Onions Books

This is an absolutely quirky--and fascinating--book. It combines elements of a cookbook (with Mary Lou Cheatham organizing this, using her own and others' recipes) with stories of "collard nation" by Paul Elliott with "collard essentials" (organized as a series of chapters, including discussion of how to clean collards and how to cook "perfect collards"). It also includes some yummy looking cornbread recipes. On page 5, the purpose and flavor of this book is described: "'The Collard Patch' is a collard country cookbook and reader. Y'all will love our collards and cornbread. . . . Here is a book of great eating and good living."

However, it is the recipes that are at the heart of any cookbook. Let's take a look at a few that I find interesting to enough to consider making for myself.

"Awesome collard greens." On page 33, we see a recipe by Willie Crawford that is termed "the world's most famous written collards recipe." Ingredients: 2-3 medium smoked ham hocks, 5 pounds of collards, and some salt. Put the ham into lots of water and boil until the ham hocks look like they're falling apart. Then, clean and chop up the collards. Add the collards to the pot and cook until they are tender. Until I read the recipe, I thought it unlikely that I'd ever try it. Now, I think I'll give this a shot.

Now, here is a recipe that I know I'm going to try out. First component is pork tenderloin, well marinated and then grilled. I rather like tenderloin, since it is pretty lean. Collards? Accompanying the pork is a dish described as stir-fried greens. Here, a combination of collards, bacon, red onion, rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper is stir-fried. There is also a sweet and sour sauce. Once the stir-fried greens are finished, pour the sauce over them and serve with the tenderloin. Sounds tasty!

And there are other recipes that sounds pretty good to me. And I would never have imagined that I'd be considering collard recipes! Here are some things that appeal to me: stir-fry with pasta; quick, easy, and tasty pasta salad; French onion collard soup (I love French onion soup and have a nice recipe for it, but this sounds kind of intriguing); collard stew; scrambles; stuffed mushrooms; artichoke and collard dip.

So, what an unlikely sounding cookbook. . . . But between the recipes and the stories and the tips, this really comes together nicely. Stunning to see all reviewers rating this as 5 stars. But I agree with the other reviewers!

If you've ever had a yearn for warm Southern food and a feeling of home, this book is perfect for you. While it does introduce several delicious and unexpected ways to enjoy collard greens, these are certainly not the only food on the menu. Dozens of wonderful recipes are included, along with food facts, entertaining stories about the different cooks who contribute, and some lovely Scripture quotes for good measure :)

Author Mary Lou Cheatham has not only great culinary skill, but a wonderful family and a warm heart, both of which show through her writings here. Reading this book gives me the feeling of being surrounded by good company, enjoying great food as well as nice tidbits of advice and Southern wisdom. Recommended!

The low-down, nitty-gritty bits of dirt and information about collards in this book is the appetizer before the main course of recipes that makes even the most over-boiled critic salivate. The dessert of stories is a fine finish to this unique cookbook that even cooking-phobic readers will enjoy. Read it in one sitting or read sample chapters as time permits -- either way, you'll learn something and be inspired to cook and eat these greens that are so good for you.

The Collard Patch
By Mary Lou Cheatham
Paul Elliott

What a great idea for a cookbook, with stories and recipes.
This is a beautifully written book, with details on growing, and preparing collard greens.

I live in Utah. I didn't even know collard greens from spinach, kale or turnip greens.

I looked for frozen collards, with no luck. Next I looked for the fresh variety, still no luck. I did find some at the Whole Foods store. I later saw collard greens at Walmart, as well. They looked fairly sturdy, compared to other limp varieties of greens.

I have been reading the stories in the cookbook each night. Finally, on Saturday I began my chopping and freezing. It is very simple to remove the inner tough stem, and twist like a cigar. Then you slice at an angle and chop each section. Quick and easy.

Did you know there are two ways to soften the collard greens? One is by freezing, and the other is by adding a pinch of baking soda.

