Etiquette Books

This cookbook is Awesome! I have tried many of the recipes and a must have for every get-together is the Focaccia Bruschetta. Everyone wants the recipe. The cowboy cookies are my favorite, I make them all the time. Her other book is great as well, I did all my holiday baking from that one book and it was all Fabulous! I strongly recommend this Christmas cookbook.

Rebecca's recipes are always spot on and always delicious. Her last book was wonderful (Pastry Queen), and this book is no exception. I received a copy for Christmas, and have been wanting to try some of the recipes since then. I tried the first one today, and made the Apple Spice Cake -- INCREDIBLE! Rebecca, thanks for delivering again.

ANYTHING FROM REBECCA IS GREAT! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SHE COMES OUT WITH ANOTHER BOOK!

I like this "rather" unique Christmas resource because: it has excellent recipes which are organized by the varying holiday events (Eve, Day, open house, brunch, tree trimming, NY) and it has wide variety of recipes for appetizer, salad, soup, desserts, etc. and not least, it features great color photos with fun-to-read text and it has some great shots of a Great Pyrenees named Beau (I'm a former owner of 2 and love this Gentle Giant breed)

Rather won me over in her first cookbook as being a passionate baker who ventured out into other foods in her biz and offered some in this first offering. She and her community have a great time at the Christmas Holidays and so she shares some of her favorites as well as some that others offered her, as well as some other's she invited to contribute, such as LBJ's former chef.

The excitement and passion she has (even as a busy chef) for these Holidays exhibits themselves in this fine array of recipes, illustrated by these examples: Warm Pear Ginger Upside Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream; Creamy Chicken Lasagna; Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Cranberry-Pecan Salsa; Glazed Chocolate Pave; Chocolate Cookie Crusted Eggnog Cheesecake; Texas Spice Rubbed Roast Pork.

These are not overfully difficult recipes with either ingredients or techniques, but will certainly test the uninitiated baker or cook. They definitely are delicious and creative and will bring smiles as gifts and servings at this festive time of the year.

Maybe she will do her third on Easter?

Fredericksburg, Texas area resident Rebecca Rather, owner of the "Sweet Bakery and Cafe" since 1999 has created a very good holiday book full of Texas color and recipes. After an acknowledgment that thanks her customers as well as many others who helped in some way with her writing career, and an introduction that gives personal background, it is time for the recipes.

Chapter One "Holiday Open House" starts with "Old-Fashioned Eggnog." Be warned, this isn't the kind of eggnog one buys in the grocery stores these days. Recipes for "Cranberry-Walnut Scones, Mustard Baked Ham, Green Chile and Cheddar Baking Powder Biscuits, Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing" are just a few of the delectable recipes in this chapter. Pictures are many and include not only the finished product but also often a picture at some point in the recipe before it is a finished product. "Tips" are many as well with various suggestions concerning adding other ingredients to the recipes mentioned. Along the way there is the occasional story about the recipe detailing the background of the dish.

A subsection of Chapter One begins on page 43 and is titled "Outdoor Tree Trimming" along with brief instructions on how to make "fresh fruit ornaments, dried fruit ornaments,"etc. there are the recipes. The recipes start with "In-The-Bag Chili Frito Pie," and move to "Rather Minty Brownies, My Mistake Cookies" and other treats. This is a very short section at six pages.

"Ranch Barn Brunch" is the title for Chapter Two beginning on page 51 and the Chapter works off the theme of the author's love of horses. Friends of the author provided the barn for the party pictures and she again explains about her love of horses and how the party was designed. The recipes begin with "Larry Doll's Famous Cranberry Margaritas" and include among other mouthwatering recipes "Seasonal Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, Brown Sugar Bacon, Mexican Ranch Chilaquiles, Mexican Camp Bread" among many others. Like in Chapter One, there are numerous color photos of the meals as well as numerous tips along with personal stories about the history of the recipes and the people in the author's life.

Chapter 2 concludes with a section on "Making Gingerbread Houses." Templates for the houses are included in the appendix. As part of the making gingerbread houses, which is a kid involved activity, she makes a few other suggestions of what to make now that the kids are in the kitchen. "Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas" is one with "Torched S'mores" being another of the several possibilities.


"Christmas Eve" is Chapter Three (page 99) which kicks off with "LBJ Ranch Crown Roast of Lamb with Rice Stuffing and Jalapeño-Mint Sauce. If that doesn't strike your fancy, maybe "Blue Corn Blinis with Crab and Avocado Crema" will work for you. The recipe makes 28 servings which means since they are appetizers, you might need to double upon it. There is always "Green Olive Beef Tenderloin" as well as "Martha's Best -Ever Rolls. Save room for the "Christmas Coconut Cake." As in every chapter, there are far more recipes than I have mentioned here, along with color photographs, history and tips.

