Home and Family Books

There are great vegetable "recipes" (really no more than a few lines)using mint, anchovy, etc. that will give you a flair for Sicilian cooking: asparagus, potato and mushroom cake, cauliflower pizza, fennel and artichoke salad, cucumber and caper salad, white bean salad. The pasta recipes are also nice, slightly different takes on what most people have already had: fettucine carbonara with vegetables, lemon spaghtetti, ruote with radicchio and gorgonzola, fettucine with yellow peppers, and about a dozen more. I think the appetizers are the best part: sicilian sweet and sour meatballs(don't think pink), bruschetta with swordfish and mint, caponata, artichoke tart with sardines and ricotta (I think its similar to the american artichoke and mayonaisse recipe going around), olive marinades, gorgonzola and pear tart. Good book, but yes, you need to have some experience in the kitchen to know when they've left some steps out. For instance the preparation of artichokes requires baby artichokes. Some dishes are very heavy, like baked eggs with bechamel sauce. You have to know what will be appropriate to serve as an appetizer, etc. Chicken's probably easiest prepared by using bone-in, skin-on pieces rather than cutting up a whole chicken. But there's a lot of inspiration and a lot to learn from these women. I definitely think it's worth buying if you know your way around a kitchen, regardless of what cuisine you're most familiar with.

The authors, Wanda Tornabene and her daughter, Giovanna Tornabene, are co-owners of Gangivecchio, a restaurant housed in a thirteenth-century abbey in Sicily's Madonie Mountains. In addition to providing scrumptious, authentic Sicilian recipes, this cookbook is great fun to read, because these two world-class chefs also offer many funny stories of their colorful relatives, friends and pets.

Their detailed table of contents, thorough index, and menu plans guide you easily through the book, and the recipes are divided into these convenient sections: appetizers, soups, egg dishes, pizza and focaccia, pasta, couscous, rice, meat main-course dishes, fish and seafood main-course dishes, vegetables, salads, desserts, wines and liqueurs.

I, personally, am on a high-protein diet, and one might wonder what someone like me could possibly get from a cookbook whose recipes all hail from the land of pasta. Actually, quite a lot. The vegetable, meat and seafood dishes are delicious, low-carb, and not horribly time consuming to make. And it is crucial on a special diet to, as much as possible, find things that taste good to eat our you won't stay on it. All of these recipes are packed with flavor. Here are some examples of my personal favorites from the vegetable-dishes section: Syracuse-Style Peppers (olive oil, salt, mint leaves, garlic, and vinegar for seasoning), Country-Style Eggplant (olive oil, vinegar, oregano, mint, and hot pepper flakes for seasoning), Gangi-Style Artichokes (onions, green olives, capers, celery hearts, vinegar, and pepper for seasoning).

In addition, even those of us on a high-protein diet can occasionally have bread. And, as for me, if I am going to indulge, I much prefer to eat really great bread, such as the terrific focaccia in this cookbook. The authors furnish a basic focaccia dough recipe from which you can spring off into many variations such as broccoli focaccia, focaccia with onions and tomatoes, spinach focaccia, and focaccia stuffed with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and/or cheese.

I highly recommend this cookbook for inexperienced as well as seasoned cooks, whether cooking for themselves alone, or for their families and friends. If you love Italian cooking, you'll adore these Sicilian recipes!

We discovered this book when my oldest daughter was 4-years-old at our library. It was one of the few books she asked to hear more than once. She also was inspired to where her hair in the 'fountain' style described in the book. Recently, while listening to a tape of Patricia MacLachlan's stories we came across the story again. We all laughed out loud at the tale and ended up listening to it over and over again. We now have a list of friends we MUST buy it for. Four to six-year-olds are probably the best audience but I have given it to adult friends when they are having a sick day and need a grin to help get better.

Jane Duer illustrates Patricia MacLachlan's The Sick Day, a simple story of a young girl who has a sick day - her stomach aches and her throat feels sore. Good reading skills will lend to this easy story of a girl who involves her father in her day off, turning a sick day into something special after all.

This terrific little gem has been a helpful guide for our future retirement. The empathetic author, Dr. Cone, delivers quality advise to the boys (and us girls) in humorous doses. Much like Mary Poppins, he adds sugar to help "the medicine go down". The highlighted HINTS sprinkled throughout the book could be used a a guide for all ages not just those of us looking at retirement. The finacial advise is simple and now, far less intimidating. What I appreciated most was his wonderfully irreverent wit and ability to make the inevitable and sometimes unpleasant realities of retirment a much richer journey and to remind us of the many bonuses that come with it.

This book is a great read. It is short, but points out many things that you may not know about retirement. Its light-heartedness, paired with the humor and honesty of the author made me laugh as I learned a few really good things about my relationship after retirement. I have also started to save money thanks to the tips on how to live on a fixed income. It's an easy read and one I'd recommend to women and men. It's a thoughtful gift to give anyone.

