Baker Books

Fran Gage's "A Sweet Quartet" is filled to overflowing with gorgeous writing about four basic baking ingredients: sugar, almonds, eggs, and butter. She refers to these with the charming assertion that they are "the DNA of desserts." Although I'd disagree with her here (in my book, flour would replace almonds, much as I love almonds!), this former bakery owner makes her case so winningly and with such conviction that you are swept along in her cause.

The recipes are few--just under three dozen total--which may seem like very little for a cookbook that costs over twenty bucks. But Gage isn't trying to provide you with recipes as much as she's trying to fill you in on the background, the history, the chemical properties, and the world view of these ingredients. On the task she sets for herself, she does beautifully. Did you know, for instance, that:

"The Germans have loved marzipan since it arrived in the sixteenth century from Venice. They sought out the best almonds for it, and trade guilds regulated its sale; only apothecaries were allowed to sell it, much to the chagrin of confectioners . . . Neideregger, a marzipan maker in Lübeck since 1805, still boasts two hundred varieties."

or . . .

"The rhythmic slapping of balloon whisks beating egg whites in copper bowls is more than a romantic holdover. Atoms from the copper bind with one of the white's proteins, which promotes cross-linking between the protein molecules, resulting in a foam that is creamier and not so easy to overwhip."

or . . .

"There is real butter, and there is fake butter, and they are not the same . . . Spurred on by a challenge from Napoleon III in 1869, Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès came up with a cheaper substitute. Relying on shaky biological knowledge of how a cow produced something that became butter, he mixed the oil from beef fat (oleo) with skimmer milk and water, throwing in a strip of cow udder for good measure. His invention was surprisingly like the veritable item. He called it margarine, after the Greek word for 'pearl,' a name that reflected its glossy appearance. People liked the price, and some may have liked the taste. The new product became popular."

"A Sweet Quartet" is filled with fascinating nuggets like this, studded with information that way one of Gage's desserts might be studded with dried cranberries or chocolate chunks or, well, almonds. This is a super book for anyone interested in peeking behind the bakery curtain to see the whys and wherefores of the way these essential dessert ingredients work and how they affect both each other and other ingredients. And the recipes, by the way, are wonderful!

A Sweet Quartet is a charming tale about the history of sugar, almonds, butter, and eggs, and how each made its way independently into the kitchen and became the foundation of all desserts. She tells the story of each ingredient by weaving history with personal recollections in the field at a sugar mill, at a hatchery, as owner of a patisserie, and other experiences. The story is compelling, and comes complete with 33 recipes. -rkc

Four basic elements make desserts possible: sugar, almonds, eggs, and butter. A Sweet Quartet blends a culinary history of these ingredients with a recipe guide and travelogue. No color photos, but the easy recipes don't need them, while the culinary history of dessert-making is fascinating, adding a literary touch to the results.

This book dspelled many of my personal myths about public management. I purchased Tales from the Trenches as a reference for my Business Management class. I wanted to contrast private management with public management. I felt private management was more dynamaic and challenging. I now see that public managers, espcially at the local government level, are just as sophisticated and resourceful as their private counterparts. They also make the same type of blunders. The authors have done a great job in their selection of real life tales. I found
the manqagement advice they dispersed throughout the stories very useful. I also loved the cartoons which set the theme for each chapter.

Collaboratively written by former city managers Len Wood and Joe Baker, Tales From The Trenches: Achievements, Blunders And Challenges In Local Government Management is a grand collection of great achievements and ridiculous blunders in local government. Innovations, challenges, and good intentions that went horribly wrong, pack the pages of this involving and highly readable guide which is especially recommended reading for all voters, and which will provide particularly meaningful to those with a personal and/or professional interest in local politics.

After reading Len Wood's and Joe Baker's new book, I'm reminded why I entered this interesting profession. "Tales from the Trenches: Achievements, Blunders and Challenges in Local Government Management" provides an insightful glimpse into the event-filled life of public managers.

