California Books

As a former Navy service member I looked forward to reading this book. I wanted to see what someone else's experiences in command were, particularly on an new destroyer. The book was a real disappointment. I'm not sure how this officer made it to flag rank, he must have more chops than are exhibited in this book. He relates the significant accomplishments of the ship (which were certainly significant) but the tone of the book is rather off putting. The man is self-deprecating to a fault. He seems to have great second thoughts about his ability to command and whether he will be successful. Generally, all the officers and sailors in his book are "outstanding" in all ways, there are few descriptions of incompetent officers and with the exception of descriptions of incompetent enlisted men...everyone is seemingly perfect for the most part. About halfway through the book I just wanted to finish it and be done with it. I usually hand off books to friends, this one went to Goodwill.

This is a first-rate book. I am delighted I read it. I found it to be touching, informative, funny, and readable.

It also confirms, once again, what I think of those in the American military----they are very good people, and dedicated professionals.

It is not surprising to note that Admiral Stavridis is an avid reader. It shows in his selection of books, and in his writing. If you don't read, you can't write well, and he writes well. I respect the way he is in touch with history, and literature. I also respect the way he is in touch with reality---he cares about those under his command, and he takes every bit of his job seriously.

I was interested in the Admiral's observations about the Middle East, and the problems America has there.
The book was written before 9/11, and some of the observations caught my attention. He noted that Iran is the real problem in the region, which is hardly a surprise. He also wrote that it might be useful to turn Iraq into a democracy as a challenge to Iran. I gather this idea was around a long time before George W. Bush adopted it.

I do not know if its right or wrong. The "surge" seems to be effective, after all, and it might just work out.
it would be interesting to know what Admiral Stavridis thinks about it now.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in naval history, naval warfare, and history in general. It is well worth reading.

Adm. Stavridis takes the reader aboard the destroyer Barry with a day to day briefing.

He shares his hopes, many fears , and his personal life. He is able to convey the constant pressure from the sea, his superiors,and the members of his crew, during his command.

After reading Adm. Stavridis'diary, one has a new appreciation of the dedication of our service men and women for the defense of the United States.

Everyone needs a hero in life, Jim is one of mine. He is more than just a great writer, demonstrative leader, caring father, and compassionate husband; he is a great human being. This book brought back many wonderful memories from a special time in my life and I appreciate the author's candor. Semper Fi Jim Stavridis!
Stan Brown (former CSMM/CMC in BARRY)

You...will...love...this...book. But only if you want to know of honesty, humility, humor, the courage of everyday acts of service by others, and the peaks and valleys of leadership. Not to mention wonderful writing, anecdotes, and insights by a distinguished military commander writing as a young officer, a decade and a half before pinning on the four-stars of an admiral.
If you want a great book about the wanderings of a homesick warrior with duties he must discharge before being reunited with his family, Homer's "Odyssey" is pretty tough to beat. If you are looking for a primer on leadership, Stephen Covey's "7 Habits..." is the blockbuster choice of millions. For inspirational stories of ships and men and the sea, Jack London, Patrick O'Brien and a few others invented and nurtured a timeless genre. For a personal catalog of humility and insignificance against the greatness of life and a higher power, "The Confessions of St. Augustine" are available.
And then there is "Destroyer Captain," which has a tincture of these works and more, is entirely accessible, and a terrific read. Painfully well-written, poignant, and complete, this book opens a window onto a world that hums along with quiet, powerful, efficient ordinariness everyday across the globe: the U.S. Navy defending the empire of liberty.
Jim Stavridis, one of our nation's most senior military officers, has published the journals he kept while a first-time captain at sea in the mid-1990s. Stavridis is a friend of many years, and someone I know to be of great good humor and a fine leader. Even so, there is nothing like the well written word for true insight. Stavridis gives brutally raw honesty as he describes his expectations, his fears, his longing for home and hearth while thousands of miles away, and the timeless bonds that develop among the crew of a ship at sea.
Stavridis paints with equal skill in bold brush strokes and pointillist precision as he colors the everyday routine at sea, and the non-stop demands on the captain. As he puts it -- and the book is infused with the obviousness of it -- "for no one is the term service more applicable than the commanding officer who is doing his job." Stavridis describes in wonderful detail -- and with an easy but extraordinarily fine style -- the 24/7 nature of what it means to be a captain of a weapon-packed man of war, with a crew whose average age is probably about 22 years old, and the captain himself in his thirties. He describes what it is like to sit in judgment of others at "captain's mast," the navy's unique system of self-discipline that reaches back to ancient times. Forget what you may think you know of the all-powerful captain at sea; here's the real deal as Stavridis describes a mast at which he restricted to the ship a young petty officer who had been thrown in jail for a shoreside brawl: "As the captain's mast concluded, I walked out, feeling diminished myself. Judgment is the hardest of human tasks..."
But this is no "woe is me for the burdens of command" cri de coeur. The book fairly tingles with the sheer pleasure Stavridis takes in being "the captain." He knows he is a lucky man, having been entrusted with the most advanced warship ever built, a crew of 350 men he clearly loves, and ordered by his country to ply "the magic monotony of existence between sky and water," as Stavridis quotes Conrad. An avid reader, Stavridis writes of his early decision to sit in his elevated chair on the bridge of the ship while at sea, generally observing the daily routines but benignly ignoring them as he reads -- not from important dispatches or operational manuals, but "a good novel." Why? "I think it's important to show the younger folk that (a) reading matters and, more important, that (b) it is a good deal being the captain. If I can't communicate the joy of command to my wardroom, why would any of them want to stick around? It sure isn't for the pay!"
Captain Bligh, step aside. You have been relieved as proto-typical literary commander at sea. READ THIS BOOK and know about duty, honor, country...and seasickness, liberty call, carving turkeys for a Thanksgiving dinner of 350, and lots lots more.