On Saturday, I picked out four recipes: Cherry Chocolate Cake, Apple Collard Raisin Pie, French Onion Collard Soup, and Collard Corn. The cake, although you need to note the missing ingredient, cherry pie filling, is a supper tasty and moist cake. Beware, it would be a very good idea to have company over. As a family of three, now, we ate and ate on the cake. Now it's time for some exercise. I walked the dog all over town, trying to fit back into my clothes.

The Collards Corn went very well with the Lasagna, I made for dinner tonight. I admit that I cut the garlic in half. My husband isn't a big fan of garlic. I thought this dish was great and very tasty, as a side dish.

The French Onion Collard soup great. I embellished it, a little, by adding two packs of onion soup mix to the four cups of water. I also added two whole onions, to get the real onion texture. I added the chopped collard greens on top of each cup of hot soup, browned the French bread rounds with a little butter, and added cheese, mine was mozzarella. It tasted just like Mimi's. Do they have Mimi's in the south?

Tomorrow, I will make the Apple Raisin Collard Pie, with the remaining 5 cups of collards, in my freezer. It sounds good, as well. I don't know why I picked two deserts. I guess I was just curious. If I like the desserts, I will surely like the collards. I remember the time my mom made cookies out of mashed potatoes. They were good, with a strange texture.

Now that I have tried collard greens, I will try to keep some in the freezer, for any future taste treats.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat

Back in the middle ages, every grand lady in her castle kept her own book of cooking and healing lore which might be passed down from mother to daughter. These "commonplace books" might have quotations from sermons, tips to kill insects, notations on how to skin wild boar and instructions for serving roast peacock with the feathers on. Later on the tradition became more like a scrapbook, a way for an accomplished young lady to show an elegant hand in setting down a favorite poem, dash off a watercolor sketch and collect the recipes for the favorite dishes of her best beau--soon to be her husband.

THE COLLARD PATCH is an American edition of a "commonplace book" inspired by the homey 'mess of greens' that Southern children have gagged on for generations. There are recipes, many with a useful nutritional chart that shows the sodium level! There are stories, some of which shade into "yarns". There are more recipes, mouthwatering and fancy--who knew the humble collard could keep such company? The authors chat with us as if we have just dropped into their kitchen. I love the stories. I am thrilled by the section on cornbread, which contains some marvelous recipes for this Southern staple. I laughed over the instructions to Paul's Midnight Chili which begin "Far up the Crock Pot" and end with "Stop any flowing blood and apply Band-Aids as needed"!

These people speak my language. My one gripe? A cookbook needs tabs so the cook can find the recipes fast.

Highly recommended. Band-Aids not included.

This book is absolutely hilarious, written from a dog's point of view and is so accurate. This is a must read for dog owners or anyone who loves dogs. I laughed and nodded my head in agreement throughout the entire book. A pure delight and very light-hearted read.

Great gift for dog lovers. I'm waiting for them to write one on cats.

This dog is great for the canine looking to break free of the urban lifestyle and reconnect with his or her roots. Few dogs know of the rich oral traditions and ancient culture of mans best friend. Get this book if you need reassurance that you are a good dog and those feelings you have about the cat are completely natural.

The first dangerous thing about this book is that it WILL make you laugh out loud, which will cause other "humans" to think you might indeed be crazy. But what difference does that really make? Your dog already knows you're crazy. Probably the most dangerous thing about this book is that it's true. Any dog owner will adore this read as they see hints of themselves in the vivid descriptions within its pages. But don't say you haven't been warned. After reading this book you may find yourself watching your best friend just a little bit closer.

This book is an endless source of levity and promotes enough loud laughter to scare your dog out of the room! It's so great I've already gotten 3 other folks hooked on it.

My husband and I were reading one of these stories aloud the other day - the one about "How to Make Your Owner Look Like an Idiot" while Scottie slept at our feet. Or so we thought he was sleeping. The next day on his walk, Scottie executed the instructions from the book to a 'T', thus turning both of us into - well, startled and laughing - but idiots nonetheless! Read page 119 for the full story, but read it silently. They listen to this book and you might be the next victim!!!

