, the reader actually feels like they are in the jungle amid the ruins of Angkor. I have never visited Angkor Wat and probably never will, but after experiencing this book, I feel somehow that I have been there. The quality of the book is superior and the book even comes in a wonderful case. The publisher should be congradulated, it's a luxurious book. Some books are extremely expensive and you wonder why, I can assure you, you will not ask that about this one. If you have any interest in this subject or just like to own beautiful things I urge you to purchase this book, it will be a jewel in your book collection

Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose. His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject. Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas. If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library. Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus.

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

The most gorgeous, comprehensive photographic panorama of the treasures of St. Petersburg. Even if your exposure to St. Petersburg is limited to the Winter Palace, (now the "Hermitage" museum), BUY this book AND buy the unreal, almost surreal DVD "Russian Ark". Both are BREATHTAKING!

This is a gorgeous book on a beautiful city. My father would have loved this book, he had an interest in all things Russian, he and my mother toured St. Petersburg and loved it. The images in this book are crisp and text highly informative. St. Petersburg has a wealth of beautiful Imperial Buildings and they are shown at their best in this wonderful book. From Peter the Great's Peterhof to the Hermitage, to Catherine the Great's Tsarkoe Selo, the best of Imperial Russian architecture is on display. If you have any interst in Imperial Russian architecture or just enjoy fine books, then i cannot imagine you being disappointed. Highly recommended.

This can be an expensive book if you're not buying it used, but it's absolutely worth it. The beautiful pictures are excellent at presenting St. Petersburg's amazing architectural wonders. The text is well-written, and even if you don't have a great deal of knowledge of Russian history, you'll still be able to follow along without any trouble.

A gem - read and enjoy!

As a Ph.D student of Geotechnical Engineering at UC Berkeley, I recommend Prof. Goodman's "Introduction to Rock Mechanics". This book has been, and always is the kind of can't-afford-without reference book for every Engineer and Scientist in the field of Rock Engineering and Enginnering Geology.

This book treats many aspects of engineering properties of rock. Block Theory is actually the highlight of this book. By projecting 3D block pyramids into 2-D steronet, the stability of slope cut comprised of jointed rock blocks becomes quite evident, and the analysis method is straight-forward and can performed by hand. Key blocks (removable blocks) could be identified and so does the corresponding bolting forces and so on. As put in the comments of Prof. Goodman's 35th Rankine Lecture (1995), Block Theory initiated by Prof. Goodman and Dr. Shi here at Berkeley really makes the once impossible 3D rock slope problem completely POSSIBLE. Block Theory maybe one of the most elegant theories of this kind in Rock Engineering, and this book will give you the best introductory insight you could expect.

Kowning Prof. Goodman personally very well, I could say that he is really a "good man" , actually, one of the most distinguished figures in acadamics. His talent in both academics and musics makes this book very easy to read. Thus I strongly recommend this book to you, and hope to share with you the exciting world of ROCK.

As a Ph.D student of Geotechnical Engineering at UC Berkeley, I recommend Prof. Goodman's "Introduction to Rock Mechanics". This book has been, and always is the kind of can't-afford-without reference book for every Engineer and Scientist in the field of rock Engineering and Enginnering geology.

This book treats many aspects of engineering properties of rock. Block Theory is actually the highlight of this book. By projecting 3-D block pyramids into 2-D steronet, the stability of slope cut comprised of jointed rock blocks becomes quite evident, and the analysis method is straight-forward and can performed by hand. Key blocks (removable blocks) could be identified and so does the corresponding bolting forces and so on. As put in the comments of Prof. Goodman's 35th Rankine Lecture (1995), Block Theory initiated by Prof. Goodman and Dr. Shi here at Berkeley really makes the once impossible 3D rock slope problem completely POSSIBLE. Block Thoery maybe one of the most elegant theory of this kind in Rock Engineering, and this book will give you the best introductory insight you could expect.

Kowning Prof. Goodman personally very well, I could say that he is really a "good man" , actually, one of the most distinguished figures in acadamics. His talent in both academics and musics makes this book very easy to read. Thus I strongly recommend this book to you, and hope to share with you the exciting world of ROCK.

