Home Books

After my recent move I decided to do what I've always wanted to do and that was decorate my home in African style. I didn't have a clue where to begin until I was given this book as a housewarming gift. Not only does Algotsson show you beautifully designed rooms but she teaches you how to develop "your interpretation" of Africa...she discusses general regional differences in designs and colors, textures and furniture pieces that are used...she then teaches you how to identify your own African style to create your own unique look. I've always been one to say I don't have a flare for decorating. I don't say that anymore. My home is beautifully decorated in African design thanks to the help of this book. This book is timeless.

I have lived, worked and travelled extensively in West Africa since the early 1970's and this is the first comprehensive book which assisted me in incorporating my beautiful art and artifacts into a living design for my home. I loved all the gorgeous pictures and the practical tips. The variety of design styles was also a welcome reminder of the diversity of Africa. I can't wait to read the next book by Sharne Algotsson. I only wish there was a magazine devoted to this subject as well.

This great book shows in text and photographs the various and beautiful ways that African artifacts: traditional fabrics, sculpture, paintings and drawings, popular and ubiquitous souvenir items and - most importantly - African-inspired motifs and designs, can be incorporated into (or the inspiration for) sophisticated contemporary room decor.

The authors have worked for the international design company Ikea, so their slant is design, rather than anthropology. They come at it in an energetic and engaging way. The result is a source book that is a visual treat, and a great home tour. The rooms - living, bed, kitchens (in which W. African design elements are adapted to ceramic tiles, with gorgeous results) and more - are lively, smart, and modern.

You notice in reading the text, and drooling over the abundant photos of the beautiful and stimulating rooms, that well-known European textile designers of the sixties (the Finnish company Marimekko, for example) owe a debt of gratitude to indigeneous African cloth designers. This is something I hadn't ever realized.

A lovely, inspirational, and worthwhile book.

I have traveled to West Africa and the Caribbean. This book helped me incorporate the artwork and artifacts I brought back from my trips into my day-to-day design. The things I have are no longer just "souvenirs," but are now part of an overall look and feel of my home. Now, when I travel, I have an eye for what I can do with my "stuff" when I get it home!

The authors and photographers have done a wonderful job.

I just happened to be walking in my local mall and got a glimpse of the cover and was sold from then on. I am probably driving my family crazy but I am now inspired to redecorate my kitchen to resemble an african market. Thanks!!!!!!

After reading Rebecca Brown's wonderful and in many ways, groundbreaking STANDING THE WATCH, I couldn't help wishing I had this book during the time my father was dying from Alzheimer's. What a comfort it would have been to read it and follow Rebecca and David Brown's thirteen-day odyssey as they lovingly care for Lincoln, David's father, during the last days of the elder's life.

There are many remarkable things about this book--one of the most obvious is the extraordinary bond between David and his father, and how the son kept his promise to care for him at home. Rebecca's solid support of her husband's decision and her unwavering devotion to her father-in-law is no less than heroic. Both are compassionate people who loved Lincoln enough to respect his wishes to keep him at home in his beloved cabin in the Seattle peninsula until he drew his last breath at age 89.

STANDING THE WATCH is not only a wise book, and a practical lesson in caring for our elderly, especially in our homes--a topic Americans avoid--but so very well written that the reader is eager to follow Rebecca wherever she takes us.

For those of us who are put into the usually overwhelming position of caring for our ill and elderly parents, STANDING THE WATCH is an invaluable book to read for its wisdom, humor, and most of all, for the guidance Rebecca and David Brown offer.

Luminous Humanity at the Nightfall of Life

As I read this moving account, I developed a deep and abiding affection for the gruff and indomitable patriarch, Lincoln Brown, as his son and daughter-in-law eased his bumpy journey into that good night. Every page is infused with a luminous humanity, and ultimately feels very necessary as it addresses an unavoidable topic that we in our comfort nevertheless evade at every opportunity. Author Rebecca Brown's vivid chronicle of her father-in-law made the Olympic Peninsula, a roisterous cast of characters and their emotions come alive. Other than publication, what more could any author want? Well done!