"Cookie Decorating" is a little section at the end of this chapter and is all about the kids and having fun. Pretty much self explanatory and this section begins on page 133.

"Christmas Day" marks Chapter Four in a chapter working around the theme of the day and beautiful Christmas dinners. It begins on page 143 and buffet is the order of the day in the author's house. One of the first dishes to be consumed is her "Green Bean Bundles." The "Texas Spice-Rubbed Roast Pork" sounds mighty good and looks good too. As does the "Cajun Roast Turkey" (no picture though) and numerous other dishes. Included are the usual photographs, tips, and personal history.

At the end of the Chapter is another small section titled "Wrapping Up the Holidays with Edible Gifts." Aptly titled and self explanatory, it covers little tasty treats such as "Denise's Vanilla Caramels, Lola's Sunday Fudge," among other items.

"New Year's Eve" is the title for Chapter Five and the final Chapter in this book which begins on page 183. Beyond the gorgeous photograph of a spinning windmill against a Texas sunset there are recipes such as "Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Cranberry-Pecan Salsa, Mother's Lobster Bisque, Ken Hall's Standing Rib Roast" and many others with a distinctive Texas flavor. Of course, there are more photographs, tips and history here following the format used throughout the book. This chapter closes the book and is followed by the aforementioned templates for a gingerbread house and an index.

At 225 pages, this is a beautifully photographed book full of recipes, Texas history and culture and ways to do the season right. Written in a down home style, this is not a pretentious book and does not at any time talk down to readers. It provides easy clear instructions, something many cookbooks lack, along with pictures, to help you through the recipe process.

It does lack basic info on dietary issues. While it states how many servings a dish has, it doesn't make any mention of sodium counts, fats, sugars, etc. in regards to health, Granted, it is a book for the holiday season and many folks ignore such issues during that time, but for others such information is critically important year around.

That being said a lot of that sort of info can be determined by considering the recipe itself before making the item. Therefore, the lack of info is a minor quibble overall and one that can be ignored simply because this is such a beautifully done book full of mouth watering recipes. A book well worth your time and investment in and one sure to assist you for many holidays to come.



Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2008

This book really helped me teach my kids how words can affect others. They are 6 years old and they gained a good understanding about how their words not only can hurt each other but also their friends. They were also able to tell me how when I get angry I make them feel. I would recommend this book.

Very simple, cute book that gets the message across quite well. Straight and to the point, as the other books in this series are.

My five year old loved the pictures in this book. The illustrations are great and it is easy for a toddler to follow and understand.

I bought this book for my son's collection of best behavior books but it is not the same board book collection that he has, they have 2 different collections of books with the same name, so I had to return it and order the right one.

This book (and the entire series) is a great teaching tool for little ones. Often times, when my daughter needs a "reminder" about choosing her words carefully, we put this in our bedtime story rotation.

I love the book. It was a gift for a little girl named Nora. I was surprised to see that in the book, little Nora calls her brother a dummy. I just wish the author would have chosen a different work like clumsy.

My 25-year-old daughter loved this book when she was a toddler. She memorized the entire text and would recite it like a poem to anyone who'd listen. Now, she wants to buy a new copy for her children (4 year-old, 2 year-old, and 2-month-old) since her old copy is worn out. I'm delighted that she's turning her children into book lovers too.

ISBN 0803718357 - It's been a while since I've reviewed a kids' book that needed a note for certain parents with certain child-raising ideas. If you're one of them, you'll want to pass up this book - Nora's sister calls her "dumb" twice and Nora's behavior is... well, bad. If, however, you're able to overlook that, or just don't care about it, and want to get your child into books, this is one that I guarantee they'll love to have read to them.

Nora's parents are spending all of their time with Jack, the baby, and their sister Kate. Nora feels neglected and makes noise, hoping to get their attention, but all she gets is shushed. She finally does get it - by announcing that she's leaving! They worry and look for her until she reappears again, quite noisily.

Other than the "dumb" comments, some parents might find Nora's behavior bad enough to keep them from getting this book for their child. She slams the door, knocks over the lamp and flies a kite in the house. Personally, she's a mouse, I never expected my child to take his behavioral cues from rodents and he didn't; if you think yours might, then you need to find another book.