Priceless. Don't think twice -- I recommend to buy it now!

I first met Betty McDonald when I read The Egg and I, back in high school in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1960s, and I was completely enthralled. First of all: she writes extremely well. Her sentences are terse and well-formed, and she has a knack for shaping quips of all kinds: the quick laugh, the sudden surprise laugh line, and the careful set-up gag. Most of all, though, I find myself laughing aloud (she's one of the few authors who makes me laugh aloud while reading) at the perfection of a sentence which is at the same time witty, perfectly balanced, completely appropriate, and completely unexpected.

You will find all this - in spades - in Onions in the Stew. It is a mellower book than the others, for many reasons; she was older when she wrote it - and, I think, happier in her second marriage; also, her already considerable skill at writing had grown. Her descriptions of Vashon Island in the 1940s are utterly perfect: beautiful, clever, and bittersweet all at once. Her descriptions of her husband and daughters - and others in her family - are full of warmth, and are at the same time completely clear-eyed and unsentimental.

Frankly, comparing Betty to Erma Bombeck is like comparing Julia Child to Rachael Ray. They can both cook - but, oh boy, I know whose house I'd like to visit for lunch . . .

I first read Onions in the Stew almost thirty years ago, in a Reader's Digest Condensed Books version, and I never forgot it. What a JOY to receive the complete version as a gift years later, along with The Plague and I, and Anybody Can Do Anything, when they were reissued by The Common Reader. I absolutely devoured them, passed them around among my friends & loved ones (keeping track of who had them, very uncharacteristic but they're the kind of books you never want to lose!!!!) and agree with every five-star reviewer here, especially "pony-express," that Betty is the best friend you never met. Also enjoyed the comment about how much fun heaven will be, to drink strong coffee & yak with Betty MacDonald. She is still as witty today as when she wrote her books, utterly classic and fresh, laugh-out-loud and tremendously endearing without EVER being cloying. Such a cut above. Her other books are equally wonderful, and I just wish more people were exposed to her; she's a tonic for stress, an antidote to depression. So glad there are others out there who love her as I do!

I've just finished the fourth Betty MacDonald memoir. Thank you Amazon for the access to all these out of print books!
I now know what's going to be fun in Heaven - chatting with Betty over strong cups of coffee.
These books were like discovering a new best friend. I've never been so entertained by reading. What a gal!

Having finished my previous book and waiting for Amazon's free shipping promo to buy more, I picked up this book collecting dust in my book closet. I was pleasantly surprised.

It is smart and funny and so down-to-earth that you have to instantly like Betty as your best friend. Althouhg I am not a big fan of women titles (those seems to dominate the New York Times bestsellers list these days), I laughed out loud on a plane from Washington DC to Houston on a business trip. Who knew that everyday domestic issues can be so light and funny?

Anyway, just try it. You will find it more enjoyable than you want to admit.

"The Egg and I." As I said in my review of the earlier book, although I found parts of "Egg" charming, the chapter on Indians made my part-Cherokee blood boil, and that other parts seemed rather mean-spirited as well.

There is none of the mean-spiritedness in "Onions", probably because, in spite of the various toils and tribulations of life on the island, Betty was basically happy there, as opposed to "Egg" where she was mostly miserable.

I loved the part about the small woman who loved to curl up on soft, comfy places like sofas, armchairs, and other women's husbands' laps. I wondered, though, why Betty didn't just ask her to step out into the garden and then drop-kick her across the straight to Seattle? I'm sure she could have gotten some of the other women in their circle of friends to help.

Many of the events she tells of show us that teenage girls have always been a handful, whatever they say. However, in spite of all the complaining and whining, the girls were willing to pich in; how many girls their age nowadays would have something like stuffed pork chops waiting when their parents came home from work?