Fat City by Leonard Gardner is a singular masterpiece of modern American literature. I was introduced to the book by the John Houston film of 1972 which in its own right is a work of wonder.

Gardner, who has regrettably not written another novel since, tells the story of an over-the-hill boxer in Stockton, California, his brief affair with an alcoholic woman, and the last chance he is given at a bout. In a spare, flawless prose, the novelist depicts the starkness of this life which unfolds in cheap hotel rooms and bars, in third-rate boxing arenas and in the agrarian fields where he has to work as a picker to eke out a living. A scene of onion picking is often cited as an example of supple, kinetic writing at its best.

By being so specific and immersing the reader in this small world, the author manages to make devastating statements about the mercilessness of American life and even the ultimate futility of life's many struggles.

As the veteran boxer mentors a young contender who is getting married and starting his own life, the reader is given every reason to believe that the travesty is open-ended.

Fat City is a short book, so I'll write a short review. You can get a plot synopsis from the other reviewers. This is high-quality noir territory. It is 180 pages of boxing, booze, lousy jobs, poisoned relationships, and flophouse squalor. It perfectly captures the characters' desperation and hopelessness. If you are looking for a tough, lean, gritty read, then look no farther.

Fat city is a book that took place in Stockton California in the 1950's that follows the broken lives of several men who are brought together from boxing. This book is written by Leonard Gardner, a boxer himself during the 1950's. As you read through the pages a story of the lives of different men unfolds.
Billy Tully is an out of shape boxer who gave everything up because of long losing streak and the painful divorce with his wife. Living off of almost nothing he decides he wants to go back and try to fight. While training he meets a young boy named Ernie Munger who has a natural talent for boxing. Ernie wants to be a boxer so bad that he trains day and night letting nothing get in his way. In the middle of his career he gets his girlfriend pregnant but tries his hardest to stay in the life of boxing. While following the characters in their lives this book goes though the struggle of each man and illustrates how they react to their failures. In this story the women are the cause of problems between all of the unhappy boxers; a problem that cannot be fixed.
Some chapters in the story are dedicated to small parts of other men's lives such as the trainer and the opponent, letting you understand the story from both sides. Although these men are brought together by boxing the book is about these men doing what they can do to survive. From boxing to farming this book accurately covers the actions taken to survive. Although the book can be slow at parts over all it is a quick read.

I read Fat City sometime in the mid-sixties, when it was first published, and was immediately captivated and envious of Gardner's powerful style and talent. If you appreciate and admire Hemingway or Steinbeck you will likely feel the same about Gardner, who, unfortunately, has not published anything since. Perhaps this small gem of a book was the only one he had in him. Even so, this novel is a remarkable accomplishment and may well become an American classic. What intrigues me the most in this work is that Gardner gets it all down right--the sights and smells and sounds of the seedy streets and flophouses; the drifters and dingy diners; the sweaty gyms, barsweeps and whores and how it is to work as a stoop-laborer in the fields, especially the true-to-life characters inhabiting the pages. Fat City is simply a well-crafted execution of art throughout and is as pleasurable to read now as when I first picked it up years ago.