Those exceptions out of the way, I think this book is adorable. If, at first glance, you think Nora resembles Max, she should - they have the same mother. Author and illustrator Rosemary Wells, mom of Max and Ruby and Nora, seems to understand what will work for children and laughing, something Nora will make them do, is a surefire way to get them to come back again and again. The illustrations are great, Nora is just hilarious in her frustrated efforts to get attention and there's the chance for a parent to talk to their own child about the RIGHT way to get attention - once everyone's stopped laughing at Nora. Parents with a new baby in the house might find that aspect particularly appealing because a new baby's arrival is certainly a time when an older sibling might feel ignored.

- AnnaLovesBooks

This a one of the great classic children's books. Can't miss being a success with your child. You can read it to him or her or let a beginning reader try it as one of their first books.

was excited about this book for my daughter, Nora; but it uses the word "dumb" multiple times.

As a seasoned event planner, I find that most books in the entertaining genre often skimp on pertinent event details and lack a wide range of innovative themes.

That said, I was reasonably pleased with "Party Confidential" as I felt it went into depth with respect to each event and theme and featured beautiful accompanying photographs that illustrated the unique experiences evoked.

My only criticism was that the name dropping could have been downplayed a bit.

Overall, I would recommend this book for amateur and professional party planners alike who are looking for themes/ideas to tantalize all five senses.

If you love to throw parties or attend them, this book is perfect for you! This book gives a unique insight to the do's and don'ts of party planning and entertaining. Not only does it offer tips for party hosts, but also for guests. It's a 21st century version of Emily Post, answering all of your tricky questions on the modern etiquette!

This book is a necessity for anyone hosting or attending a party. It gives inside looks into lavish Hollywood parties and provides aspirations for one's own party. With the assistance of this book anyone can throw the party of their dreams.

This book is the business! I am so glad I ordered it. It gives you everything you need to know about throwing the best of the best of parties! Can not wait to start putting it to use! Hats off to LARA SHRIFTMAN! The recipes, the tips, the pictures, its just wonderful. I'll let you know how the first party goes! YAY!

Certain product names were mentioned ad nauseum - on the invitations, as the focus of the party, presented on silver trays, and in the take-home gift bags.

This book has wayy too many pictures of Paris Hilton's ugly mug - I see enough of her at the grocery checkout stand.

The food was gross - as exemplified by the teetering 4-tier doughnut cake, held up by scary man-hand. It looked like it had fallen on the floor several times already. Even the little girls look grossed out by it.

The best party in the book was the Indian party where they consulted with authentic Indian people on the food, the entertainment, and the decor. Good thinking! Otherwise, some of their ideas are almost *unbelievably* tacky.

It's not as well-edited as his other books, it has lots of text with smaller pictures & is more technical & focuses on the parties of his zillionare clients - not really relevant to anything I would do. Some of the theme ideas at the end were fun.

Being heavily involved in producing large events, I would have expected a much better book. The ideas offered were mediocre at best. Better you focus on decor ideas by companies such as Avi Adler or Preston Bailey (their work is of better quality) and consult real caterers for food. Both Avi & Preston are much more creative and versatile than anything offered in this book. I can tell you this from first hand experience.

I usually do not review items, but this book, A Passion for Parties, I felt I had to. I saw David on "The View" several times and decided to order his book. I am sure glad I did.

This is one book I have absolutely enjoyed from page 1. David gives great advice for planning an event. He covers all the finest details on throwing a party from invites right down to how much liquor to order according to your guest count.

He also adds humorous stories from his experiences in the industry and very informative tips throughout the length of the book.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who throws a party. I can only hope that Mr. Tutera is working on another book to keep me updated on the latest trends.

I expected a book on how to plan your own parties, nice doable tips - not at all what this book is about. If you want tips on hiring a party planner or other party services, this is for you. If you like to do things yourself, ie. cook, plan, decorate, look elsewhere.

This book is great!

It offers many helpfull suggestions for anyone who isnt sure how to throw their next party.

The tutera tips are great, they are straight to the point, and even have some humor.

The photography is spectacular, I wish I could do what he does...I look forward to another great book by David Tutera!

I have loved this story since I was a child. I lost my copy long ago, and my husband recently bought a new edition as a gift. I love it all over again! Definitely a classic.

This is a FANTASTIC book for kids. They can help with reading the story (my 3 year old knows it off by heart) and it has a lovely message in it as well. I read this book as a child and it stayed with me - it must stay with a lot of people because the Dresden Dolls turned it into a song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG3q6MKzx78

I bought this book after having it read to me as a child. I wanted to read it to my son. I didn't expect for it too be so small. However I was just happy to get the book and be able to read it to him and get the morale across. I had difficulty finding it in bookstore, and was thrilled that it was carried by Amazon! I highly recommend it to other Parents :-)

How can you go wrong with Maurice Sendak? Every thing he has done is fantastic.

