California Books

Now I know why I love California so much - this pop-up book tells it all! Well worth the money.

Even with lack of proper stereoscopic vision, due to serious lazy eye, the figures appear vivid and dimensional. The book includes a set of postcards that may be sent to taunt the less fortunate who haven't witnessed the wonders herein.

The book looks like it might just be a decorative coffee table item, but the content belies that impression. The pop-ups are fun and attractive, but the real story is in the choice of objects and the writing. The selections speak to the myth of California that was consciously created by early explorers, developers, and movie moguls but became its own reality as people migrated to the state ready to play the roles the myth-makers created for them. In exposing the history through objects and some remarkable writing by such as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Carolyn See, Graham Nash, Alice Waters, Terry Gilliam, and Richard Rodriguez, the pre-mythic history and the development of a true California culture emerges...one in which the tinsel is a little tarnished around the edges, but glows as brightly as ever with its own special light.

As a California historian and author of the book: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MISCELLANY, I found this California pop-up to be a charmingly fun novelty book to share when company comes over.

Reviewed by Susan Pettrone for Reader Views (1/07)

According to the author, Malcom Kushner, "squisine is a combination of the words squeeze and cuisine." Basically put, anytime you take a squeezable foodstuff such as ketchup, relish, or anything else that "squishes" and add it to what you are eating, you are creating "squisine." The easy-to-use part of squeezable food is not the main importance of "squisine" however, it is the fun part of squeezing the food to add it to a dish that makes it truly squisine and the fun is what makes it worthwhile and entertaining for kids.

Throughout this book the author takes us through the art of squisine, telling us simple ways to add variety and fun to dishes by using this easy-to-apply technique. Because his instructions and ingredients are so easy to use and simply found, the child in your life can happily apply this technique to even the most boring of foods, making them squisine works of edible art! One of my favorite ideas presented in this book is to squeeze messages for someone using a squeezable medium. I have used this on many occasions myself, serving an open-faced sandwich with the message "I Love You" in mustard on top of bologna or cheese. The look on the face of the person receiving not only lunch but a message of caring, is priceless and well worth the extra few seconds it takes to turn an ordinary sandwich into a message of caring.

But, ideas on how to use squeezable food aren't all this book is made up of. It also is packed with recipes including BBQ sauce, honey mustard dip, parmesan yogurt dip, maple chocolate syrup and even strawberry cream cheese spread...all of which work extremely well as squisine for the young chef in your life!

I would highly recommend "California Squisine" for any and all individuals that have a special child in their lives that likes to help in the kitchen. Not only are the recipes found within kid-friendly; they are tasty and fun to prepare as well. In fact, I found many of the recipes perfect for all ages within the pages of this book and ones that I foresee using time and time again even when my children don't help me with their preparation. It is an interesting book, not your typical recipe book for kids, having within its pages recipes, quotes and simple entertainment for kids of all ages. It would be a perfect gift for anyone who works with children as well. Many of the recipes could easily be used in a classroom setting making this a book that would be welcome by teachers as well. Simply said, this book is a great book for m any ages and many types of people. Check it out your self and I'm sure you will agree that it is a book that not only useful but fun as well!

"America's Favorite Humor Consultant" Malcolm Kushner presents California Squisine, a unique cookbook consisting entirely of recipes that are healthy, easy-to-make, and squeezable - perfect for introducing kids to the joy of making tasty treats. Best of all, no actual "cooking" is required! Though not specifically a weight-loss cookbook, California Squisine is pediatrician-approved and provides emphasis on salads, vegetables, and other healthy foods make it ideal for building positive attitudes toward good nutrition. Recipes range from Tuna Pate to Peanut Butter Pizza with Everything, Vegetable Kebabs, Pineapple Pudding, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for harried adults with little time to invest in cooking as well as for kids.

Ask any child, "What are the four basic food types." You may be surprised when they respond, "Fast, frozen, instant, and take out." Informational and entertaining, Malcolm Kushner addresses a timely and important issue faced by American's today, that of childhood obesity.