While "Egg" left me wondering why anyone in their right mind would want to run a chicken farm in the middle of a howling wilderness, "Onions" made me wonder if living on an island might not be fun.

I absolutely loved this book, I read it in one day! This is such a real life, regular family situation that you can't help but fall into the life of every character. d.r. dale is a great writer and I hope she will follow this with many more stories from her heart.

d. r. dale writes an endearing tale in ONION SOUP. She tells the story of two
sisters who are reunited after years of being apart. Although separated by
time and distance, the sisters managed to maintain a tight bond throughout the
years. Their reunion conjures up a number of secrets that they both harbor
about their pasts as well as a number of familial hurts that have been buried.

Gwen is the younger of the two sisters, but she is the more settled and the
more spiritual one. She is the one who prays for everyone and picks up lost
folks at bus terminals and offers them a hot meal and a ride. Journey is the
older sister, a retired Army officer. She has maintained a transient
lifestyle and has largely remained a loner. Gwen and Journey's reunion signals
the beginning of change in both of their lives as they confront their pasts
and face an uncertain future.

d. r. dale spins a wonderful heartwarming tale of family and friendships. She
laces the pages with a number of likable and memorable characters who complete
the circle of Gwen and Journey's lives. When I first picked up this book, I
was expecting a dull read. The cover is simple and drab with a mug of onion
soup pictured. But I was thrilled to find a treasure within its pages. ONION
SOUP is a delightful story that will send you running to hug your sisters. I
can't wait to read more from this writer.

Reviewed by Diane Marbury
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I think that d.r. dale is an excellent author. The book was well-written. The plot of the story was based on reality and it kept me on edge until the very end; I would not mind reading the book more than once. I can not wait for more of dale's book to be published, so that I can experience more of her writing.

'Onion Soup' was an enjoyable book. I found it easy to read and extremely exciting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. 'Onion Soup' made me laugh and cry. It's a must read.

I found Onion Soup to be one the most enjoyable books that I've read in a long time. Jam packed with humor, family secrets, and betrayal, I could not put it down.

Even though I pick one up every week I still get the annual compilations since they can preserve the timely and timeless comedy of America's Finest News Source.

Once again, Editors Carol Kolb and Robert Siegel produce a hilarious collection of "newsworthy" crap. Volume 15 is no less funny than the previous volumes and it is the essence of clever, yet mind boggling nonsense that makes a great gift for the bored or the obsessive reader. There is no end to the hundreds and hundreds of amazing stories and that can be a blessing or a curse to read. If you enjoy having a 264 page book of completely sacrilegious and hilarious news articles, this is your baby! Collect them all and then check yourself into the nearest sanitarium!

If you like the humor of the National Lampoon or Saturday Night Live you will love this book. I laughed out loud at several pages.
For any humor book there are some duds but they are few and far between with this excellent book.

This is the type of book you will want to read aloud to friends.

Some poor taste and not PC which is what makes it great.

Enjoy!

The Onion has been on my favorites list for many years. Who else is able to come out with a heaping helping of hilarity every week and stay as consistently original, literate, and sophisticated as these folks? Not many. For those of you expecting low-brow spoofs, you might be surprised, but I think that ultimately, you will enjoy it. The Onion is similar to a print version of The Daily Show, for all of you fans out there. There are contributing columnists (especially hilarious is a certain accountant gangsta') and parodies of current events, politics, celebrities, and culture. The principal difference is, perhaps, the flat-out invention of news stories to achieve this end, while Jon Stewart prefers to mock the newsmakers. Both approaches work, and if you like one you'll probably like the other. This anthology contains an entire year of Onion hilarity (for about 15 bucks--what a deal). Samples of the Onion's headlines: Cheney enters Presidential race himself (but he's still on the ticket with Bush), Kerry selects 1968 version of self as running mate, McDonalds to remove the "Hammurderer" from its promotional material (the "Grapist" is also going to have to go), etc. I could tell you more, but I think my point is made. Get the book...please.

