California Books

`A Great American Cook' by the `legendary' chef and restaurateur, Jonathan Waxman has been long awaited, at least by me, for about as long as I have been familiar with cookery books and more specifically the background of celebrity chef, Bobby Flay, who provides a blurb on the well-known fact that Waxman was `My number one mentor'. I call Waxman `legendary' because he comes from that pre-Emeril, pre-Food Network, pre-celebrity chef era of a scant 20 years ago, when the only chef one ever heard of was Wolfgang Puck, and the great culinary writer and editor, Ruth Reichl was predicting the end of celebrity chefs. Well, we all make mistakes! He is also `legendary' in that all the other members of this pre-Emeril club have produced at one or more important cookbooks. Wolfgang has numerous pedestrian efforts, and contemporary Jeremiah Tower (another Chez Panisse graduate) has produced at least two, one of which I consider one of the best chef cookbooks going.
Therefore, my expectations for Waxman's book were very, very high, as I would compare him to the best books from Tower, Zuni Café founder, Judy Rodgers, fellow Chez Panisse alum, Paul Bertoli, and especially the recent excellent works by Jacques Pepin (Chez Pepin) and Michel Richard (Happy in the Kitchen). It is most appropriate to compare it to `Chez Pepin' as both are written from the point of view of recipes the cooks make at home. At least that's what both of them say, and Jacques has a much easier time of sticking to that principle, as he has not headed a professional kitchen for many decades. When I opened Richard's and Pepin's books, I could tell this was something special almost immediately, as I can do with virtually all exceptional cookbooks. These excellent books simply don't mince words and get right down to talking about both facts and inspirations we have simply never seen elsewhere. I did not get that impression on reading through Waxman's 12 introductory pages, or even when I started reading the recipes. Virtually all the tips in `Edicts on Selecting Ingredients and Techniques' was old stuff we have all read in virtually every better cookbook written in the last 20 years.
But then, by the time I got to the third chapter, I started to appreciate two things about the recipes. First, although some originated in one of Waxman's commercial kitchens, virtually all of the recipes were relatively simple. Maybe not as simple as Jacques (who seems to be the master of effortless home cooking), but simple AND special, nonetheless. Second, I noticed that there were virtually no fancy ingredients being used, unless you count Waxman's strictures about not using frozen seafood, especially squid, for the recipes. Instead, Waxman draws from a relatively simple palate, where lots of popular ingredients find their way into many different recipes. The obvious ones are sweet peppers, asparagus, tuna, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, corn, and shellfish. If one is a fan of any of these ingredients, then Waxman's book is a must, as he gives you enough to keep you happy for several seasons.
One can also see what it is about Waxman's style which may have had a big influence on Flay. While Waxman's primary influences were the California pantry and French cooking techniques, seen through the eyes of Alice Waters, he is clearly in love with southwestern ingredients and cooking styles. And yet, there is very little real grilling going on here. And, if you were adverse to southwestern cuisine, you would probably find these recipes may even change your mind.
Waxman's recipe writing style is very easy on the eyes and the mind (easy to follow, without being overly pedagogical). As dearly as I love Julia Child's recipes, Waxman's writing is far more fun to read and to execute for the experienced chef. He doesn't leave anything out. You will even find his imagery illuminating, as when he tells you to open a slit in a cooked chicken breast as if you were squeezing open a slit baked potato. Similarly, when he tells you how to prepare the perfect roast chicken, the instructions are far simpler than Jeremiah Tower's similar recipe. Finally, while the layout of the procedures is not overly fussy, it is very nicely organized with simple typesetting to distinguish one part of the recipe from another.
This book is worthy for any experienced cook who is not always pressed for time, and while just a bit light on the insights, it's a worthy book for those especially fond of the best chef's books cited above.

The book has an entertaining, easy writing style with very do-able recipes that just beg to be tried. I actually read the book cover-to-cover before even trying my first menu item. The seafood and fish recipes are particularly instructive.

Simple and elegant. The pictures are great, just by looking at them you want to cook and eat everything in the book!