Standing The Watch: Memories Of A Home Death is the personal memoir of Rebecca Brown, a woman who took care of her dying father. A profound testimony and tribute filled with grief, love, and courage, narrating a terrible trial, Rebecca Brown wrote this candid, sensitive, at times inspiring autobiographical treatise in order to help others prepare for the inevitable day when they too must say goodbye to a loved one. Standing The Watch is very highly recommended reading for anyone charged with the responsibility of caring for a terminally ill parent, whether at home or in a residential care facility.

During a recent online search, I met Rebecca Brown, who offered me the opportunity to review Standing The Watch. I approached Standing The Watch with great interest, and was immediately drawn to this tiny family, a husband and wife, and his elderly father, sharing a piece of land with a dog who is more like a family member than a pet. This wife is Rebecca Brown, and these are her memories.

As we accompany Lincoln Brown in his journey through the Shadow of Death, his daughter-in-law shares the wisdom gained from the experience of Standing The Watch for her much loved Elder. A vivid sense of humour is evident in the liberally scattered and light-hearted ancedotes. This is surely a tribute to a tradition that is sadly lacking in much of our modern day society.

The author is as honest in her assessment of the professionals in modern society as she is fiercely tender in her regards toward her much loved Poppa, her husband David Brown, and the supportive online friends who stuck with both her and her husband through this troublesome and exhausting time.

I was able to look back upon sitting with my own elder and sharing with her this part of her journey. I was blessed to know that she left with no remorse, or regret.

"By attending death with the same seriousness as birth we learn how to die. We gather around to welcome new life, yet disappear when a loved-one signals it's time to die. This is why you must make space in your schedule for writing Standing The Watch", said one of the women in her support system. What a gift we have received, and what a lesson we can take from the experience of Rebecca Brown and her husband.

Standing The Watch is a compelling endorsement for home death, as well as a lesson in the social, financial and psychological impact of death, providing a list of books that deal with many of life's more difficult issues including grief. A short, but fascinating eulogy pays tribute to the life of this most endearing man who's epitaph reads, HERE LIES A GOOD MAN.

Note: as with other reviews I've written about books authored from very personal experiences, this one should be considered unrated, as I don't assign numbers to such accounts.

The author's initial experience with death was of a double absence: she not only lost her father, but was prevented from seeing him or even speaking about her feelings to her family. If this level of silencing is somewhat unusual, bear in mind that the American phobia of death has motivated a clinical-medical bureaucracy designed to make this most final of departures clean and pretty. (In Southern California we even have Forest Lawn, a kind of Disneyland of Death, where the fast food paradigm has been applied to the managing of passed-on loved ones.) What it does instead is hold the dying at a distance while traumatizing those who survive.

Much of this book was written during the author's caretaking of her father-in-law as he lay ill, sometimes comfortable and sometimes in pain. It is not a book to entertain or philosophize, but to reveal what such an experience can be like: the details to tend, the feelings that surface, the constant struggles against laws written to protect people from getting close to death's unpleasantness. For the author, "standing the watch" was a way to deepen her connections with her patient as well as with her husband and family members. It also allowed her to deal with the unfinished pain around her previous inability to properly mourn her father.

Some among the existential philosophers have insisted that we all die alone. That is often true given the legal and medical and psychological isolation of the dying in our death-fearing culture. But what's so often taken as a normal state of the end of an existence need not be. The man tended by a woman who started life as a war orphan and the son who married her died at home in the presence of loving family members who took the time to see him off.

For him this was a great gift, and for them a reminder to seize the time while refusing to let our pioneer cult of individuality keep us from exploring those healthy interdependencies that make life worth valuing enough to end on a note of dignity.

This book is not only a great resource guide for those new to designing with stones, but also fun to look at and inspirational. I found ideas for the bathroom, kitchen, and even for a staircase.

I work for a natural stone retailer in Texas, and this book gives me ideas for customers. Many of my store's clients want to take this book home or buy it. I don't let them take it home of course; I suggest that they buy one on Amazon.com.
In my opinion, I think it makes a good coffee table book as well, since when people are waiting in my showroom, I see them browsing through this book. I wish there were more books like this one.