The eleven chapters reflect the key public manager responsibilities and challenges. Each chapter contains several stories that illustrate key management concepts. Included with these tales are tips containing advice and alternative approaches to addressing the situation. Stories are written in a straightforward manner, and best of all, are true to life because current and former local government managers contributed each tale.

What makes "Tales" especially valuable is the 180 page Instructor's Manual which complements the book, chapter for chapter. It contains discussion questions for each tale along with numerous case studies, management exercises and questionnaires.

Assuredly, "Tales from the Trenches: Achievements, Blunders and Challenges in Local Government Management" will inspire young professionals to take a close look at a local government career. This book is also a good mentoring guide.

This review was submitted to the California City Manager's Newsletter by Greg Ramirez, Assistant City Manager, Agoura Hills.

Anyone seeking to teach in a cross-cultural setting, even here in North America, would benefit from reading this book. The author's writing style is clear, readable, and packed full of great real-world examples. This book is a must read for anyone involved in teaching in a cross-cultural setting.

Judith and Sherwood Lingenfelter's work Teaching Cross-Culturally seeks to accomplish four goals. The first is to help teachers understand their own culture of teaching and learning. The second is to help teachers become effective teachers in another culture by becoming good learners. The third goal is to help teachers reflect on cultural differences and conflicts with others by considering perspectives taught in Scripture and faith in Christ. The final goal reflects the others in that the Lingenfelter's want teachers to have fun and enjoy teaching in other cultures and feel like they are taking part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

One of the more helpful aspects of this book is it helps teachers to consider their own cultural biases and how those biases affect their teaching style in cultural settings different from their own. These cultural biases reflect not only one's family background but also one's own educational background. Cultural differences can be seen in a variety of settings ranging from the difference between an inner city school and a rural school to the difference between an American International School and a native school setting. This issue is important because many teachers don't fully realize how much their teaching styles are influenced by their own cultural backgrounds.

This book also helps the potential cross-cultural teacher to consider different learning styles and settings in non-western settings. One is reminded that in many non-western settings learning is often more of a community event than an individual pursuit. So, one needs to understand the role of a teacher in these kinds of setting will differ based on where they are. The Lingenfelter's also help teachers re-evaluate their expectations and consider which may be valid and which are false. Too many false expectations lead to negative teaching experiences.

To teach effectively in a cross-cultural situation then is to learn about the culture one is in and then adapt one's teaching style to that culture. This is reflected in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ who set the ultimate example of adapting to different cultural situations to most effectively reach those around him. The potential cross-cultural teacher needs to follow the example Christ set before them.

There's lots of books out there on teaching, and lots of books on multiculturalism, but FINALLY a book that addresses each area from the other's perspective! This book deals with the nuts and bolts of different cultures, but it also comes from an academic perspective, including the research and citations to back it up. Written by two PhDs with the practical knowledge to back up the scholarship, this gave me the answers I needed for working with my inner city/multicultural church groups. It's very readable, and reasonably priced. I'm delighted with it and recommend it highly.

An excellent book on the healing process of grieving after a spouse's death. Includes faith, learning to rely on others, and explains the slow healing of deep grief. Excellent on teaching children how to grieve.

I first read this years ago and, since then (having endured the grief of losing a brother, both parents, best friend), have shared it with many friends and family over the years. I'm a big fan of the late Catherine Marshall; her writing is superb and her Christian faith amazing. To me this book (and her others) is a classic; a great healer and support during times of enduring pain and relentless grief.