Short novel, published in 1969, about two boxers, Billy Tully, who is 29 and down and out, and Ernie Mugger, who is 18 and up and coming, two versions of the same man, in some respects. Terrific skilled prose, short chapters, switching points of view between these two main characters and an assortment of other minor characters. The author takes you inside the characters' deepest despair or elation. How simple the author makes it look, one thinks, reading this book. But of course it is not. The prose is precise and honed, and looks easy only after who knows how many drafts. There are only 18 or 19 short chapters, and much of the novel is dialogue. But somehow one comes away with a panoramic view of Stockton, California, this woeful place, and the people the inhabit it - the immigrant fruit pickers, the bartenders and bar girls, the hobos on the street. The descriptions are compact and dead-on. About Billy Tully's hotel room: "All his neighbors had lung trouble." One could quote sentences from this book almost at will, the prose is so spare and perfect.

That the author never published another book, and that this was his first, is incredible. To write this cleanly and confidently, he must have practiced and studied for years. Yet to never do it again.

This is an ok effort by Ms. Goldstein but unfortunately the recipes don't quite result in the amazing flavors that Georgian cuisine is known for. Perhaps it is Ms. Goldstein's substitutions of less authentic ingredients as some ingredients in the "real" dish are hard to find. Perhaps it is something else. (Her "adjika" is REALLY bad/wrong for instance....)

OK book if you want an idea of what Georgian cuisine is like. Not good if you REALLY want the real thing...

This is a marvelous, utterly authentic encyclopedia of Georgian cooking. I tried some of the recipes before leaving for Georgia in summer 2006, and they were great, and gave me a good idea of what to expect. Once in Georgia, the book was an invaluable reference that I constantly turned to whenever I tried something new. Just about *everything* I had is in here, along with many things I didn't get around to sampling.

This book also helped me learn the correct Georgian names for the dishes and many of the ingredients. A significant portion of the book is devoted to providing cultural background on Georgia and Georgian food, such the elaborate rules for a _tamada_, or Georgian toastmaster. With its charming photos of representative paintings scattered generously throughout its pages, it also made me a Pirosmani fan, and better able to appreciate the originals when I saw them for myself.

Most importantly, as the other reviewers say, the recipes *work*. We just made the potato salad with walnut paste (p. 172), and it was delectable. Other dishes we have tried and like include tomato soup with walnuts and vermicelli (p. 73) and green beans with egg (p. 130). Pkhali was one of my favorite dishes in Georgia, and I'm glad to have the recipe for when I get around to making it myself. There is a recipe for beets with cherry sauce, a dish a travel companion had tried but that even some of our Georgian hosts weren't familiar with. For the few recipes that seem to be missing from this book, like eggplant with walnut paste, try Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook, another excellent collection of delicious recipes from all the former Soviet republics.

_The Georgian Feast_ is well worth having even if you don't eat meat - many of the recipes are completely vegetarian. This book is a real treasure.

I've already written a review of this great book. I have only one suggestion: the basic khmeli suneli recipe can be augmented further to reach the authentic smell and taste. The wikipedia article on khmeli suneli has additional ingredients that can be added to the recipe. I tried that, about 2 teaspoons of each ingredient that's not already in Darra's recipe (less for black and chili pepper), and it came closer to the authentic smell and taste. I think the author of the wikipedia article might have meant safflower (marigold) instead of saffron though, so I didn't add that.

I gave this book to a Georgian and she loved it. It had all the dishes she had eatten as a child. If your looking for a book to fill in any missing recipes this is the book for you.

As someone who was born and grew up in Tbilisi, I was very happy to find this book -- it captures all of my favorite recipes, and when I prepare them according to this book, they taste just like my grandma's cooking.

More than just a recipe book, this is also an exploration into the rich history and culture of Georgia, and how the history shaped the cuisine. I suggest this book to everyone who would like to add some interesting preparations to their cooking. For vegetarians, Georgians have plenty of healthful and filling ways to prepare veggies and beans, and also some mouth watering sauces that will enliven any dish (veg or not).

I enjoy this book both as a cook book, and as a historical book!

This book has got to be the best book I've ever read, I couldn't stop I read it in 6 hours continously! This is amazing for me because I'm usually the guy who never reads anything. I'm sure this book is a best buy and I can't wait for the second book to come out!!! For all you kids like me, pick up Hoopster today!