This book is a great tool for helping children understand war. Whether they are military or not, all kids hear about war on the news, radio, television, and from neighborhood and school friends. War scares them and they need to talk about it.

This book will grab your heart when you begin to look at photos in the story. It makes the book come alive with emotions that I assume will allow children ages 5 to 8 years old to fully identify with. Authors Kathy Barnes and Smith McGarr have done an excellent job giving this age group something to relate to in their delightful, yet serious, book "Son, A Soldier's Work Is Never Done".

War is not easy for any adult to understand. It is even more difficult for young children who have to deal with a father or mother who is taken away from their lives and sent off to war. This book may be an effective tool for them to use in helping with this scary time in their lives.

The photos are an excellent choice to go along with the words of the story. This book should stimulate conversations between adults and the youngsters reading the book. This is a great book to read together and to discuss. It can be read over and over again to help children trying to cope with the situation.

This book has my personal recommendation. The MWSA awards this book its highest children's book rating of FIVE TEDDY BEARS!

If you like life as usual and do not want break through you shouldn't get this book. On the other hand, if you are ready for break through and you want your prayer life and family life to change BUY THIS BOOK today! Great read! Very revealing.

I loved reading real stories from real people who used what they learned in Eddie & Alice's previous book Spiritual House Cleaning and saw real answers in their life circumstances! Spiritual House Cleaning WORKBOOK gives more practical insights and principles into the power of prayer and it takes Ephesians 6:12 to a whole new level! A must read.

D Walker, Houston, TX.

If you are a spoon collector or an aficionado of handcrafted silver, this is a wonderful book for your shelf. It has page after page of wonderful photos, featuring Najavo designed silver spoons and many, many of the commercially-made varieties. The text is by far the most readable of any spoon collecting book, and even though its primary focus is on spoons with Western themes, it covers the whole history of spoon collecting. As such I think it is one of the best books out there on the subject.

THIS IS A STUNNING 60 PAGE GOTTA HAVE BOOK OF COLLECTIBLE,STERLING, SOUVENIR SPOONS.

IT IS IN A BIG 8-1/2 INCH BY 11 INCH FORMAT.

IT COMMEMORATES SOUVENIR SPOONS OF THE WEST BY COMBINING BOTH THE COMMERCIALLY MADE VARIETIES WITH THE HAND HEWN NATIVE AMERICAN ONES SPANNING THE PERIOD FROM 1890-1941.

THE AUTHOR HAS DRAWN FROM OUTSTANDING PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHED EXAMPLES OF SPOONS AND ASSORTED MEMORABILIA, MANY OF WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN SHARED WITH AN AUDIENCE BEFORE

THERE ARE 60 PAGES FILLED WITH UNIQUE, GORGEOUS,COLORED PHOTOGRAPHS. THESE ARE INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, 3-DIMENSIONAL JUXTAPOSITIONS AND LAYERINGS OF COLLECTIBLE SPOONS AND RELATED SILVERWARE. IN MANY INSTANCES THE SOUVENIR SPOONS ARE SET AGAINST NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETS,JEWELRY AND POTTERY, WESTERN ICONOGRAPHY,VINTAGE LINEN POSTCARDS,EARLY PICTORIAL DOCUMENTS AND MORE.

MOREOVER, SOME OF THESE ARE PHOTOGRAPHED AGAINST BACKDROPS OF MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS,SAGUARO STUDDED LANDSCAPES AND RAINBOW COLORED SUNSETS.

ALTHOUGH AT FIRST GLANCE THE BOOK APPEARS TO APPEAL TO A DISTINCT,NICHE MARKET, IT ACTUALLY SPANS A BROAD RANGE OF INTERESTS AND COLLECTIBLES SINCE SOUVENIR SPOONS ENCOMPASS HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, ETHNOGRAPHY,RELATED SILVER WARE AND ARTS AND CRAFTS.

FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN COLLECTOR, THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION ON FRED HARVEY AND HIS INFLUENTIAL COMPANY AND THERE ARE DAZZLING ARTIFACTS TO BEHOLD,MANY WITH THE FAMED THUNDERBIRD LOGO.

THERE ARE NAVAJO SILVER TRAYS,SNUFF BOTTLES,SILVER AND TURQUOISE SPOONS WITH STAMPINGS OF INDIAN SYMBOLS INCLUDING ARROWS, WHIRLING LOGS AND ANIMAL TRACKS.

IN ADDITION, THERE ARE OUTSTANDING EXAMPLES OF EARLY NAVAJO PROFILE SPOONS AND RARE, FIGURAL,NAVAJO SPOONS WITH ANIMALS

FOR THE SOUVENIR SPOON COLLECTOR, THERE IS A RICH HISTORY ABOUT WHICH TO READ. THIS IS COMBINED WITH AN AMAZING NUMBER OF SPECTACULAR EXAMPLES OF SPOONS FROM TOURIST ATTRACTIONS ,INCLUDING THE COMMEMORATION OF THE FUNICULAR RAILWAY ON MOUNT LOWE,THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, WESTERN DUDES AND CHIEFTAINS AND EVEN ONE WITH CHIEF GERONIMO'S IMAGE ETCHED INTO THE BOWL.