Mainstream Christian people will be very familiar with the name, if not the writings, of Catherine Marshall. Her husband, the great Scottish orator, Rev. Peter Marshall, was Chaplain of the U. S. Senate, and a powerful man of God. He was the light of Catherine's life, and died too soon! When your heart is so broken, the grief so deep, that you cannot eat, cannot smile or stop crying, then this book is for you. I lost my father after a 7 week illness, and ONLY this book, not scripture, not friends, but ONLY this book helped me to understand that I was not alone in the depth of my anguish. My Dad was the only man in my life and today, 18 months later, I still cry daily. But Catherine, who opened up her own wounds to reach out in love and faith to help others, touched me and I began to heal just then. When I was angry at the doctors, this book helped. When I was angry at my family, this book helped. When I was angry at God, this book gave me hope again. You will want to get a copy for yourself and purchase another to have on hand for a friend. Thanks Catherine, I am sure heaven has long since erased your heartache. I look forward to that day too. God bless you dear readers, one and all.

This book offers great Core moves from beginner through advanced. The instructions and photos are clear and easy to follow; the spiral binding means the book stays open while you practice the moves.

I am a group fitness instructor teaching a Core class and I wanted some new moves. This book delivered. I am also a personal trainer and I liked the detailed explanations of the muscles being worked and the fact that the moves were safe and came with modifications if needed.

A good buy!

For some strange reason, I have only seen one review for any of the books in the 'Total' exercise series, which left me wondering really how these books were (the one review gave a high rating) and if anyone was actually buying them! None-the-less, I decided to take a chance on this book, because it had the right title - I was looking for an exercise ball program that was exclusively for core strength. This is a large book that is styled on the order of Ungaro's 'Pilates: Body in Motion'. If you are not familiar with that book, it is the most well laid out Pilates book I have found, with abundant and important tips, pointers, and cautions, and all the steps involved for every move. Total Core Strength on the Ball offers clear explanations of everything from what the core muscles are and why it is important to strengthen them, to when to breathe during each exercise. Exercises are clearly photographed with a series of photos for each exercise, and a well written and easy to understand explanation of how to do each step. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercises, with a variety of different exercise programs laid out at the end of the book with the exercise name, a thumb-nail photograph, number of recommended reps and page number. The routines given are beginner, intermediate, advanced, a 15 minute routine, a 30 minute routine, a hotel room routine, an office routine (what have I left out?). There is a short stretching routine, although there is a long series of stretching exercises in the stretching section. I have never been 'into' stretching, but I went through the entire stretching section and really enjoyed it. I would say that in general, the exercises in this book, for each level, are challenging without being complicated or dangerous (as I have found in some other ball books). Since I have experience and practice on the ball already, I started at the advanced level, and I either do the advanced routine or the 30 minute routine, and found them both to be sufficiently challenging. I suppose that if you want super-advanced moves for a gymnast or a professional athlete, you could find those moves else-where, but for an at-home exerciser in decent shape, this book is an excellent resource. I am very pleased with this book and am glad I invested in it, it is easily one of my favorite ball books. By the way, the spiral binding is a big plus (and was one of the main reasons I bought the book - I was tired of poorly bound 'exercise ball' books either falling apart, or not staying open during exercise.)

This is a great book. Very clear descriptions of the exercises. Wonderful pictures. And it is spiral bound, making it easy to keep open while performing the exercises. I come from the perspective of being a former personal trainer and a recovered back surgery patient. I use the ball to keep my back and core strong. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. I will say, however, that if you are looking for a book to show you how to use the ball for exercises for non-core muscle groups, this is not the book for you.

This book is a classic. In the foreword to the 1986 edition, psychiatrist Jean Baker Miller mentioned her reasons for writing this groundbreaking book that was first published in 1976. First, in her work with women, she noticed that women had psychological strengths that they didn't seem to recognize or appreciate. Second, she was concerned that the model of the "new" woman seemed to be based on a male model, as if that were the only model of a complete person. Miller's goal was to "recognize, re-define and understand the day-to-day experience of women and to show how the mental and emotional lives of individual women reflect the social and political system" (back cover). She highlighted the need for change by describing the psychological damage that can result from unequal status and power in relationships. Although Miller focused on male and female relationships, the same outcome occurs whenever one or more groups are considered subordinate to the dominant group(s) because of such differences as race, sex, class, nationality, or religion; everyone involved is hurt by the inability to be authentic and complete. I appreciated her even-handed and realistic approach to differences: "Differences are a source of strength for each of us-so long as they are not used against us" (p. 136). Almost 30 years later, this landmark work continues to illuminate the problems caused by unequal relationships and opportunities for growth, which could explain why it can still be found in most bookstores.