This is a great book. it will give you detailed information about the stone types that you can use in your house and great photos. i'm in the stone flooring business and this book helps my customers to visualize the final look of the stone they choose from my showroom floor. it also has a section with patterns so you dont have to figure out how to lay stones in different sizes to make a pattern.

We are considering having our kitchen remodeled and definitely want to replace the current Corian with some type of stone. This book covers stone used in kitchens and baths. Besides the gorgeous photographs, the book includes lots of helpful tips in helping you chose the right stone for your project. Each photo is described with caption of what the stone is, including the pattern or color. The chapters include the stone kitchen, bath, floor and architectural stone. What is really nice is that it addresses various possible focal points, such as the stone vent hood in the kitchen or a beautiful stone fireplace.

The book encompasses multiple styles, designs and patterns for counters, floors, backsplashes and walls. For the photography and ideas alone, this book is worth the price but it has so much more. It includes tips and pointers for using stone in various places. For example, on page 66, there is a side bar that has Ideas for the Shower. It includes tips like "When chosing a polished granite for the shower walls, keep in mind that water spots are magnified on a polished surface."

This books covers all kinds of natural stone: limestone, granite, travertine, marble, slate. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

This book describes the nature of various types of stones and the recommended usage inside and outside the home. I've used this book as a guide to show my local stone dealer what type of stones I'm looking for. And also used it to illustrate the concept of my dream home to my Interior Designer, she understood immediately without us having to go through many rounds of interview to get it right. As a result, my dream home is now almost complete with stones from all over the world, marbles from Spain, Italy, Iran.... granite from Norway and Indonesia... coral stones, tumblestones, slates, and many more.... Wonderful pictures and illustrations, I'd recommend this book to anyone! Suitable for modern Asian homes too!

I love this book . It is awsome . In the begining it is just a little bit slow but stick with it it is very very worth it !!!!
I would recomed this book for ages 11 and up . It is the best book ever . If you are considering buying it , Please do .

Nothing really bad happened to the kids in this book. Widow Chase was almost too nice to them, and she let them live in her house. And the girl's little brother hardly got into any trouble, and was hardly ever a problem. Better for younger readers.

On the surface, Stopping to Home seems simple. Two children who have lost their family find a new one. But they do so within the confines of an 1806 Maine seacoast community, and ten months in which they, and the reader, experience life in early 19th century Maine. The heroine, Abbie, is strong and resourceful, and her brother Seth is a delight. Highly recommended.

I'm a lot older than 12, but I loved this book, and shared it with several friends who grew up in Maine, as well as with my grandchildren. The story is moving and credible and has more complexity than meets the eye ... but the beauty is in the background details about early nineteenth century Maine. Layering pine boughs around houses in fall to protect against snows ... high church pews that keep out drafts ... cooking fiddleheads and dandelions in the spring .... I loved this book, and so did my three grandchildren. Although they were amazed at what children of 4 and 11 were expected to do in those days! It inspired some interesting talks about the past. Definitely recommend this book.

Abbie & Seth Chambers are memorable characters who I really enjoyed reading about. They live in a world far from today's, but cope with problems (like figuring out their own futures,) that kids today also struggle with. I've recommended Stopping to Home to lots of my friends!

We just finished reading it; I had to finish it while she was eating her breakfast before school b/c she loved it so much and wanted to see how it ended! She loved it as much as i thought she would, so it was very gratifying. What beautiful illustrations and such a sweet story. It is made more charming by being set in the past, in England.... I think all of Rumer Godden's books I have tried are fantastic, and look forward to discovering the rest of them with my children.

OK, I'll admit, I'm 35 years old and this is my absolute favorite christmas story (Besides the orig. one!).

This is a long read aloud (one or two sittings) but a great one. I have used it successfully with 3rd and 4th graders (large group) and with any age above 3 (one-on-one).

I first came across the story of Holly and Ivy as a child in the school library. Nearly 40 years later, I was delighted to find it again. It is one of those stories that stays with you and it is one that I was delighted to give to my daughter.