The book includes over 100 recipes that have met the criteria set forth by the author and his team of consultants. The recipes had to be squeezable, be approved by their medical advisor, had to be made without cooking, and had to be approved by the taste tester.

The book is divided into six basic groups of recipes: Dressings, dips and spreads, sauces and syrups, snacks, sandwiches and other stuff, desserts, holiday squizine, and ethnic squizine. A blender is the only appliance needed to prepare these, cleverly illustrated, mouthwatering recipes.

The easy to follow instructions also provide suggestions for getting children involved in the preparation of the meal. This involvement adds a touch of family time fun to meals and the ownership the child feels insures less stress at the dinner table.

In addition to the valuable background information and recipes I especially appreciated the humorous quips in the "food for thought" sections, generously spaced throughout the book. Malcolm Kushner has given the reader a sample of his wit and lived up to his reputation of "America's Favorite Humor Consultant."

This delightful book should be in the hands of every mother of pre-school through pre-teen children. It should be displayed and available in book stores and in the waiting rooms of pediatricians across America.

Of all the cookbooks for kids I've read to date, this one is by far the best. It covers all the bases -- it's Easy, Fun & Healthful -- and as a bonus, the running commentary by author Kushner couldn't be more entertaining. Let's take those bases one by one.The recipes really are easy for kids to follow. They are divided into two parts, "What You Need," and "What You Do." Unlike some kids' cookbooks that purport to have simple recipes but require you to use ingredients one finds only in gourmet stores or overseas markets,the recipes found in "California Squisine" are comprised of items everyone typically has already in the fridge or kitchen cupboard. There are only a few steps that go into the preparation of each item, and they are clear and concise. As far as fun is concerned, children will love the concept of "Squisine." I was a teacher for 12 years and currently work with pre-school children and know how much children enjoy tactile activities. And the foods really are healthful! They are packed with anti-oxidants, are low in sugar and are just good for kids (and adults) to eat -- without being boring. I not only highly recommend this book for children, but also for special needs people of all ages. My adult daughter is autistic and loves to cook. However, she becomes frustrated with complicated recipes -- and I am not comfortable with her using the stove. She loves these recipes and it gives her a great deal of satisfaction to be able to prepare the different foods in "California Squisine" with confidence on her own.(And of course she loves "Squisining.") Kushner has done more than write a cookbook -- he's created a concept and should be heartily congratulated for it.

If you love beautiful gardens in California, but haven't a clue how to go about creating one, this is your book. Landscaping made simple is how I'd describe this book. One of the best features in the book is that you can see the full height/growth potential of different plants and trees. Also, there is a detailed guide on what grows where using a number system to trace each section. Thus, you won't fall too hard for any plant, flower or tree that hasn't a chance of thriving in your particular environment. On the other hand, you can plant with confidence those garden items that will succeed in your home. As surrounding yourself with nature can soothe the soul, this book serves as a handy tool in eventually finding a garden sanctuary. Love, Mom: A Mother's Journey From Loss to Hope.

I was looking for a general, beginners introduction to gardening in S. California. I think this book is good for showing highlights of what to grow and how to garden in California. I bought it for my daughter, who is new to gardening and short on time and money. It guides one to good choices, particularly in choosing trees and shrubs for the garden. My one slight disappointment: it was very brief on the subject of vegetable gardening- what to grow in each season, and how to set up the garden, soil amendments, watering, etc.

What a great book--it gives you the very best trees, the best vining plants, etc. I was having a hard time deciding what to plant until I bought this book. This was especially the case with trees. When you know you have room for two or three trees, but there are so many to choose from, how can you pick? This book is so helpful! They also suggest other plants that go well with the top ten in each category.

I'm not a California native so this book was a blessing when I moved to the Coast with my very own front and back yard to fill up. This book is easy to follow on when, where, why and how for plants and planting in California. Also it's great for beginners to advance gardeners as it helps you plan a garden and then gives you ideas on embellishments. This book is a must have!