I have the casette tape of this story (a MUST, because the entire story is sung and it's so very wonderful) and every year I put on the casette and sing the story to my class. I have yet to find a group that does not enjoy this story and beg repeatedly for me to play it again. In the beginning, a few students will pick up on the refrain "I don't care" as well as the timing and by the time we've played it for a week or so, most of the students sing along, giggling all the way. The message is clear, you must find something to care about otherwise you're doomed to live inside a lion. And after much discussion, my students (kindergarten) get that fact.

I bought this book for my daughter and her new growing family. It makes for great interaction and lively discussion. The dialog they have going on now is refreshing. If you have only have 10 quality minutes a day to spend with your child reading this book together will make it well spent! Ann Clarke, author of People Are So Different! based on tolerance and understanding.

I love this book, it is easy to follow and has fun entertaining was to teach kids values.

It was very helpful and the activities were really only 10 minues long, at max.

There are quite a few important topics to choose from. Seems to start good conversation with the children. (Ages 9-13)

I was hoping this book would be a useful resource for developing supplemental activities for an elementary-level (K-5) curriculum on non-violence and conflict resolution. But it is really geared toward parents (as the title indicates), not educators. The activities and required materials are suitable for an interpersonal setting, not really for the average classroom or after school programs. I found that 104 Activities That Build: Self-Esteem, Teamwork, Communication, Anger Management, Self-Discovery, Coping Skills by Alanna Jones, was more useful for my needs/goals.

OMG! I never knew a book like this was out there... it literally covers everything a BM needs to know or do. I gave this to my BM's as a gift and they all love it! Some of them wished they used it in their weddings. The author lays it all out on the table for you. The book is also very fun to read!

I just got engaged and thought this was the perfect gift to give to my bridesmaids when asking them to be part of my special day. The book gives the girls information about their "typical" duties, gives them tips, and fun ideas, all while being both informative and humorous. Overall I thought it was a cute little book for them to read through if they wanted and something to get them all in the wedding mood :)

Although this is not the end-all etiquette manual (that would be by Emily Post) it is a cute little gift for your favorite girls.

How to Give Them a Nudge, Not a Shove:
I sent one to each of my bridesmaids and maid of honor and kept a copy for myself. Rather than insulting my best friends - ("Here. You need some help for MY wedding.") - I sent fabric covered memory boxes in my wedding colors filled with goodies: local letterpressed notecards with plenty of tear-jerking heartfelt sentiments, fabric swatches for the girls and their dates, a list of important contacts, and purse-sized leather journals in my wedding colors to go with The Bridesmaid Guide. I wrapped and packaged them by hand, and everything arrived in tact.
They were awed. They were ecstatic. They were moved to tears. All of 'em.

What Makes This Book Different:
I loved the size, color and graphic design of this book. It is adorable. It is the friendliest, most informal way to introduce your bridesmaids to a simple set of social rules. It just feels fun!

Buyer Be Aware:
I checked out The Guide in person at a local bookseller, so I knew what I was getting myself into. Make sure you utilize the Search Inside feature on Amazon. If you are looking for the etiquette encyclopedia, I highly suggest Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette. It has everything, but it's in a huge reference manual format, not in a hip and girly guide format. As long as the bride (and her mum) has her serious-people etiquette book at home, this relaxed little charmer will provide a solid foundation for your maids.

Did You Say Creative?
The book is worth it's price just for the party ideas! I won't spoil the fun, but there are more ideas in this book than a girl can use in one wedding! There is something for everyone - wild and crazy ideas, youthful ideas, and my personal favorite, clean and proper ideas - for everything from showers (even if you don't want them to be centered around gifts) and the more innocent variety of "bachelorette" parties, both events of which I did not want to partake for fear of anyone doing anything in bad taste!
This book has helped quite a bit in ironing out some of my tastes and ideas for my girls. Let's just say it has communicated on my behalf and inspired some of my wildest girlfriends with ways to leave their mark in a setting I can enjoy!

Useful:
One of my bridesmaids was a maid of honor for another friend of hers this past weekend and was able to use a lot of the information this book provided. In fact, the wedding coordinator herself was impressed by my bridesmaid's knowledge! And when speaking with my maid this afternoon about veils, SHE told ME the veil I was referring to was called a blusher!
This little guide is an investment that has already paid off, and I've still got a year till the big day!