The book i read was 'The Hoopster" by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. My book was about a young African Amercin man named Andre. Andre is really good at basketball, maybe even good enough to play proffesional ball. His nickname is the Hoopster. His long life dream is to become a magazine writer. He is a vary talented writer but no one knew it yet. He worked at a magazine editorial, but he was just an errand boy for the writers. Until one day someone had seen an artical that he wrote just for fun and thought he could be good enough to write an article for them, so they offered him an oppertunity to write about racism. The article was spectacular. but not everyone liked it. A man kept herassing Andre, telling him to stop writing or else they would hurt him. Andre didn't listen so one day after work he was walking to his car and a van pulled up next to him. A group of white men came out and beat him, they also kept crushing his hand in a car door. i liked this book because it was about basketball, it also showed that racism is bad and still around. And you shouldn't let people bring you down.

THIS IS THE GREATEST BOOK EVER. i couldn't but it down til i finish it. i love how Alan kept us on the edge of our seat when Andre was getting beat up. i can't wait til the next book comes out.

This is the type of book one can never let go. It is an excellent book and I am 99.9% sure that teens will like it. Well, yeah good job Alan Sitomer. Buy. Read. Re-read. Enjoy. Don't bother me.... I'm reading.

The Hoopster


The Hoopster, by Alan Sitomer, is a compelling book that allows you to see arguably the toughest year of Andre's life. Things look good at first; he has a hot new girlfriend, Gwen, just received a promotion in his job working for a magazine, and is his usual dominant self on the basketball court. Andre's new assignment is to write each month an article about race. Since he is a very bright African-American, his input on the topic becomes meaningful to nearly all the subscribers. One group, however, does not think so highly of his writings. One night when Andre is leaving work, his life forever changes...
The Hoopster is the book for you if you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed, sports thrillers with many unexpected twists. This book is not for a sensitive reader and I would not recommend it to anyone below the middle school level, because the content is not always G or PG. Overall, I think anyone over 12 would truly enjoy this book, and it would open up anyone's eyes about and make the reader think twice before stereotyping another African American.

Joan Opyr has concocted a delicious mystery read that, while incorporating all the necessary ingredients (a dead body, mistaken identities, family skeletons and accidental detectives), also throws in some outrageously zesty herbs and spices --- a lesbian wilderness retreat cum shooting range cum softball battleground, psilocybin mushrooms (or are they shiitakes?), Radical Faeries, Lesbian Avengers, heterosexist preachers and outlandish outings. Jam-packed with witty, laugh-aloud dialogue, this story is sure to start a groundswell for more Idaho-seasoned fare from the eminently talented Ms. Opyr and her fledgling detective, Bil Hardy. (Recommend with a side of spuds and home-made hard cider.) Cheers!

I'm unsure how exactly to describe this book. It was definitely humorous, and had a unique tone and structure, as well as quality writing and editing. In fact, it grabbed me from the start, and I couldn't help but devour it. So for those reasons high marks are well-deserved. The colorful characters and crazy situations really brought small-town life to the book vividly. The humor is prevalent, and intelligent.

But I'm unsure as to whether I will be reading it again. It's often frustrating for me to read about self-destructive people, though I'd accepted it by the end of this novel, as the characters accepted themselves. But the book was almost too full of quirky characters and events. There really wasn't the contrast or foil of someone to take a look at all the goings-ons and comment on the craziness of it all. So at times it was almost a bit much: you could assume that whatever would be the most outrageous or unexpected thing to happen would come to pass. Also, I'm unsure what the message was precisely, or if there was a unifying theme beyond something like keeping secrets can destroy you and those you care about.

The characters are likable, though, and it was fun to spend some time with them. I can't tell yet whether spending much more time with them would drive me crazy, though I will likely check out the sequel to test this theory. I do love books in which the characters have a rich family life. So for all it's strengths I'm comfortable with the 4-star display. If you're looking for something well-written and diffferent from the run-of-the-mill girl-meet-girl beach/vacation book, then I expect you'll love this book. I'm trying to think of an apt descriptor...perhaps Napoleon Dynamite meets Trixie Belden?

Rollicking good read! Highly entertaining characters.

More than a mystery - more than a romance. Unique story telling with a huge cast of odd-ball characters. I was so delighted by the characters populating the story that I didn't care how the mystery was resolved.

Unlike any story you will read this year. At over 300 pages this was a substantial read.

Having looked through many of the lesbian books offered and reading a few of them, I find myself tired of the same old mystery, heartbreak and seriousness. Where are the amusing but well written stories? Idaho Code is just the ticket for that.

While there is a mystery that takes a back seat to Bil's life. Oh yeah, she's the main character. See, she's a young buck who returned to live at home and go to college. Her bigger reason is to hopefully get a shot at dating the young woman she's been in love with since she was a teenager, Sylvia. But Bil never sucked up the courage to come out to ask her out. Um... no, her family doesn't know she's gay.