A hard to find book but one well worth reading to anyone interested in law enforcement or, in particular, the LAPD. I couldn't put it down. Gates does an excellent job in providing the reader with a good picture of the Los Angeles police force and the trials and tribulations it's endured for the last 40 years. Gates comes across as a chief who genuinely cares for his department and it's officers as well as the community in which they serve. Plagued by a seeming knack to say the wrong thing or be endlessly misinterpreted by the media, one can not help but like the man and sincerely hope he will pen another one in the future

I was a potential victimof one of the serial killers in the book. I live with survivors guilt everyday. I fit the profile of his victims. I lived in the motel, and my friends and myself hung out at his room! I was mortified to hear what he did!

There is a good reason this book is so hard to find: it is onehell of a good read from the early start of the superchief's careerall the way to his unfortunate retirement this book takes the reader to the inside of the LAPD's world. The Chief did a great job for his first attempt. This reviewer only hopes he will produce more! The viewer gets an insiders look at the nations best police department the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Prologue starts with his visit to Washington for a conference on violence. He returned to Los Angeles at the time of the Rodney King attack. (Who was minding the store?) Chapter 1 tells of his early life, and the impact of the Depression on his family. His father's lost job was followed by alcoholism and hard times; they depended on government handouts (p.6). His mother was the backbone, and sole support of the family; his father was often in trouble with the Glendale police. After graduating from High School, Daryl joined the Navy and saw action in the Pacific. Daryl went to college on the GI Bill, married, and needed money. A friend suggested joining the LAPD.

Officer Gates learned there were more traffic deaths than homicides in 1950 LA. People got citations because warnings had no deterrence (p.20). The people Gates encountered were no poorer than he had been, but the Gates home was never without hope (p.23). Chapter 3 tells of the corruption in the LAPD before Chief Parker. Gates says Mayor Shaw and the underworld controlled the LAPD (but doesn't speak of the local ruling class). Gates was picked to be Chief Parker's chauffeur, and learned the importance of political support (p.31). Gates also learned of Parker's faults. Chief Parker streamlined the organization, reassigned police by time of day and neighborhood where crimes were committed. Parker instituted pro-active policing, creating the most aggressive police department in the country. Page 36 tells of the power of the 'Los Angeles Times': it elected mayors, and told the City Council how to vote (no mention of the powers behind them). Chapter 5 tells how hard he worked at preparing for exams. Gates came out first for the sergeant's exam, and for every exam afterwards (p.58). Promoted to lieutenant, he rejoined Chief Parker, and became his executive officer (p.65).

Promoted to captain, he learned "you can't give up on people" (p.68). Soon he was in charge of Intelligence. Gates noticed a lack of good protection for JFK in 1963 (pp.73-4). Gates explained the conflict between Chief Parker and J Edgar Hoover (p.76). Mob influence was minimal in LA, compared to Chicago or NY (p.78). There were checks and balances to avoid corruption (p.85). Gates was promoted to inspector in 1965, before the Watts riot. The postwar baby boom led to a huge increase in the number of young people, the predominant age group for criminals (p.105). Gates political skills paid off when he won the biggest pay raise in department history (p.130). The May 1974 incident with the SLA made SWAT famous.

"People really don't have the freedom to know what is going on in the world, only the freedom to know what the media wants us to know" (p.181). Proposition 13 "substantially lowered property taxes", and Chief Gates came up with a budget cut that avoided layoffs. One of Gates decisions was to allow each officer to choose when to wear a short-sleeved shirt. Gates discusses the two "chokeholds": one disables, the other can kill (p.214). Page 216 tells how the 'LA Times' misquoted him. Page 242 tells how the FBI tried to gain control of the LAPD. Chapter 19 tells of his efforts for gun-control. Was he angling for a plush job with Gun Control Inc? Or a Federal job with some agency (p.128)? Chapter 20 has some suggestions on fighting crime. The Rodney King beating gave his many enemies a chance to oust him (Chapter 22). Gates boasts of the lower ratio of police to population compared to NY or Chicago. But the places with less population density tend to have less crime. And so do places with "the right to keep and bear arms". This also made LA different from NY and Chicago. LA also has a lower ratio of pedestrians.