I am a student of geotechnical engineering. I am reading this book as the text book of rock mechanics course and I think this is the best book for learning rock mechanics.It describes Rock Mechanics in the easiest way and with the easiest words. I read the 1989 second edition of this book and unfortunetly I can't buy new version because it is so expensive for me!

This is a great text which introduces all of the fundmental aspects of rock mechanics, including the use of block theory. It is a great resource for both students and professionals.

If I won the Lottery tomorrow, I would use some of my winnings to buy copies of this book for ALL of my artist/friends. Blessed to be a mere
two-hour train ride away from Bergdorf's window displays, I consider "the windows" to be every bit as inpsiring and informative as the Fine Art exhibits in NYC museums and galleries. Best of all, they are Public Art, available to anyone who passes. This book, full of beautiful photography, will deeply inspire and inform anyone who loves to open their mind to the creative possibilities of every object, shape, texture, surface, and color. If you are an advocate for "More is more",
this book will affirm your belief in visual abundance and lavish excess;
but also remind you of the charms of "ordinary" objects. The text, by Linda Fargo, gives the fascinating backstory about many of her window displays and reveals her design approach and (many!) enthusiasms. Fargo is a New York City treasure, and this book explains why. Treat yourself!

This book is a gem of a resource guide for visual artists (or anyone responsible for retail displays). Fargo's innovative approach and resourceful applications as well as entertaining descriptions give us a unique view of her creative process. She uses everyday objects in unexpected applications to ensure that her "sidewalk shadowboxes play on the stage of world-class theatre in a world-class city."

great concept and a stimulating read . . . the country is in need of a cultural "patriot act" !!

This book is as entertaining as it is enlightening. If you ever wondered about why people love (or dislike)jazz, you can find out in this book. Extremely well written, it alternates between humorous and poignant observations about America's greatest original artform. I strongly recommend this book to serious fans of jazz AND those who are interested in learning more about jazz.

Of Rats And Men: Oscar Goodman's Life From Mob Mouthpiece To Mayor Of Las Vegas is the inherently fascinating biography of Oscar Goodman, a man who deliberately became a pre-eminent defense attorney for alleged gangsters for 35 years. Accused but never proven of being more than a mouthpiece and defense attorney for organized crime, Oscar Goodman somehow managed to successfully defend his clients without becoming part of organized crime itself -- at least according to the voters of Las Vegas who eventually elected him as their mayor twice. Of Rats And Men is very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the history of organized crime in America or who wish to avail themselves of a unique insight into the life and philosophy of an accomplished trial lawyer who specialized in defending members of established crime families.

The copious notes and eight pages of bibliography supporting John L. Smith's meticulously researched biographical look at Oscar Goodman, former mob attorney - presently the two-term mayor of Las Vegas, impressed me.

Talk about "insider" information! Smith has long been quoted as a preeminent authority on mob history and "wise guy" relationships. In his book, "Of Rats and Men: Oscar Goodman's Life from Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas," Smith names a Who's Who of notorious clients, alleged criminal activities, and egregious political innuendoes surrounding the controversial bonds between Goodman and friends. Scared me! While it is obvious the attention-seeking mayor was generous in his interviews with the author, Smith kept me up nights as he interpreted what Goodman would have us believe with his [author's] own extensive background knowledge and investigative prowess. John L. has balls of brass to write as honestly as he does.

Don't let an easy read fool you. This book is a gem for all who follow gaming history, or the Las Vegas / mob connection - to say nothing of government ineptitude (now, that was a hoot!).

It has all the worksheets that the student resource has, but they are only answer keys. So if you just want the answer keys to the micro and macro student guides, this is the book for you. But, if you want practice work you can use with students this will not help (well unless you don't know the answers... then definiately buy both this and the student guides).

Huge. Gorgeous. Well written. Tons of art. Tons of text. All you need for the long, cold winter.
The books weigh a ton so they are a bit hard to handle. The binding looks to be strong enough to prevent any easy damage.
The reproductions are fantastic. The advantage of the large format is the ability to have the images at such a size that you can really study them.
The text is well written, and would be worth buying on its own.
This set is a real treasure.

This s a good book for children because it gives infomaton on different vehicles that interests little kids.