Along with that is her brother Sam who's in jail, and not for the first time. Known for dealing drugs and hanging out with his good for nothing girlfriend it never surprises the family when he is in jail. This time, however, for murder.

Mix this all up with her strong willed mother, three strong willed older sisters, a silent but loving dad, a saucy gay best friend who of course has better fashion sense than her, his lesbian mother who runs the local lesbian wilderness commune, an ex-girlfriend who doesn't want to let go... whew! Wait, there's more! But I'll let you find that out when you read it.

Brilliant story, I'm looking forward to getting the sequel.

Not sure what to expect, but intrigued by reviews of the book, I picked up `Idaho Code' with high expectations. I think my expectations were too high because, although I enjoyed the book, I was not wowed by it as others seem to have been. Opyr's text is well-written and easy to follow; and the characters are interesting. However, the story is lacking something I can't quite identify. It didn't grab me and hold my attention from cover to cover. There is a lot of humor peppered throughout the story, much of which is intelligent humor and not slapstick. The humor was probably the best part of the book. This is much shorter than my typical book review, but I'm not sure there is much more to say.

The adventures of Benjamin Kritzer continue and boy, am I glad I got to go along for the ride. In the second book of the Kritzer trilogy, you'll get to know and love Benjamin even more. I was very glad I had Kritzer Time on hand so I didn't have to leave Benjamin while I waited for the next book to arrive at my door.

KRITZERLAND, the second novel in the Kritzer trilogy, sees Benjamin enter junior high school, get the measles, create his first movie, and have his Bar Mitzvah. It is in this volume that Benjamin takes Music Appreciation and is introduced to classical music by a wonderful teacher who recognizes Benjamin's interest in music. Benjamin also makes a Great Friend, a boy named Paul, and they have a rollicking time together.

I love the title: Kritzerland is the imaginary country where everything is the way that Benjamin wants it. Indeed, throughout the trilogy Benjamin fashions so much of his life to his interests, his tastes. Unlike most teenagers who do as others of their age do, Benjamin follows his own path, goes his own way, and becomes his own person. It is not an easy road, but Benjamin wouldn't have it any other way.

As in the other Kritzer books, we laugh with Benjamin, we celebrate his triumphs, we stomp our feet and shout "No!"--and here we also agonize through gym class. Who, I ask you, could forget junior high school gym class?

Start, though, with BENJAMIN KRITZER; you must read the whole series.

This book is the second in the Benjamin Krtizer trilogy. While the first book in the series, Benjamin Kritzer was a bittersweet memory of childhood , Kritzerland perfectly describes the turbulent time of moving from childhood to adolescence.

Although I have never been a Jewish boy studying for my Bar Mitzvah, I found myself deeply identifying with Benjamin's traumas and triumphs, and the simple, perfect ending actually caused me to leap from my chair and shout "YES!".

Although you can certainly enjoy this book on a "stand alone" basis, I urge you to read Benjamin Kritzer first, but I warn you , keep this volume close at hand as you will certainly wish to continue directly from the last page of that book to the first page of Kritzerland.

I heartily recommend this book to any young teenager, and to anyone who ever was one.

I have just finished reading KRITZERLAND, the sequel to Bruce Kimmel's BENJAMIN KRITZER. The first book is a delightful character study and in the second the plot thickens. I highly recommend both books.
Benjamin Kritzer joins a short list of memorable characters whom I miss being a regular part of my life after finishing their stories: Quoyle (THE SHIPPING NEWS by Annie Proulx); Duane Moore (DUANE'S DEPRESSED by Larry McMurtry); Benjamin Kritzer (BENJAMIN KRITZER and KRITZERLAND by Bruce Kimmel). I'm glad there'll be a third book (coming out soon in 2004) so that Benjamin Kritzer can be a part of my life again, at least for a little while.

I am about 17 years younger than the author, and therefore have memories of the Los Angeles that Kimmel describes in it's waning days: Pacific Ocean Park, Helms Bakery delivery men, various old movie palaces, Kelbos, Lawry's (in it's OLD location), Sheriff John singing the birthday song, the heartpangs of a first love... and, of course, the first fretfull day of junior high school!

I found myself chuckling, and, at times, getting misty-eyed at Kimmel's recollections through the eyes of his hero, Benjamin Kritzer.