This book shows Angelenos and the world that there is much diversity to celebrate and enjoy in Los Angeles and it does it in a fun, colorful way. The illustrations are delightful and the text informative. Even long-time residents will learn something new. Fun for adults as well as kids. We bought them as gifts for everyone on our holiday list.

Elisa Kleven consistantly ups the ante, no one working in publishing today has her eye for detail. Her colorful and inviting spreads paired with Jaskol and Lewis' informative and fun text make this book a winner. Only Kleven and company could make L.A. so appealing and inviting!

As residents of Los Angeles we are thrilled to have a book which highlights our city, its diversity and its vivacity. Each page is a jeweled mosaic. We will enjoy introducing our grandchildren to their city in picture and word.

This book is one of those rare children's books that teaches the adult as well as the child. I can only hope that the authors and the illustrator work on capturing the magic of other cities, just like they did with Los Angeles!

This book stands out as a historical summary of trad jazz! No book is absolutely complete history, but Levin does a superb job of highlighting the trad jazz revival. His accounts of Eddie Miller, Rosy McHargue, Pete Daily, Bob Scobey, Turk Murphy, Muggsy Spanier, and others are flavored with personal reflections and accurate facts., He gives Kid Ory his rightful due, and, although too brief on Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and nothing on George Brunis, he treats the west coast revival of dixieland with much needed love and respect. I thoroughly recommend the book and believe it to be the best on trad jazz in this country.

Floyd Levin has always been a stalwart jazz enthusiast. Living in the Los Angeles area, he has had opportunity to know many of the jazz musicians personally and to share their stories with the readers. As the title implies, this is a personal recollection for Levin.

Floyd's book fleshes out some of the jazz history and clarifies some points. One is the story about the plaque in Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. Trumpeter Muggsy Spanier had a perforated ulcer which was operated by the famous Dr. Alton Ochsner, Tulane Professor and founder of famed Ochsner Clinic. During convalescence, Spanier composed and later recorded a tune called "Relaxin' at the Touro." Previous jazz writings had told about a plaque in Touro commemorating this event. Floyd tracked down the plaque which administration couldn't exactly locate. Because there had been renovation, the plaque was in a somewhat obscure location. Levin interviewed Muggsy about the event and they became fast friends. ( This is frequently a jazz quiz question: In the famous Muggsy Spanier tune, "Relaxin' at the Touro," what is the Touro? Now you know the answer.)

Levin writes about musicians he has known including Benny Carter, who wrote the foreword, James P. Johnson, Milt Hinton, Wild Bill Davison, Artie Shaw, Barney Bigard and many others. He also includes many West Coast musicians with whom he came in contact. There is a chapter on musicians, lesser known, who deserved greater recognition. Two of those included reedmen Pud Brown and Rick Fay.

Levin's concluding chapter covers the struggle to get an appropriate memorial for Louis Armstrong. Funds were being raised by various jazz societies and individuals for a statue of Armstrong to be erected in Armstrong's native New Orleans. He recounts how Bing Crosby donated the proceeds of a concert in San Francisco which put the fund over the top. That twice-lifesize statue of Armstrong stands in Armstrong Park in New Orleans and was unveiled on the nation's bicentennial in Jackson Square in New Orleans. Levin made the presentation, on behalf of the Louis Armstrong Statue Fund, to the city of New Orleans. Four years later, the statue was permanently erected and dedicated in Armstrong Park.

This book is not a definitive jazz history but an interesting view into the lives and careers of musicians who have been influential in shaping jazz--America's Music.