On the surface, it's a story of simple wish-fulfillment: doll gets girl; girl gets doll and family. I realized, reading it this time, that it also Rumer Godden's revision of Hans Christian Andersen's beautiful awful tale of the Little Match Girl. In this version, though, the orphaned Ivy doesn't freeze to death and her wishes, despite all the rational reasons for them not to, come true. Godden's writing is exquisite here--balanced between the beautiful fantasy of Christmas wishes and dolls who think and the quiet, half-hidden awareness that this is just a story and that the ending could have turned out very differently. As a child, I loved it; as an adult, its poignancy surprised me by bringing me close to tears.

The illustrations are well-matched--both simple in line, but full of the pertinent details that children listening to a story love to find. Just a really nice match of story and artist.

It is a long book for reading aloud (though there are natural breaks). I've read it twice to my seven-year-old and the tension of the story is such that I didn't end up taking breaks reading it. Because of the language, it's more of a reading-aloud than reading-alone book for the younger reader set. I wouldn't give it to a child who wasn't fairly comfortable with chapter books unless I knew there was another willing reader in the house.

It is very much a doll story. A child who liked Dare Wright's The Lonely Doll would grow into this one. And if the child likes Holly and Ivy, I recommend Rumer Godden's Miss Flower and Miss Happiness and its sequel, Little Plum.

Godden has such a wonderful literary style; it's a shame her children's stories aren't more widely known and that so many of them are out of print. This was one of my favorite books as a child, and now it's one of my daughter's favorites. I won't bother with a plot synopsis, since others have already done that. I'll just say that it's a lovely story with a sweet, absolutely satisfying ending. Adrienne Adams did the original illustrations for many of Godden's children's books, including The Story of Holly & Ivy, and I'm a big fan of her artwork, but Barbara Cooney's new drawings for this story are just as good, or even better in my opinion.

If your child enjoys The Story of Holly & Ivy, I recommend you check your local library and used bookstores for the other stories from the Four Dolls collection: Impunity Jane, Candy Floss, and The Fairy Doll; also look for Mouse House and The Mousewife. All of these are particularly good if you have a precocious reader, because the writing and vocabulary are relatively advanced, yet the content is age-appropriate for younger children.

Upon encountering this book in Foyles on Shaftsbury Ave I picked it up and dusted it off. It was discounted so I bought it... it has been invaluable to me in the past and I thank myself for finding it almost everyday.

Inside the book are all the classics of bad thinking analysed -- everything from the common red herring argument, to argument from authority and the classic Popperian argument that an argument must be weak if it cannot be proved wrong (something amazingly the vast majority of people just do not seem to get).

All of the beliefs that lead to much of the misery in the world and the poor allocation of resources to solve the worlds problems are all here... indeed if people were to read this book the malaise of mysticism, faith-based healing, religious fundementalism, bad science and even worse political reasoning would be avoided...

Oh... and if you're a business person, like I am, you will immediately benefit by avoiding 90% of the rubbish that passes for wisdom in the business/ self-help section of your bookstore.

Treasured.

In my biased opinion, this ranks as one of the finest books on the subject of critical thinking. Unfortunately, it is highly priced on Amazon.com, but one can find cheaper alternatives on the internet. Thouless focuses a lot on how social proof, and other biases do impede one's ability to think rationally, especially when facts are not conclusive, or when there are more than two plausible arguments in a given scenario. Good for policy makers, students, regular folks, and people who routinely make decisions under uncertainty.

Reading this book opened my eyes to exactly how badly crooked thinking runs our society today: how little emphasis we place on actual evidence and argument, what kind of dishonest argumentation our politicians and news providers use, etc. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that I had to go to a used bookshop in Perth, Australia to find it! Why isn't this masterwork still in print? We need it just as much now as they did in the 1930s!

I last read this book about 15 years ago as a student and the lessons of the 38 dishonest tricks used in arguments detailed in the book have left a life-lasting impression on me. It is an invaluable book which is still relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1930. Could the copyright owner(s) please reissue this book or better yet, contribute to the public domain?

Although written at the end of the 1930's, the book is amazingly relevant today and one of the most clearly presented and well thought-out books of its kind that I've ever read. It is well worth your time.

This is written by my 11 year old daughter:
I thought this book was amazing and it deserves a 5 out of 5.