Well written and easy to read describes this volume. You almost feel entertained while gaining valuable knowledge from a master. Certainly a welcome addition to any cookbook collection, but it should remain not on a library shelf, but in your kitchen. To a self-educated cook such as myself, it is a wealth of knowledge.

What a page turner! In a prose style that bops along like riffs floating out of a Central Avenue nightclub, RJ Smith's book The Great Black Way: L.A. in the 1940s and the Lost African-American Renaissance sheds long overdue light on the history Black Los Angeles. I was prepared to learn more about the fabled music scene on Central Avenue during the 1940's, but there is so much more to this story. The unsubtle ways in which race has shaped life in Los Angeles are fleshed out with sketches of Central Avenue's leading cultural, religious and political leaders; some familiar, others undeservedly obscure. Although the focus is on African-Americans, racist events like the forced internment of Japanese Americans and the Zoot Suit Riots intersected life on Central Avenue and readers will gain a nuanced vision of what this fabled multicultural city looked like sixty years ago (not a pretty picture at all.) The standard narrative of the civil rights movement tends to locate all the action in the south, but LA's home grown struggles to end segregation in the wartime defense industry and post war housing boom deserve a place in schools' curriculums and popular culture. And for anyone interested in the survival strategy known as "passing", or for anyone with more than a "passing" interest in the musical/cultural genre known as "exotica", the chapter on Korla Pandit is a must! Thanks RJ, for one of the best books I've ever read on the city we call home. As a postscript I'd like to add that a great book to fill out the "overlooked history" niche of your library is Whitewashed Adobe: The Rise and Los Angeles and the Remaking of its Mexican Past by William Deverell.

If you love Los Angeles and L.A. history, this book is a fantastic read. It both honors the African-American community's struggles for justice and respect in the city and introduces the reader to an extraordinary range of people-artists, journalists, civil rights leaders- who were indispendable to the development of black life and culture in Los Angeles.

Mr. Smith also does a superb job in communicating a sense of place and time, namely the sights and sounds of L.A.'s African-American neighborhoods in the 1940s.

No matter what your color or background, if you live in L.A.'s city's limits, reading this book wil make you proud to be an Angelino.

The ghosts and shadows, spirits and voices long since quieted are awakened, resurrected and put on display for all to see. This is quite simply an excellent book. What the author captures is the pride and determination, intelligence and ignorance, the creative genius and social failures of a street which became an area and an area which became a neighborhood and a neighborhood and its cultures. Cultures and counter-cultures, the civic minded hustlers, businnessmen, club owners, jazz musicians, lawyers, spiritualists, con-men, pimps and whores, atheletes and common folk. Those who endured racial taunts only to serve up taunts of their own, thumbing their nose at society while making plans to kick down the door of barriers constructed to keep them in their place. The sights and sounds of black Los Angeles, the birth place of attitudes which prevail to this day. Rarely has the spirit of urban Los Angeles been captured so completely.

The recollections gathered from old newspapers, cards, letters and the fading memories of those still around leave the reader enraptured. Every page is a treat. The fantastic stories coupled with the brilliant personalities make this an enjoyable historic voyage. To understand the roots is to understand the fruit and the subject of this book is definately a root to be studied and enjoyed by all with an interest in urban Los Angeles.

The history of our Los Angeles African-American roots have finally been given long overdue mention. With all the attention paid to Harlem, you'd think L.A.'s contributions to black American culture, civil rights, and religion pales in comparision. Hardly true!

Azusa Street, was literally the birthplace of the modern Pentocostal movement. And with certain recent documentaries on Jazz, it seemed no one had ever heard of Central Avenue's Club Alabam, or the hot and swingin' Bronzeville district of Downtown.

There was the still standing Dunbar Hotel, a black oasis for many of the well known, and not so famous, to find shelter while visiting the "City of Angels." Not to mention black L.A.'s major contributions to standup comedy, and as much as anyplace else, the jumpstart for R&B music.