My review of this book is not without personal bias. I have known and worked with Levin on the Board of American Federation of Jazz Societies and have visited with him at various jazz festivals and in his home. Two of my photographs have been included in the book. I am pleased to have known him and congratulate him on completion of this book, his labor of love.

If you love New Orleans traditional jazz, you gotta read this book. Mr. Levin writes about many of the legends of jazz and recounts personal experiences with many of the the jazz musicians. I liked the depth of treatment by the author. He tells you a lot of interesting things about the musicians and their careers, but doesn't go overboard in telling you more than you really want to know. His telling of the story of how the statute of Louis Armstrong made it to Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans is especially informative. I recommend it to most anyone who has an interest in traditional jazz, but especially to those who want ot knwo just a little bit more about the major players.

Maybe I shouldn't call the book a popouri of Jazz musicians because Levin's stories of the many personalities and events are well organized. However, a mine of classic jazzmen, famous and/or forgotten, are included with stuning, compeling and personal detail. Many talents I followed years ago who'd dropped off the radar, and about whom I've never been able to glean prior information, are included along with their more famous brothers and sisters.

What makes the book a real five star celebration are the first hand naratives along with page turning drama and pictures that carries along any New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, et. al. jazz lover. The book is in lyric style just like the music it presents with great pictures as well.

Persosnally I savored the mid-century west coast scenes, documenting what has not prevously been so well described, about Ory and the host of his compatriots including my favorite, Buster Wilson (whom I had never found in any other publications).

For me this is the best jazz book ever -- just what I wanted.

This book is great for identifying underwater creatures. There are full color photos and it is organized well for easy use. I would suggest this book for any diver or snorkeler as a great resource.

I wish we had bought this book before our recent dive trip to California. The little fish id cards just don't have as much info and the quality of pictures in this book. As a fan of the Humann id book series, I can say that all of his books are the best on the market and any snorkeler or diver should own them all.

As a freediver along the coast north and south from San Francisco, I frequently refer to this book for reference of the fish I find in the kelp beds. I am able to find every fish I saw in the water in this book. The color photos are great for that purpose. Other books in my collection are sometime visually vague due to the lack of photographic images (paintings and/or black & white sketches). In ths book the text along with the pictures are also informational: distinctive features, description, abundance & distribution, habitat & behavior, reaction to divers.

As an avid diver in the Puget Sound, I have found this book to be very useful. It features great photos to help me identify the fishes that I encounter while underwater. The format is easy to use because it is geared toward the underwater naturalist. I recommend it to all my diver friends.

This must be one of the best travel guides I've ever read. The author apparently wrote this book based on extensive personal experience since there is a ton of information contained in the book that one would not know unless one has actually travelled to those places.

Highly recommended !

A very helpful guide for driving up or down my favorite coast in the world! Doerper takes you almost mile by mile - was particularly helpful as I drove from Sebastopol up to Menocino, heretofore undiscovered country for me. Galen Rowell's photographs have always been a treat. His death was a real loss, but at least you can tour the CA coast through his eyes in this book.

I liked this book enough to buy Doerper's corollary for the Pacific Northwest to use this year:)!

I bought this book before traveling from San Francisco down Big Sur (about halfway), and it has great coverage of the Big Sur coast, the Santa Cruz area, and San Francisco.

Costal California is more than just a guide book to the California coast. A first glance, Galen Rowell's spectacular photography, 25 full-color maps, wine labels, and historical photographs tell you that there can't be a better illustrated guide for this local. When you start to read this book, you find that it is more than just travel data. John Doerper writes, "The California coast is as much a state of mind as it is a place. Its people, and the stories and myths they have woven around this magic coast, are as captivating as the spectacular scenery." He obviously kept this thought in mind as he wrote this inspirational , entertaining, and expert guide.