Have you ever read a book that you just couldn't stop reading and you had to find out what was going to happen next? That's how I felt while reading Tadpole. It was such a good book that I had to just keep reading it. That's because the book had a good plot and great character's.
I liked the plot because at times the book was sad but at others, it was happy. Tadpole was trying to find a different home. Uncle Matthew, the owner of the house Tadpole was staying at, didn't treat him right. If he did something wrong, Uncle Matthew would slap Tadpole on the back with a horsewhip. Tadpole ran away to the Collin's house, his cousin's, so he could get away from Uncle Matthew.
The main character's were Tadpole, or Tad, Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and the girl's mom, Aunt Serilda. I liked them because they all had their own personality's. Kentucky was popular, Virginia was pretty, Georgia was smart, and, well Carolina, she didn't quite know what talent she had, at least until Tadpole came, and that's what I love about him. He is nice, honest, he include's other people, and he helps people too. That's how Carolina found her talent, by Tad. She found that her talent was singing, finding the harmony in music, and also, playing the guitar, she was a natural at it. She could also identify car engines.
As you can see, I really liked this book and I didn't have to say anything bad about it. This book was made up of a great plot, great characters, and so many other reasons!

One mother, four girls, and one fun music loving cousin named makes this a great book. I enjoyed this book because the author had a great style of writing, and the plot of Tadpole was good too.
In Tadpole Ruth White, the author did a great job of writing this book in a way that an eleven year old girl in the south would have talked. Ruth White used words like `cause instead of because, and git instead of get. Details like these makes Tadpole more realistic book.
Tadpole was about a mother, four girls whose father left them because he was tired, and a cousin nick named Tad whose parents had both died. Tad had been living with his abusive uncle Matthew Birch, who had adopted him but, he uses him as free labor until Tad turns 18. One day when Tad's uncle was really mad at him he decided to run away and go to his mother's sister Serilda who lives in a small house with her four daughters. In the middle of the night he goes to his aunts room and tells her all about what his uncle has done to him. Carol who is the youngest and sleeps in the same room as her mother woke up in the middle of their conversation and decided to listen in, so she heard a lot and it became her secret. Mama tried to get a herring with a judge so she can be his legal guardian, but the judge won't hear the case.
This is a great book I it think should have a sequel, to tell more about Tads life and if Uncle Matthew tries to do something to Tad, or if he leaves him alone.

Tad
Have you ever read a book that you didn't want to put down? That's what it was like when I was reading Tadpole. Tadpole was the best book ever! I loved the plot but I thought it was really sad at some parts. I also liked the characters in the book.
I loved the plot of the book because it was sad at certain times but it was happy at other times too. Tad, as he likes to be called, is focused on finding a home where people will take care of him and treat him right. His Uncle Matthew, who has been beating him up, is where Tad has been staying, so he ran away. Tad ran away to his Aunt Serilda's house with her daughters Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia. They kept Tad there but he was scared of getting caught by his uncle. Carolina felt like she didn't belong in the family and Tad helped her feel better about herself by helping her discover some of her special talents she didn't even know she had. Like singing, and finding the harmony of songs and she could hear and identify all the different kinds of cars and she would help keep Tad safe if she heard an unfamiliar engine because it might be Uncle Matthew.
I liked the characters in Tadpole too. The characters in the book lived in Kentucky and had a southern accent. The main characters in this book are Tadpole or Tad, Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and the girls mama and Tad's Aunt Serilda. I liked the characters because each one had a different personality.
I loved this book and as you can see I didn't have anything bad to say about it and if you read it, I'm sure you won't either!

Have you ever read a book that you just can't put down? That's how I felt when I read an amazing book called Tadpole. There were so many exciting sections that made me jump out of my seat. But the best part that I liked was the characters.
The first exciting event was when Tadpole came to Aunt Serilda's house and lived with the four girls for a while. It got me excited because I thought was not going to be that good. It turned out to be very suspenseful. Another section of the book were there was excitement was when when Tadpoles uncle came to their house to find him. When his uncle came it got me very excited because they hid under the bead and it put a picture in my head right away.
The characters were very funny, but one, Uncle Matthew. He was very cruel and mean. He would abuse Tadpole when he lived there, but he eventually escaped. Tad was very entertaining and funny because he played the guitar and sang. The best character was Carolina because, she reminds me of ME! She reminds me of myself because, because she's nice and quiet.