Being human has its advantages, and one of them is reading a book like KRITZERLAND and sharing -- and remembering -- all of life's innocent up's & down's as a youngster with as talented a writer as Kimmel.

This isn't JUST a book for folks who grew-up in "old-school" LA, but, rather, for anyone who grew-up thinking their parents were a bit, "off"... shared special hang-outs & inside jokes with their friends... experienced puppy-love... loathed the school bully... and longed for the day when they'd be old enough to ignore their martian parents!

I really enjoyed this book, over all it is well written and the recipes look interesting too. It fills a glaring gap in the history of the Kennebunk's by providing a first person account of the Jewish experience in that famous tourist spot. It is something that has been overlooked by historians writing about the Kennebunk's largely because so little information on that subject survives or is available. Having lived in, researched, and written about the town of Kennebunk myself for over 20 years I really enjoyed the book however, it contained some really major, and embarrassing factual information. For instance, the "Brickstore museum" is really The Brick Store Museum, "Liz" Magnuson is really "Roz", there is no Kennebunk Historical Society, The Grist Mill Restaurant was spelled like that not Griste and to the best of my knowledge there was no newspaper called the "Kennebunkport Times". Also the "Main" Historical Society is really The Maine Historical Society. This may sound petty and nit picking but I think it's important especially when you thank someone in your acknowledgements and get their name wrong! I also found that in the book that the writer, Rebecca Charles, frequently interchanged Kennebunk and Kennebunkport as if they are the same town when in fact they are separate towns with separate governments. The only other issue I found annoying and distracting was her constant use of "David and me"; or "Momma and me" (for example) instead of the correct "David and I"; and "Momma and I". This is something an editor or the professional co-writer, Deborah Di Clementi, should have picked up on.
Other than the above problems this is a well written and entertaining book which I read it in one sitting. It was fascinating to read about the Forest Hill House and the people who original operated. This book will make an excellent addition to the many works of history all ready published on the Kennebunk's!

From chef and owner of New York City's Pearl Oyster Bar Rebecca Charles comes Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie: Three Generations of Recipes and Stories from Summers on the Coast of Maine. Family history and heritage permeate a fine gathering of family recipes, from Sugar Snap Peas with Lemon and Toasted Almonds to Blackberry Nectarine Crisp. The vintage black and white family photos are lovely embellishments to a blend of memoir and cookbook.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

If you love Maine, you'll love this book. Rebecca Charles has written a memoire for all of us who share similar family histories. She has captured the special pull of the Maine coast that keeps so many of us going back year after year, expressing well how it remains unspoiled after nearly a century. And she's done it without being overly sentimental. My grandparents began our annual tradition of summers at Kennebunk Beach just before World War I and we now take the family's fifth generation every year. I enjoyed the book so much that I've given copies to half my family.

I'm not big fan of seafood, but this cookbook of three generations of a Scottish-Jewish-American family and their summers in Kennebunkport Maine, was captivating. Its chock full of family photos, memoirs, and touching pictures from the last century. I particularly enjoyed the text, the stories, and photos and would like to encourage the author to write a novel, or more memoirs and stories. It would be a fascinating and delightful to read more.

I cannot comment on the recipes. I do not care for seafood, but I found this book valuable for the stories alone which were touching. 5 stars.

I love narrative mixed with factual, so learning the history of a family and a place [Kennebunkport, Me.] while perusing tons of delicious recipes, was a really enjoyable experience. The subject matter, the writing style, the layout--everything was top notch. In addition to recipes, there's lots of handy food tips, like how to buy the right scallops. I would reccomend the book to anyone with interest in an enjoyable read, a good cookbook, or a beautiful coffee table book.

A well written and represented book! This book gives the reader a totally " Gungy " feeling! Real to life excerts from day to day life with " Mother Green & her Machine" Col. Fox is a Marines Marine, his method of leadership and Esprit de Corps was like no other, I know , I served under his command and unknowingly absorbed many of his talents, wisdom and leadership trait's through following his training and command. Well worth it!!!!!!!!!!! Col. Fox is a Marine to model ones self after, a Great American!!!! ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK. Semper Fidelis

Recommended reading for all Marines and Wannabees which includes just about everybody.

Col. Fox's memoir is as educational as it is entertaining. This is a must-read book on leadership, which drives home two essential principles: the leader must set the example and the leader must look out for the welfare of subordinates (which includes correcting them or even steering them into better paths, if they don't fit the Marine mold). And he does it in an entertaining style. It's rare to find someone with his experience who is also such a fine writer.