This was my first experience with a Jack Liffey novel and it won't be the last. Rather than start with his later work, I ordered "The Concrete River" as this is the first in the series and I wanted to be in on the beginning. John Shannon is clearly an underated talent and I am pleased to see that there will be reissues of more of his earlier work. Shannon's writing is Chandleresque and Liffey is a great world-weary private eye. The descriptions of the underbelly of Los Angeles are spot on and remind me of Hammett, Mosely and Michael Connelly. Avid mystery readers owe it to themselves to check out Shannon. You won't be disappointed. My next Liffey novel is on pre-order!

This book begins John Shannon's Jack Liffey series about a character who becomes an unintended and unlicensed detective tracing lost children. Liffey fits right into the tradition of other Los Angeles offbeat detective-protagonists. The random comments about the weirdness of L.A. are especially amusing. Recommend reading the series in order to appreciate the development of the characters.

Captures Los Angeles perfectly. Protagonist is believable, story is absorbing - I couldn't wait for the second of this series and bought it immediately when it came out (this is the first). Looking forward to the author's next book. If you like Michael Connelly, Abigail Padgett, and find Andrew Vacchs compelling (if not always palatable), give this author a try. You won't be disappointed.

There are writers in various genres (mystery, romance, westerns, etc.) and then there are Writers; they're the gifted people whose genre is scarcely relevant because their work always rises above the territory upon which they've staked their claim. John Shannon is a Writer.

This first of Shannon's Jack Liffey series is a work of lean, effective prose, spiced with startling dashes of outrageous humor (as was The Orange Curtain, my introduction to Shannon's work). Los Angeles, as portrayed through Liffey's eyes, is a series on ongoing atrocities and carnage that are so everyday as to be normal. Add to this mix a character with a tired, yet invincible, spirit who observes and accepts (but doesn't like) what he sees, and you have a hero unlike any other.

Liffy is the essential American of a certain age, (and a Viet Nam vet) possessed of heart and conscience, trying very hard to be honorable while he searches for missing children (in itself a profound metaphor for the lost innocence not only of the city, but of our entire society.)

It is a sad fact that talent is not its own reward; it does not guarantee success. But if anyone writing today deserves recognition on a large scale, it is John Shannon. His work is both insightful social commentary and an unflinching, wrenching look at the human heart. If you want to be entertained and informed, get this book! Go to out-of-print booksites if you must, or search your local library, but this is a writer who very much deserves to be widely read.

I would highly recommend this book for the diverstiy of interests covered. The internet addresses and contact people have changed, so that is a bit annoying, but I realize the book was written a while ago now. I can't wait to connect!

This is not a guide book, rather is is a life-style guide on how to expand your interests and meet new people of similar interests. The authors help give you a way to balance your harried work life and find other things to do (and hopefully meet cool people with similar interests). The research is very thorough (groups and places many San Franciscans have not heard about) -- where can you experience the flying trapeeze?, where do beekeepers meet?, you like model railroads?, whale watching?. I didn't count them, but there seem to be at least 693 entries. Great book -- well worth the price.

For me going out and meeting people can be uncomfortable. I bought CISF and went to several of the organizations listed in the book. I couldn't believe how easy it was for me to fit in and have a great time. I'm going to at least one new place a week now.

Like everyone else I know who has purchased "Connecting in San Francisco," my copy is book marked throughout with "stickies". Sure, as a San Franciscan for six years, I knew of a number of groups and activities. For me, the most fun was learning about the ones I didn't know existed and new groups I wanted to join. I have tried many new pursuits, which have become part of my weekly routine and have vastly enriched my life. Along with recruiting friends to join me in these activities, I have acquired new friends. Most of what I have done required a minimum investment of time and money and the rewards are enormous. It's also interesting to note that this book is of great value to visitors and those who are just in the city on a temporary basis. Many listings are "drop-in" activities like two of my favorites: The San Francisco Art Association's First Thursday Gallery Nights and the free rollerblading lesson and rentals offered by Marina Skate and Snowboard. No matter how obscure you might think your interests are, you will find something in this book. And the joy in trying some new things is in discovering another side of yourself. The authors have done their research. The activities have been great fun and the environments very welcoming!