Checkout the early civil rights movement here that foreshadowed such major figures as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, or the black literary community of Los Angeles. A powerful reminder of the huge and highly forgotten contributions of the black Los Angeles community, to the African-American struggles in America. R.J. Smith should receive an honorary medal of human brotherhood.

Daniel Reveles is a charming and humorous writer who spins tales that have their roots in the oral tradition of Mexico. His latest short-story collection is "Guacamole Dip" (Sunbelt Publications, $15.95 paperback), which uses as its stage the border town of Tecate. In his introduction, Reveles invites readers into his world and sets the tone for the stories that follow: "I'm so glad you could make it down to Tecate today. Let's take a shady bench here in the plaza and watch a live show as good as any musical you'll see on Broadway." Of course, the "show" features of the lives of ordinary people who live, love and die in Reveles' beloved town. Not surprisingly, Reveles has been likened to John Steinbeck and Mark Twain. [The full review first appeared in the El Paso Times.]

As a fan of Daniel Reveles' work I was happy to see his new book lives up to his outstanding reputation. It was full of enticing short stories with a Hispanic flavor that lingers on.

If you liked Gabriel Garcia Marquez' Love in the Time of Cholera or 100 Years of Solitude, you'll LOVE Daniel Reveles' Guacamole Dip: From Baja, Tales of Love, Faith and Magic!

A collection of short stories centered in a small Mexican border town. Simple, thoughtful characters. Stories that leave you with a smile and make you wish you lived in a town where people had time for each other, still sing with joy in their heart, had contentment without irony. A nice change from the cynicism and oppression one finds in so much contemporary writing.

Once again, Daniel Reveles has managed to make me care about the wonderful, sweet, noble and sometimes crazy people that live in his world...Care, and laugh, and even cry a bit. I'm only sorry I finished the new book so fast, as I am already "hungry" for more...

Although 13 years old, much of the info in this book is still relevant. Despite the youthfulness of Los Angeles, there are restaurants and markets that have managed to survive for decades. These places are invariably great and almost institutions in their community. Hence, many of the listings in Burum's book still survive in this megapolis. You'll have fun tracking down that obscure German sausage maker who has had his shop for some 30 years...as well as the occassional let down upon discovering that the old Japanese immigrant, who made fresh tofu daily at the back of his grocery store, decided to call it quits a few years ago.

This book is not only a guide to the ethnic markets in LA, but also serves as an introduction to the cuisine of LA's ethnic groups. Interspersed within the listings, you'll find glimpses into the history of LA's immigrant communities, and what they really eat that you don't get at the mainstream ethnic restaurants. If you're the type that prefers to eat where you're the only one not of the ethnic group the restaurant caters to, get this book. It lets you in on not just the basics of a people's cuisine, but makes you feel comfortable with the unfamiliar (and much more authentic] dishes.

The book is organized into the following chapters, which fairly represents the demographics of Los Angeles:
China; Japan; Korea; Thailand; Vietnam; Southeast Asian [Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines]; India; Mexico; Central/South America and Caribbean; Europe; Greece, the Middle East and Africa.

Overall, an indispensable introduction to LA's greatest asset: It's diversity of people and cuisine.

This is a fantastic compendium of ethnic food in LA. It gives you everything you'd ever want to know: best bakeries, best markets, best restaurants. It divides categories by geography (important in LA) & by ethnic cuisines.

While the 1992 printing will make some info out of date (restaurants for example), this book is one of a kind & the best in its genre.

This is the greatest book on the best ethnic restaurants in LA. Hopefully, the author will put out a new edition. I have it. It's about 10 years old, and I'm not going to sell it. It's better than any new guide out there. Even if you don't go to these places, it's an interesting read.

When this book first came out about 10 yrs. ago or more it was a revelation. In one collection it guided you through EVERY major ethnic community in the greater L.A. region and told you which were the best restaurants, bakeries, markets, etc. I don't know of any other book that comes to close to being this comprehensive & incisive.

If you ever spend any time in L.A. & you are interested in ethnic food, you must have this book.