Though he holds the Medal of Honor, Col. Fox isn't at all full of himself. He's not afraid to say when he made mistakes, or when the system made mistakes. I found myself both wishing I'd served under Fox, and grateful I didn't, because I'm not sure I could have measured up to his very high standards. We should all be eternally thankful for Americans of this caliber.

Give this book to the young man or woman thinking of joining the Corps.

Robert A. Hall
Former SSgt, USMCR
Author of "The Good Bits"

I gave "Marine Rifleman" to my 17-year-old son last week, not to have him again revisit my Marine Corps "era" through this terrific book, but to have him exposed to these thoughts:

-- "Normal" people can have a successful military career. And Marines are not cold-blooded killers to begin with, nor trained as such.
-- Military careers can co-exist with a family lifestyle. The Fox family is a wonderful example.
-- We owe a considerable debt of gratitude to those who have served, especially in combat situations. Our comfortable life is largely due to the sacrifices of thousands of military personnel since 1900. Many of these sacrifices are short of serious wounds or death, but are not experienced by or even known to the public-at-large.
-- You can lead AND command without losing respect for your subordinates (very important today!!!), or having them lose respect for you.

Does "Marine Rifleman" bring out these lessons? You bet it does. Get the book, read it, pass it on to others. The reader does not have to be Marine-familiar. It will be one of their better reads from the bewildering choices in the bookstores. Especially for young people. Let them experience the personal growth of this man Fox as he maintains his spirit and integrity through a demanding career.

Every Marine that has served can easily tell you about the types of people in the Corps. There are the people who do their job and are just waiting to get out, the less than desirable bottom "10%" and then guys like Wesly Fox: the super-hardcore, gungy types who eat and sleep Marine Corps and epitomize the professionalism and dedication of the modern warrior. Col. Fox spent 43 year in, making it to 1st Sergeant before being commissioned and ultimately obtaining his bird. Many field grade officers today remember him as the CO of OCS, and his reputation carries his name throughout the Corps, even today, a decade since his retirement. Gungy Marines only come along maybe once a year in a unit, and Marines like Foxonly come along once in a great while.

The book is written by the author, and goes from chapter to chapter through each rank and his experiences in Korea, Vietnam, and all of his assignments (e.g. drill instructor, recruiter, MSG, etc.); He did it all. The prose is not extremely well written or memorable so much as the content of his story is remarkable. He seems to be a very warm and realistic man. There are almost no political views in the book, or rants about government or red tape, just his perspectives on the COrps and how it changed over 3 years. A great read, I feel it should be added to the Commandant's reading list.

Whether you like Barney or not, this book made for the Guggenheim solo exhibition in 2002 have lot of meat. 500 pages covering his Cremaster series (1,2,3), with numerous photograph stills of his films, reference photos, and his works. Approximately, 340 works are shown. The book quality is very good (did not quite match the creativity of Damien Hirst's I want to spend the rest...book), but nevertherless, this book will serve as Barney's important documentation.

this is the book for those people who have seen and like the Cremaster Cycle. a super companion that gives very interesting background, and criticism of the cycle.

I finally bought a copy of this book after putting it off since the show in 2003. I'm glad I got it before it goes out of print, and recommend the hardcover over the softcover as it is a beatiful object/catalog.

Sadly, as I have looked more closely into the book since I got it home, I noticed that the book doesn't come close to covering the majority of the actual works that resulted from the Cremaster films. Perhaps this wasn't the reason for the catalog, but I was under the impression that such a huge book would be pretty comprehensive in its documentation of the works it's about. Not so with this volume. Barney is a master of the capitalist side of the fine art world...and no doubt knew that if he reproduced the works he has sold in tandem with the release of each film, his auction prices would suffer. Therefore his immediate sale prices (from the studio/gallery) would stagnate as well(prices rarely drop from that artist directly).

So, what you get here is a fat volume with tons of sketches, production photos, and documentation of the sculpture. In addition you get a verbose essay by Nancy Spector as well as remembrances from participants in this massive undertaking. It is in the lists of works from the cycle that the volume's gaps become apparent. Barney sold several "artist framed" suites of photos from each film...which act as stand alone pieces of work to be consumed by collectors and institutions. It is these works that are not fully documented in this volume. Even if they had done a page of thumbnails for each of the five films, it would be better than to reproduce one photo from a suite of three or four as they have done here...and each film had 5-10 of these suites made in editions ranging from 2 to 50 copies. Look for another book somewhere down the line documenting these works (or the original volumes released for each of the films which cost an arm and a leg now) to get these in your library. Otherwise, the only place I've seen these works reproduced is in auction catalogs, exactly where Barney and his supporters are happy to see them show up.