THIS BOOK CONTAINS AN ARRAY OF HIGHLY DETAILED SPOONS WITH ENAMELED BOWLS THAT ARE HIGHLY PRIZED BY COLLECTORS

MANY OF THE INVENTIVELY ORCHESTRATED PHOTOGRAPHS ARE SPICED WITH WHIMSY. FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS A PLAQUE OF AN INDIAN ROWING A CANOE AND THE OAR IS A CLEVERLY INSERTED, NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTED SPOON. THE BACKDROP FOR SOME MAYAN FIGURAL TEASPOONS IS A STRIKING IMAGE OF A MEXICAN PYRAMID FROM A TOURIST BROCHURE. A BULLFIGHTER SPOON IS PLACED ATOP AN ADVERTISEMENT OF A TIJUANA BULLFIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THE SPOON IS BETWEEN THE BULLFIGHTER'S CAPE AND THE BULL. A SPOON COMMEMORATING THE HOPI SNAKE DANCE SHOWS THE PRESCOTT SMOKI SNAKE DANCERS AS A FITTING BACKDROP THAT MAKES THE IMAGERY ON THE SPOON COME TO LIFE.

THIS WOULD BE A FABULOUS ADDITION TO YOUR SILVER SOUVENIR COLLECTIBLE OR NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY OR A TERRIFIC GIFT TO A COLLECTOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN OR WESTERN ARTIFACTS, JEWELRY,SPOONS,POSTCARDS OR HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS . IT IS JAM PACKED WITH VISUAL AND HISTORIC DELIGHTS.

This book takes a common sense approach to organizing a playgroup. Helpful tips and suggestions cover how to find other moms to join, how to handle common (and not so common) problems, how to set up rules, etc. I've used it to start a playgroup in my neighborhood, and I'm so glad I did! I was very anxious about starting a playgroup, but this book has given me confidence and has been so helpful in the whole process. I highly recommend it.

I recently read this book and was amazed at all the useful information I found! This book is full of ideas for getting a playgroup off the ground. It covers everything from getting started to entertainment ideas. It has a whole chapter devoted to how to handle problems that might arise. I am a working mom of a 10 yo and 6 yo, but still found some great ideas for children's church and nursery. I am also going to use some of these ideas for summer while the kids are home and wanting playdates.

Very interesting and well researched book on one family's story about the hardships on the Oregon Trail. Enjoyed it very much. Recommend it to anyone who has an interest in history, especially the Oregon Trail.

I bought this book for my 8-year old son and I to read together because we are both interested in the Oregon Trail. The story is all the more interesting and emotional because it's based on the true story of seven kids who lose both parents as they move west as part of a wagon train. The trials and tribulations of the family and their adoptive parents brings history alive in a way children can relate to, albeit with sadness and tragedy involved. Some very emotional children might have a hard time with the deaths and killing in the story, but the characters' ability to survive it is a great lesson in human resiliency and courage. The fates of the children are included at the end of the book, so the reader's attachment to them is fulfilled by learning of their lives after the story ends.

"Unique, factual, and powerful. In Dr. Ray's Strengths of Their Own we find that parents who take personal responsibility for the education and socialization of their children reap a harvest of exceptional children who are well-prepared to lead this country into the next century. All parents who care and anyone with a stake in the issue of home education must read this book." Michael P. Farris, J.D., President, Home School Legal Defense Association

"Strengths of Their Own, Brian D. Ray's remarkable book about the home schooling movement, is must reading for educators and policy-makers alike. ..... The book is a perfectly spiced stew: it has everything. Hard data ... Students' scores ... Statistical analysis ... Testing policies ... And wisdom the benefit of Dr. Ray's long, intense commitment and involvement with home education. [And] it's in the `strengths of home education' section of Strengths of Their Own that the book really takes off." -- Bruce S. Cooper, Ph.D., Professor, Division of Administration, Policy, and Urban Education, Fordham University, New York NY.

This is an excellent book if you know anyone who is fighting cancer or a family member who is supporting someone fighting cancer. The stories were short but very to the point and insightful. Anyone fighting cancer can identify with this book. I sent the book to someone with breast cancer and she had her family read it and they write messages on the mirror in the morning from the book to help her get thru the day.

Whether you're a caregiver, cancer patient, family member, coworker or friend, this powerful little book is a fear banisher for anyone engaged in the battle to defeat cancer. Hundreds of warriors and survivors display mighty strands of support to construct a web of strength to lend the reader. Good palliative medicine in doses small enough to be well tolerated.