Jean Baker Miller has done a magnificient job of illustrating major developmental issues for men and women. The title is deceiving, because it doesn't express the power and depth of her thinking as it applies to both genders.

A major contribution, by the author, is her recognition of the roles of dominants and subordinates. This phenomenon appears in almost all aspects of our lives. People in either role learn, the important concept is to understand what they learn. Jean Baker Miller focused on the role of men and women as they fulfill this dominant, subordinate relationship and the learning that stems from these roles.

When I read her book it was like I was standing in front of a full-length mirror that reflected a picture of my emotional state. I was able to see that my emotional state was half empty. My feminine qualities had been forced from my being, and I was unhappily overrun by my masculine self. Her book allowed me a map from which to start to reintegrate the feminine into my being. It allowed me to cry for the isolation of my masculine self and welcome the strength of my feminine. The reflections I received helped me rearrange my values to allow myself to be both empathetic and strong. In one sense it allowed me to understand my own intelligence. I defined my intelligence as the energy created by the unbroken path between my heart and mind. Intelligence is the product of this synergistic connection. When this connection is blocked or broken my intelligence is not in force.

My work with leaders in organizations is strongly influenced by the discoveries I made will reading this book. I hope you take the time to reflect on these difficult, but crucial issues.

This small and important book gives a timeless and cogent description of the dynamics between dominants and subordinates. Though the examples are specific to the relationships between men and women, the model offered stands up in an examination of dominant/subordinate relationships between any two groups or individuals. I discovered my own relationship with my sister (and vestiges of the dominant/subordinate in our relationship continue well into our adulthood). Continuously in print since 1976, Miller's little book is destined to remain in print as a classic, yet with a tiny bit of promotion from the publisher, it could easily become a current bestseller.

My daughter-in-law is one of Don's daughters. I have collected the calendars for 15+ years and have some of his original art works and attended some of his art shows over the years. I am so pleased to have this book published.

Linda

Whether you are old enough to remember Model T Fords or young enough
to understand the Blue Berry, you will find this book the most exacting
record of the past and the most interesting to follow through. These
drawings of Don Collins are not only facinating but authenic. This book
will be the most read on your coffee table. Sam Harris, 3232 Hwy 29E,
Burnet TX 78611

A difficult book to locate, but seller went out of the way to find it for us and kept us informed during the process. Book arrived shortly in beautiful condition. It's a lovely book, worth the trouble and the wait. Thank you!

This is not a practical "how to" book of gardening, but it is a simply gorgeous book to look through nonetheless. An excellant addition for an avid tulip enthusiast who likes to collect books on subject. Contains a comprehensive listing of tulips and has close-up pictures of many types not usually pictured in other tulip books. Gives historical information that is interesting but not really useful. Makes a great book for your coffee table and even my friends who don't garden always enjoy looking through this book. I rate it 5 stars because I think it is a beautiful book, but I do think it is over-priced and if you are looking for a book to give you practical tips on planting bulbs, this is not for you.

In recent years, my approach to planting tulips and other small spring-flowering bulbs has been to dig down to the core ground underneath the raised bed I use for flowers, line the bed with composted cow manure laced with bone meal, and toss the bulbs in, letting them lie where they land. I usually buy an assortment of my favorite tulips including Negrita and Queen of the Night which I mix up, so come spring, I have a nice surprise when they emerge, but I cannot always tell which tulip is which.