There's lots of off road variety in this book. You can four wheel on easy dirt roads to rock hoppin heaven. This book is well laid out and the descriptions of the trails are accurate.

I'm a newbie off-roader, and have only driven one of the "easy" trails in my stock wrangler. It was a lot of fun, and the scenery was awesome, but I think I realized we weren't really off roading when we crossed paths with a brand new mustang convertible going in the other direction. At that point I figured I should take it out of 4wd-low.

So I think there's definitely something for everyone in this book. However, deciding on the right trail and actually driving to it are two different things. Some of my off roading plans fizzled out when I realized I had to drive 4 hours in each direction just to get to the trail I wanted! Living in the SF bay area, I was hoping to have more options within a reasonable day drive...but that's probably just naive of me.

I have had the opportunity to drive trails I know with Chuck Wells, and his books are well written and easy to follow. The trail rating he uses is juged on the roughest section of the trail, if a trail is moderate and has a difficult section that cannot be avoided it will receive a difficult rating. All the trails in his books have been driven by him and not judged by someone else.

I was a first time off-roader with my stock 06 Chevy truck. So far, I've driven 3 of the courses in the book, the descriptions are very accurate, the odometer settings are great and the GPS coordinates are very helpful. I won't be tackling any of the "Hard" courses and this guide spells out the difficulty level of each. Get this book!

Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.

Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.

If you like to paddle on the Calif coast, this is the book for you. My wife and I have paddled (we thought) most of the coast, this book brought us to places that we could only dream of. They way its laid out, you can plan for a part/full or overnight trip. Tips on where to go, what you might see, camping, lodging, ect are great. If you paddle the Calif coast, you will be happy to have this book.

Roger and Jan's book gives seakayakers invaluable information regarding some of the most beautiful paddling areas on the west coast. The maps included with the easily understood text allow the reader to easily visualize the targeted area. This guidebook will be of interest to paddlers of all skill levels since most of the featured paddles also include intermediate and advanced level alternative routes. The sidebars scattered throughout the book impart interesting information about the area. This book is a must have for those interested in exploring the coast of California.

One year ago LAPD homicide Kate Delafield was sent to the affluent neighborhood of Hancock Park to investigate the death of Victoria Talbot who was shot in the head at close range. The victim was also shot in the back. Victoria's son Allan who found the body is shook and wary as he must inform his two fragile sisters that their mom is dead. Kate learns that Allan has no intention of informing his father that his former spouse was murdered.

A neighbor informs Kate that she heard the shots, but is also careful to avoid mentioning Douglass Talbot though she implies that he is an abusive person who made his family's lives hell. Kate next learns that Douglass had an incestuous relationship with his youngest daughter and was stalking Victoria. Finally a Mercedes that matches the vehicle Douglass owns was seen in the vicinity around the time of the murder. Douglass is arrested, but at the trial Kate begins to believe that the defense has a ploy that will free a murderer if she does not find additional proof that he killed his ex.

The long wait for the return of Kate is worth it as readers receive a fabulous police procedural. Kate is a dedicated tough cop, but is also very vulnerable especially when her lover of thirteen years leaves her forcing her to look at what she has become. As the audience hopes Aimee returns to Kate, the murder mystery is cleverly executed so that the evidence is laid out one step at a time enabling the reader to form an opinion, but keep in mind Katherine V. Forrest is brilliant at the sleight of the hand or two.

Harriet Klausner

What makes reading the book rewarding for me is the controlled, spare, concise prose that in its stark simplicity conveys the dynamics between two people -specifically, between two women - in a long-term relationship with depth and feeling. Unfortunately Ms. Forrest's calibre of writing is painfully absent from the majority of amateurish works flooding the market. Authors I would recommend as exceptional, especially if you're interested chiefly in reading work written about women by women include Laurie R. King (Martinelli series), Ellen Hart, Sandra Scoppettone, Nicola Griffith, and Jenifer Levin.

Katherine Forrest has been writing the Kate Delafield mysteries for a couple of decades. For a while, they had become formulaic, but with Hancock Park, she has become a mystery writer worthy of the name. She's no P.D. James or Laurie R. King, but she has written a fine mystery with a surprise ending. Unlike some other writers, she shared all the clues with the reader, and still came up with an unexpected ending.