I have a certain level of respect for what Barney has accomplished here. Both as an artist and as a viewer. Unfortunately, this amazing artifact if NOT the be all and end all of the Cremaster Cycle, and one must look elsewhere to get the whole picture(s).

Here's to hoping that a DVD release of the whole cycle fills in the gaps left over by this book, which is eye candy rather than a substantive look at this artist's work.

Why would anyone pay hundreds for the H/C version, if a shiny, new paperback is only $40? Please enlighten this fool? Thanks!

Nancy Spector, Matthew Barney: The Cremaster Cycle (Guggenheim, 2002)

Nancy Spector's tome may just have been meant as an accoutrement to the Guggenheim's massive Barney exhibition in 2002, but as an accoutrement, it stands out. Not only in its physical dimensions (Amazon's website says the shipping weight of this book is 8.6 pounds, but after lugging it around for six weeks, I'm willing to put money on the idea that it's closer to twenty-five; it's over a foot tall, and easily as thick as one of the larger volumes of the unabridged OED), but in the concept itself. Spector's essay on Barney takes up the first ninety-two pages, after which comes a glossary of Cremaster terms that reads better than any other glossary you've ever read (think of The Dictionary of the Khazars to get an idea, but using all terms that relate to the Cremaster cycle). Then, of course, the photographs. Mostly video and production stills from the films, but also photos of pieces of Barney's original sketches and storyboard, the sculptures made after the films, and other wonderful little oddities. Good stuff, and a must-have for any Barney fan. Those who have just heard the name, but not seen the films, will get an excellent overview of what you've managed to miss. Those who have no idea who Matthew Barney is, check it out to see what all the fuss is about.

In other words, you want this. ****

This book is perfect for Indians who live abroad and really miss home cooked food. I grew up in Zoroastrian household and the few recipes I've tried from here came very close to the food I ate growing up.
The introduction to the book also makes it a great gift to non-Zoroastrians who are interested in the culture and the cuisine ! I bought a copy for myself and a few more to give away as gifts.

A wonderful cookbook that I've read cover to cover. My husband is Indian, I own a dozen Indian cookbooks and this is easily my favorite (and he and I love the results). In addition to My Bombay Kitchen's delicious recipes, fascinating history of Parsis, and friendly, accessible tone, I love that this cookbook dispenses with glossy photos and obsessively detailed instructions and instead teaches the reader to cook by using the seven senses (smell, sight, hearing, touch, taste, sixth, and common). The author is not just teaching me how to cook Parsi food, but how to use seasonal, fresh produce and techniques that will improve the taste and presentation of any dish.

Great book, I have tried a number of recipes and all have worked out very well

This book is SUCH a delight! It brought back SO many memories along with all the subtle nuances of own mother's cooking! The 'Mamas Italian Eggs' recipe is a MUST try for any egg lover!( It's now a staple in my house!)
I love the author's attention to detail. Things like the correct order and time to add ingredients, even the amount of salt to add!
This book is scattered with personal stories which are quite fun to read, along with the evolution and adaptation of recipes.
Some of you might think there's more story telling than recipes, but trust me, each recipe is amazing. This book is great for any beginner or novice cook too, simply because it has such simple step by step instructions.
In short-my new favorite cookbook!

Some people use cookbooks, I read them. I believe a cookbook, especially an ethnic or exotic one, should be as entertaining as a novel, as detailed as a travel guide, and as warm and witty as a good neighbor's kitchen. It's rare to find a cookbook that fits the bill as completely--and cleverly--as this one. No tiresome list of esoteric ingredients and daunting prep, Niloufer's explanations of products, procedures and substitutions are clear and organized enough for newcomers to Middle- and Far-East cooking to march confidently, yet salted with options for more advanced cooks to flex their jazz and improv muscles. The obsessive attention to detail and organization presciently addresses issues like storage and substitution, often with memorable mirth. (In a description of a recipe that can be successfully "thawed": "Note, I didn't say 'frozen.' Anything can be successfully frozen.") Moreover, she provides a brief and eloquent history of the Parsi people, giving the reader a solid foundation to better appreciate this somewhat obscure culinary creole.

Of course, the deal breaker is, "How's the food?" Well, her Major Ordle's Chutney is the best mango chutney I've ever made (and she explains why), her Mother's Wobbly Cauliflower Custard slides into a pie shell to become God's own quiche, and her masur (without tongue, thank you) is itself worth the price of admission.