Having used this text since it's first publication, I am more than able to vouch for the valuable resource that it has deservedly become. The 3rd edition is smaller, compact and easy to use. The fact that I have worked with the author for 14 years at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Practice Residency Program will make some of you doubt my unbiased opinion. However, for those on the "frontline of primary care medicine," it is clearly one of the rapid-fire, comprehensive references that should be dog-eared and sitting on your desk and in your briefcase.

I took a few years off from diagnostic radiology, but decided to return to work after 9-11. The state of Florida required I take the SPEX exam. I got 51 on their sample questions, about what I would expect from a non radiologist trying to read xrays. Some review seemed in order, so I studied this book and took a course. Most things I read nowadays are either quite technical, written in a defensive pose so that most of what they say is not what I want to read, or "popular," written so as to fill an entire book with a single idea. It was most refreshing to read something written simply to get the information across as quickly and as accurately as possible. My English teachers would call that "Good Writing." The pearls were helpful. It was a good read and a help in getting back into the harness. I passed with a score of 81.

Don't be fooled by the title. This is a comprehensive resource book of considerable scholarship, with up-to-date references and state-of-the-art notes on therapy. For its depth, references, and pearls, it is far better a resource than the Barnes Manual for internists, family practitioners, and academicians who find themselves confronted with sick patients.

Very impressive and very helpful. This is what I have been looking for. Much easier to use than the 5-Minute Consult and much more succinct. The "med-esse" is a bit confusing at times but after a while it becomes 2nd nature. I find myself writing little notes in the margins and the book has been quite helpful. Like the reviewer before me said, much more than hot ears and sore throats.

If you're looking for a "user" in your practice....this may be it.

Completely a reference books. No pics. No graphs. Each title has references from known pubs like the New England Journal. Spiral bound. Pages rip out a bit too easy but that is because the book is a lot bigger than the title suggests. It is not a lab coat book. It is a full reference text meaning if you find it Washington Manual or the 5-Minute Consult there is probably a reference in this book. Takes just a few minutes or less to review each subject.

Good and useful. Isn't that what we want in medicine?

If you have a saracastic sense of humor (or know someone who does) this is great! If you like the Daily Show, get these. These books are so funny. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in need of: good, hardy laughter, the perfect present, or an interesting set of books. This is truly a great set and a great value.

A longtime fan of The Onion, I bought this set for a friend's birthday. Our birthday dinner in a sedate restaurant ended up with five of us reading headlines out loud, laughing so loud that we were reprimanded by the staff. Cynicism lives!

This box set is HILARIOUS! The three books (Our Dumb Century, The Onion's Finest News Reporting, Dispatches From the Tenth Circle) that are in here are all great. I challenge you to read this, and not laugh! I bought this as a gift for my friend, and we just died laughing everytime we read any of it. It is just the best!

It's also a really good price, and makes a great gift. If you know anyone who loves The Onion, or any similar types of humor, I totally recommend this!

I've reading The Onion since it was a freebie paper in southern Wisconsin and worried it would lose it's edge when it went national...NOT AT ALL. Though not for the easily offended, it is laugh-out-loud, wet-your-pants funny as well as dead center in it's satire of life in these United States.

Full of information and ideas from someone who's very clearly been there.

This is not a fluff make-tons-of-money-and-get-rich-quick book. It's a practical, hands on guide to the business (emphasis on business) of speaking.

The book covers a huge amount of material, from choosing your topic, to dealing with speakers bureaus. This is one of those books to get if you are serious about a career in speaking, because it will save you a ton of time and get you to making money that much faster.

"The Wealthy Speaker" is on the top of my list of books on the speaking business. I got her books, workbook and audio book too. It's an easy read and doesn't add a lot of fluff like other books do. The Flash Points are great, her information is priceless, she knows that she's talking about.
I know you'll be thrilled if you get her book and take the time to read it. Thanks for writing a WONDERFUL book Jane. Look forward to being one of your "wealthy speaker" examples in your next book.