In addition to a terrific mystery, it is also a very good character study. Detective Delafield has matured over the years, and in this outing her partner walks out and forces Delafield to face up to her own shortcomings.

This story marks a shift for Katherine V. Forrest's fine detective series featuring Kate Delafield. One thing I love about these books is that Kate actually grows older and goes through the emotional and psychological shifts people experience as they mature. In this story Kate is investigating the killing of Victoria Talbot whose ex-husband has GUILTY written all over him. But the case is not as simple as it appears. At the same time, Kate is going through a personal crisis that results in self-examination. Ms. Forrest does not depend on melodramatic language and over-stated character interactions to make her point. Readers who have gotten used to this from reading the works of less skillful writers might find her style fairly spare. I wasn't sure whether to give this 4 or 5 stars, because I like some of the earlier Dalafield novels better. But this one is every bit as good, it's just different. You might not like it if you want a lot of action and less thoughtfulness, but Hancock Park is well worth reading.

I have not perused the section on historical instruments in depth, so none of my comments apply to it. However, the section regarding modern instruments impresses me continuously each time I open the book to look for references. I am a bass trombone player as well as a composer, and although the section on the trombone is rather brief (although accurate enough; and the listing of trombone family members, i.e. soprano, alto, tenor, tenor-bass, bass, and various contrabasses, grossly underdeveloped), Everything Else offers unparalleled information for the modern composer or arranger. Particularly useful is the citation of examples in contemporary music of instrumental prominence (where although certain composers are favored, this is perhaps done out of necessity given the slew of living composers today; and Stiller's choices of examples are superlative).
Dr. Stiller may underestimate the availability of certain instruments, however. The market for contrabassoons and contrabass trombones has increased greatly in recent years, and more slightly so for bass and tenor trumpets. As a rule, orchestral principal trombonists almost ALL own alto trombones (in alto clef, overtone series based on the Eb2 fundamental), and as aforementioned, the alto trombone is erroneously omitted from this book.
To create an inpenetrable weapon of scholarship, combine this book with Samuel Adler's "Study of Orchestration" and Kurt Stone's "Music Notation in the Twentieth Century", which is available at NPCimaging.com.

Stiller has created a fabulous reference source for the contemporary composer. He accurately covers information on almost every instrument and gives both detailed information as well as quick chart summaries. He spends a great deal of time dealing with modern and experimental techniques for many instruments, something which is not often dealt with in these kind of volumes. Its easy to use indexing system also makes it a wonderful "quick reference" source for when you might quickly need to know a piece of information like instrumental ranges. In my opinion, this is one of the best books of its kind available today.

unlike other orchestration texts, this states pretty much the facts and just the facts. very handy for impatient young composers or arrangers who just need to read about an instrument and not dig through endless examples of an instrument's usage through the ages (although that's always nice too). the information is quick and easy to find for the most part, but does not skimp in the least on detail. my only disappointment (and this is for an older edition, it may have been corrected since) in is in the slightly skimpy coverage of electronics and electric guitar while instruments like the crumhorn get comparatively massive coverage given their relative modern importance. worth every penny, and then some.

This is simply the best book of its kind I have ever seen. Each family of instruments receives an exhaustive chapter on its features amd capabilities. Impeccably accurate line drawings (with rulers showing the scale) illuminate the text in ways that no photographs could. Precise range charts include extended ranges, with a percentage estimate of how frequently the extended range can be produced, and maximum and minimum dynamics for each portion of the range. Detailed fingering charts for woodwinds are provided, including alternate trill fingerings. The book is oriented strongly to the contemporary composer. All musical examples are from contemporary or late 20th century pieces, and extended techniques receive thorough examination. If I have any complaint at all, and this is quite minor, it is that sometimes the author is rather aggressive in stating instrumental possibilities. The given maximum or minimum ranges are occasionally not universally accepted by all professional players, or the charts showing the maximum reaches for string double-stops include reaches that some players with smaller hands will refuse to execute. These are minor points. In most cases the book clearly distinguishes mainstream practice from advanced or extended practice, and personally I prefer a book that errs on the aggressive side. If you need to know how orchestral instruments work, including a wide array of percussion, look no further. The author rarely mixes opinions or dogma with facts (a rare feature for this kind of book), and when he does he clearly delineates which is which.