TULIPA by Baker and Lemmers will help me solve some of the mystery. With hundreds of tulip photographs I can use in the identity parade, plus some descriptive text, I should be able to sort out the riot of colors come spring. TULIPA is an exquisite art book, in which the authors have used the Netherlandish floral paintings of the Golden Age for inspiration for their photographs.

Tulips are featured in all their splendor, many owing a single page, while others are arranged around a page as if in a loose bouquet. Some are open ala Georgia O'Keefe, others closed demurely. The text of the book is sparse, with short essays by Michael Pollen, editor and garden author; Christopher Baker, photographer; and William Lemmers , member of the Tulip Committee of the Royal Bulb Growers Association (KAVB) and the Royal Horticultural Society in London.

Lacey frilly, and in some cases not unlike an ice cream sundae. What's not to like about tulips? Given it's price, this is not the book to buy if you only want a practical guide to growing tulips, but it will make a lovely addition to your art library.

In all of my years, I have never seen quite a unique and exquisite celebration of the maginificence of these natural wonders. Christopher Baker's eye portray's the simple elegance of these flowers with a passion that is fascinating. One can hardly appreciate the vast array of the tulips' varieties, surely never seen before. I congratulate Christopher on this masterful and clearly personal gift of his life's passion. The photography is gracefully complemented by reverant prose that both leaves much to the imagination, but skillfully engrosses the reader in these magical creations. I can only say this, while a rose may always be a rose, every tulip, since this wonderful publication, is truly it's own incarnation. Thank you, Mr. Baker.

great book! the bakers do a great job sorting a lot of information into this small book. they offer scientific studies, a personal recovery story, and lots of great recipies. all the recipies i have tried have been good but some are a food combining charts nightmare. some ingredients are harder to come by but most can be improvised with what you have on hand. anyone interested in raw foods should have this book on their recipie shelf.

I found this book at the library and now I'm here to buy it. I refuse to return it until I have a copy of my own! The recipes are delicious, and mostly simple. There are a lot of basic recipes with variations, like breads and nut/seed milks. There are also some how-to sections like sprouting and what foods should and shouldn't be consumed together. I love this book even more than the BIG book I got from my church's Hallelujah Diet course. If you are having trouble deciding if you want to go RAW, this book will make the transition easy! All the basics and a LOT of extras! Enjoy the road to good health with the help of Elizabeth Baker's FABULOUS UNcook book!

No, this is certainly not the first raw food book, but it first came out when raw foodism was not nearly as well known as it is today. I bought a previous edition in 1981 or so, and it's still one of my favorites. The recipes are creative, and the narrative section of the book contains all sorts of little gems of information (such as why there's really no such thing as "cold-pressed" oil). I haven't seen this new edition, but I have every confidence that it's as good as - or better than - the old one.

I found this book fascinating in what Tom Marshall viewed as the most important function of leaders; service to those they lead. I am in the military and, for me, this book hit home in how he reminds leaders that humility and desire to serve others are vital to success. In being a servant to others, we must place their needs first and think of their welfare before our own. Also included are great discussions concerning pride, self healing and ministry. Yes, a Christian book, but the philosophy is beautiful and can be applied by anyone who feels a desire to be a responsible servant/leader to others.

This book gives a clear and easy to understand view, as to what christian leadership really is. Its systematic and practical. I found it the best book for this topic so far.

This book is one of the best titles I have read that applies specifically to Christian leaders. There are many works available that address leadership in general, but ones that give a uniquely Christian perspective are harder to find. Marshall has an excellent work here, and I recommend it highly to all Christian leaders. I especially recommend it to young pastors who are preparing for a life of service as a pastor.

Everything rises and falls on good Christian leadership. In twenty years of pastoral ministry, I have seen many of Marshall's principles verified through my own mistakes and shortcomings. This book will be a great help in avoiding many of the pitfalls that plague Christian leaders.