The 'Wealthy Speaker' makes a great deal of sense and with the 'Ready, Aim, Fire' strategy makes it possible for the reader to design practical objectives for their speaking business. I think Jane Atkinson has managed to produce a book that has value for the new and experienced speaker. If you want to achieve more focus in the speaking industry this is a great place to start. I have many books on the topic - this is my favorite by a long chalk and pound for pound the best value on the market.

I wish I had Jane's book when I began my speaking career! After several years of speaking, I can say from experience that her description of the process is right on. The tips she delivers throughout her book will help anyone who wants to make it as a speaker.
Jane explains clearly how one must define themselves as an expert in their field to assure success. Without doing so, a speaker will be lost in a sea of mediocre speakers. Jane's timeline and step-by-step instruction will help you to focus on the most important aspects of your speaking career. If you are interested in becoming a speaker or you want to take your speaking career to the next level, this book will be your best investment.

Liberal vegan meets corporate carnivore. What could possibly go wrong?

Never sleep with the boss. Ever. Thomas Stone has one cardinal rule and he broke it unintentionally when the man he slept with his first night in town just happens to be his new boss. His life is screwed up enough and the last thing he needs is another complication, which is exactly what Phil would be if he allows his one-night stand to develop into something more. But he can't seem to keep his hands off the man. What's a guy to do?

Philip Sorrells is thrilled to discover that the new bartender his manager hired for his restaurant The Happy Onion is the hot little blonde he slept with and can't forget. Thom is Phil's dream come true, from his angelic face to his fiery temper. For the first time, Phil hears the siren song of monogamy and he's tempted to follow it. But Thom, who had a very bad experience with his previous boss, decides that his personal health and welfare are too important to risk even for the hottest sex he has ever had and he tells Phil that as long as he remains in his employ it's hands off. Then the original job for which he had been hired is back in play and romance is in the air once again. But things don't run smoothly for our two lovers - Phil is a nature-loving tree hugger and Thom sits on the other side of the fence as a corporate climber. These differences in ideology raise their ugly heads time and again and threaten their fragile bond. Thom and Phil find that their new relationship may not be able to sustain the pressures of everyday life.

Hunky 6 ft Phil and small, gorgeous, blonde Thom have an unlikely sexual relationship as Thom is the Dom in bed and out of it and Phil can't get enough of his `little' man, whom he lovingly calls "Bubbles" for reasons you can read about in the book. What I really love about this couple is that no matter how mad they are they always look out for each other. The sex was truly exceptional and enlightening. I don't want to spoil some of the surprises in the book, but I would like to know where the author conducted her research and did she use live subjects. The sex was hot as a poker just out of the fire, smooth as butter and when you mix in the emotion emanating from Thom and Phil you get an incendiary, combustible explosion.

The dialogue in The Happy Onion is sparkling, fresh and incredibly funny and the characters of Thom and Phil are so real and three dimensional you wouldn't be surprised to meet them in the local vegan store or neighbourhood bar. The twists and turns of the plot kept me engaged until the end and the villains were very well drawn and realistic. Ally Blue is a truly gifted writer. The Happy Onion rocks!

Not Allys' usual but she has given us one amusing, sweet, charming and light hearted romance with 2 very likable characters. A hunk who loves to bottom and a little spit-fire who tops. When these 2 come together the sex sizzles. Certain scenes are just pure fun and sexy. The dream featuring a blanket, Phil insisting Thom resembles one of his favorite carton characters (no spoiler here) have me chuckling aloud.
Thom and Phil are so different in character but that is where the fun is. Phil annoying Thom because he finds a fired-up Thom so sexy is just comical. And it is nice to have the seemingly submissive Phil in their relationship so possessive and protective over Thom, who is forced to be tough throughout his life because of his smaller physique and pretty face.
Of course Ally manages to inject some angsy moments into her romance too. I have a fun time reading this one and I thought Thom, who has nothing in the beginning of the story, finally finding a home with Phil is just touching.