Although I loved and think everybody should read the book, "The Harvey Milk Story" by Kari Krakow, I have to admit in the beginning before I read the story I thought the story would be like "Harvey Milk was born in ? and died in ?" . I got a big surprise when the first sentence was "No one every guessed that the little kid with big ears would one day make history."
I think the book really changed how I thought about gay and lesbian. It must have been very hard for Harvey Milk not to tell anyone about how he felt. My favorite part is that Harvey actually makes a living at a camera shop and it sort of turns into a place where people can talk with him. He ends up getting a very nice partner. I won't tell you more, but I really, really hope kari krakow will write another book.

As a teacher, I highly recommend this book to young people who want to read about courageous Americans. The author did a good job of highlighting Harvey Milk, a man who stood for freedom for all people, regardless of life style. Children need to see more positive examples of people from diverse backgrounds making a difference in the world.

Finally, an engaging way to introduce children to Harvey Milk -- a moving story, told with sensitivity, and lively illustrations. One politician's life and untimely end are chronicled here with passion. This book will inspire children (and adults!) to make their world a better place for us all. I loved it.

A beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written book for children about an important figure in US History.
It is very good to have a book like this to help teach tolerance and diversity to younger children. Hopefully children from many backgrounds and family situations will read this book and appreciate the story

Hearst Over Hollywood is a book that could appeal to a large cross-section of readers - historians, movie buffs, those with interests in journalism and media, etc. Louis Pizzatola has done an incredibly admirable job in compiling sources and data on William Randolph Hearst and presenting him in a new light - something very difficult to do after over 100 years of Hearst representations in the media and popular culture. That in itself makes it a worthwhile read.

While I hate to be the one to knock down this book's perfect customer rating to date, I feel that an honest review on my part would require that I also point out some of the book's flaws. Because it is so densely filled with information, many chapters bog down over sequences that perhaps could have been better conveyed if streamlined. I can appreciate the fact that it would be hard to determine exactly where to streamline, so I suppose that some readers who possess some knowledge on the subject going in will be able to pick out what interests them.

The book is about as objective as any work on Hearst could be and it is a pleasure to re-think Citizen Kane from the context of knowing more about its erstwhile main character. If you've never seen it or haven't in a while, I would recommend watching the film, reading the book, and then watching it again.

Pizzitola's thoroughness does serve him very well in exploring how Hearst built his media empire from the publishing industry through the nascent Hollywood studio system and balances nicely the clinical examinations with the gossipy show-business scandal aspects of the man's life.

Very well done.

The author describes himself as a visual artist and amateur film maker. I've got news for him: he's a first rate scholar too. I cannot remember the last time I've read a book on history that was so well presented and so amply documented. If you want to understand how the US came to become a "wag the dog" TV-ocracy and how CNN could morph into a televised version of the National Enquirer, check out this masterpiece. The source of our present day media sewer can all be traced back to Hearst's turn-of-the-century and-beyond media 'experiments.' This book belongs on the bookshelf - in a featured location - of anyone who is interested in 20th century American history. It's an absolutely stunning work of scholarship, packed with well documented detail, and completely approachable.

I have never read such a well researched and detailed examination of any topic. There are many Hearst books out there and many books about the innner workings of Hollywood but this book really does have it all.

I just finished this terrific book which I just happened upon (has it been reviewed anywhere?). As a journalist myself (not yellow)I always thought of Hearst as a publisher. This book completely surprised me in the way it builds the case for Hearst as the world's first media mogul. There are great details about Hearst's controlling role in Hollywood and puts Citizen Kane in an entirely new light. Great reading.