Being a first-time bridesmaid (for my best friend's wedding in October), I am thrilled and at the same time I want to make sure I have all the important information that I need to know. While this book offers some broad strokes on bridesmaiding, I found a lot of the information to be impractical. It tends to assume that there are many maids in the party (I am one of only three) and it places emphasis on themes and games - both of which don't apply to a lot of today's less traditional brides. I feel like it needs an update to become more useful.

A fantastic gift for the new bridesmaids and maid-of-honors! It really set the relaxed and fun tone for my bridesmaids. Even if someone has been one before I'm sure they would have fun thumbing through this book and getting great ideas. A must buy for all brides for their bridesmaids!

I love this book of tenderly nuanced advice written in beautiful prose and will reread it often to remind myself how absolutely necessary civility is in our lives. Professor Forni does Johns Hopkins proud!

This is an excellent book on courtesy in our everyday interactions. I think if everyone practiced Forni's 25 suggestions, both public and private life would go more smoothly.

After discussing why we don't treat each other as well as we should and why we should treat each other better, Massimo offers 25 rules to help us implement his advice. He gets very specific about the ways we can treat each other better, every day.

I like this book for two reasons. One, because it puts the accountability where it belongs: on me. I can't improve my relations with other people by expecting them to change. I can't do it by labeling them, criticizing them or judging them. All I can do is change what I do and how I do it.

Two because it offer specific suggestions on how to be more civil. It's useful and can be implemented right now.

The better we treat each other, the better our world becomes. This book is a step to helping us all get there.

While this book might identify behaviors you have been using since childhood, it may open your eyes to some of the more inconsiderate conduct that goes on in your life. It not only explains how one should act, it discusses how you can deal with the conduct of others, and how to encourage civility all around you.

I read *Choosing Civility* because I found that the pressure of living in a crowded city was beginning to make me a bit misanthropic towards my fellow humankind, which led to me becoming a bit less civil in my behavior in this crowded world. I wanted a refresher on how to treat my fellow man in a manner that I wished to be treated myself. I also read this book because I saw that the pressures and pace of the modern world was beginning to break down our civilization.

*Choosing Civility* definitely delivered on my first need, it made me more conscious of the little things that lead to better interactions with people; little things like ensuring that I respect the personal space of others in a conversation, being inclusive of everyone in a group such as my coworkers, refraining from idle complaining, and respecting other people's time. After reading this book, I found myself noticing moments where I was being uncivil in small ways and allowing me the opportunity to correct these behaviors.

Where the book falls short, at least for my needs, but not necessarily for everyone, is in how to deal with and accept the uncivil behavior of others. Before reading this book, I was aware of a general incivility in our everyday lives; but, after reading this book, I became painfully aware of how bad the problem was and the book didn't prepare me properly for those times when I felt the victim of uncivil actions and how to remain civil myself at the moments.

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A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

"Tess Ayers & Paul Brown have the freshest, most unexpected addition to every wedding reference section--a wonderfully witty, sophisticated guide to same-sex weddings. This first book of its kind is packed with real-life stories and a wealth of practical answers couples won't find from Emily Post. 40 photos. Ayers and Brown rework traditional wedding-planning. Their book's three sections deal with the decision-making process, wedding logistics, and actual step-by-step planning, for which they provide checklists to carry a couple through the big event. Along with such practical matters as the rules for wedding gifts and what a photographer provides, Ayers and Brown deal with such fine points for gays and lesbians as considering what to call him or her (bride? groom?), gender-bending wedding fashions, alternative invitations, and whether and how to change one's name. Timely, informative, and entertaining."--© zebraz

This guide is an excellent resource for any same-sex couple planning a wedding...or even just dreaming about the big day. Covering both "traditional" ceremonies and offering descriptions of more "alternative" options, the authors provide down-to-earth insights and advice. The guide also features comments from many real-life couples, and it is comforting to read the words of the many who have gone before. Highly recommended pre-wedding reading.

My coworker had bought this and I had borrowed it and laughed so hard from reading it. It makes you laugh at yourself. Its a way to remind us breeders how uptight we need not be.

I bought this for my sister when she told me she was going to have a commitment ceremony. I was honored when she asked me to be her Maid of Honor. The book isn't bad or anything but it could use some updating. My sister said only some of the information was helpful to her. There aren't many books on the market for this topic though. So if you can't find anythign else it's worth buying.

This is a good book, primarily because it uses a standard model, wedding guide, to meet the needs of a specific community, gays & lesbians. Bravo!

Now it is time for the update!