Ally Blue is usually known as the Queen of Angst (Forgotten Song, Easy, but also the more recent Untamed Hearts). Here she takes a detour from her usual path and writes a funny comedy.

Thom is a pretty boy with an angelic face and a devilish behavior; long blond hair, blue eyes and lithe body hide a very strong character and dom tendency. Probably since he is tired to always been considered weak only due to his look, Thom has developed a very bad boy attitude, arriving even to be forceful with his partners.

On the other hand, Phil is a big boy with a uber tender heart. At six feet and three inches, he likes the pretty boy type, but he also like to be dominated. Nothing excite him more than a little thing that can order him around. So he is the perfect partner for Thom, if not that they are at totally opposite, not only physically but also in expectations: Phil is a flower-child type who runs a own business like a charity project... if he has enough to eat and dress, it is all right. Instead Thom is more the business man type, with the right degree and the dream to go far from where he started. Plus he had a very bad experience with a former lover, and so he is pretty skittish when it arrives to commitment.

When Thom goes to work for a company with a very bad reputation in civil rights and fair play, the relationship with Phil is at risk. But what I really like of this couple is that they manage to understand that one thing is work and another thing is love: they can disagree on the first and still be very hot and deeply involved by the other. And then the diversity in their point of view is not so huge as they think; Thom's disagreement is more a question of stubbornness, something he needs to defend to not have to admit that he is wrong. Stubbornness is maybe the worst fault of Thom.

This is exactly the case where opposite attract in a very good way: Phil's simple and quite behavior is the perfect balance for the little hell cat that is Thom. There is also a lot of sex, funny and light, but not too much to overwhelming the story: for example (little spoiler), Ally Blue decided to not completely tell us Thom and Phil's first sex encounter: she leads us till a point, with a lot of expectation, to then, like a trick, leave us suspending, and maybe drooling. But don't worry, soon after she makes amend, and Thom and Phil will experiment every possible position and place...

Delightful, insightful, witty and charming. In the style of Fulghum and Trillin ... Max Israelite is one of those gifted people that can take an everyday incident and find the pathos or humor. Combine that with a fine storytelling flair and it conjures up the kind of person I (we all?) wish we would find sitting next to us at a dinner party . I never met author but hope to ...in the meantime I suggest this book for those long plane rides or a rainy weekend. This book travels to new readers (I imagine) mostly by word of mouth. It was suggested (to me) by a client. In keeping with the obligation of karma... I pass on this uncommon little volume.

A unique collection of glimpses into the world of Max Israelite, sometimes reflective, but mostly hilarious. An unusual book with a rare perspecitve - it is absolutely a smile-producer!

I Never Met An Inion I Didn't Like is easy reading with a chuckle or two on every page. The humor and the richness of vocabulary kept a smile on my face throughout and prompted me to share some of the two or three page stories with a high school class I taught. Everyone, young and old, can identify with the situations described in this short book. We have all eaten at fast food restaurants but in one of my favorite stories the author compares a gourmet restaurant meal to what one finds at fast food places. He humorously convinces the reader as to the superiority of the fine restaurant--except in cases when "an automobile with no brakes is careening downhill in your direction, or when the Governor's pardon is not forthcoming and the hangman begins to slip the noose around your neck...." Mr. Israelite has a way with words. For those readers who lived through World War II several stories will appeal to you. My favorite was "Beating the Censor." I hoped that the writer was able to get his location out to his family and was on the edge of my bed wondering if his plan would work. Onion is homespun humor often difficult to find today. It is reminiscent of Will Rogers without the lasso. I Never Met An Onion I Didn't Like belongs in the waiting rooms of professionals, on the coffee tables of those who entertain and in the homes of young and old alike. It is a belly laugh waiting to explode. Francine Miller Educator, Tempe High School Tempe, Arizona