I really liked the book because it was exciting, suspenseful, and the characters were very funny. There are so many more reasons that I liked the book Tadpole and I'd read it again. Maybe, if you read it too, you would like it also.

An excellent book for beginning turners. Detailed explanations and lots of pictures.Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Woodworking (Complete Illustrated Guide)

I am really impressed, what an introduction, great information!
I am interested in turning wood so I bought this book to research lathe wood working, and it seemingly covered questions that I had and so many others that I had not even thought of yet.
The illustrations give visualization to understanding of new jargon and concepts. I now feel like I have been properly introduced to a new creative expression in woodworking and am ready to pick up a gouge and try my hand at turning wood.

It was really great all Richard Raffan's book are so easy to do the projects as he writes and has photos of the item he is telling you about

All I needed to know, Plus much more.
Easy way to learn the tips and tricks of turning.
All turners should have a copy on hand.

Richard Raffan is by far one of the most recognized Master Turners in the world. This book is most likely a compilation of all of the works he has produced and presented in such a way that Turners on every level will gain something beneficial to their own turning. It is well organized and written in such plain language that every turner will have no problem understanding. The illustraions are top notch and very helpful. I would recomend this book to turners of every level.
Dave Earl

I was pleased to find that not only is Texas BBQ represented in the first chapter, but the book also recommends the use of wood-burning, offset firebox pits. Unfortunately, the book is a let down when it comes to BBQ sauce.

I have two major points of contention with the lone recipe that is provided:

First, the authors admit that the only reason that the book even contains a BBQ sauce recipe is at the request of their New England-based publisher, and while their chastising is mildly amusing, I have to agree with the Yankee: the vast majority of Texas diners that I've met take their brisket/sausage/chicken/etc with sauce. It is disturbing that the Jamisons, while attempting to write a Texas cookbook, had to be strong-armed by a Red Sox fan into coughing up a BBQ sauce recipe.

Second, the recipe that is offered is a tangy, syrup-y concoction the likes of which I've never seen served with Texas BBQ. I certainly can't claim to have tasted the sauces from a majority of Texas purveyors of Q, but none of the ones that I have tried, from Austin to Houston, resemble "Ol' Red's". I expect something thinner, not a glaze, more savory with a hint of smokiness and very little tang.

The Jamisons need to rethink their seemingly limited view of "the perfection of cookery"'s most recognizable accompaniment.

I bought this book a few weeks ago in a Dallas mall in one of those Texas touristy shops because I was looking for a basic Texas cookbook that had a great variety of Southern and Mexican recipes including a great basic salsa and a Ranch dressing.

So far, I have not been disappointed ONE BIT. I have made four recipes so far...year-round salsa, green sauce, milagro meatloaf, and the mashed potatoes, and everything has turned out absolutely fantastic. The instructions are perfect and don't need any tweaking whatsoever.

Just as an aside, I have made mashed potatoes probably forty times, but decided to give this new method a try after reading how deliciously fluffy and rich they were supposed to be. Not only did the method work out perfectly, but they are THE best mashed potatoes I've ever had.

Fantastic book...definitely a must-have for anyone that adores Tex-Mex or Southern cooking!!!

Like other reviewers have said, I have never made anything out of this cookbook which wasn't utterly delicious! The difference between this and many of the other cookbooks I own is that this food is meant for people who love to eat real food- not "nouveau" dishes that often turn out as if no one had tested the recipe. My favorite recipes are "The Driskill's 1886 Room Chocolate Sheet Cake" (which is now called "Texas Sheet Cake" by my family, the PTA and my church group); the Molasses Spice Cookies; and the Big Thicket Coconut Cake.

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday and she opened this cookbook and requested Tamale Pie and Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake for her birthday dinner. Both were new recipes and both came out absolutely beautiful and delicious. I asked my husband what he wanted for dessert for Father's Day and he picked out the German Chocolate Cake from this cookbook, because he said that it was guaranteed to be excellent.

So can you tell I think you should buy it?

I have owned this book for over 10 years now and have cooked most everything in it. I'm telling you honestly that I have yet to cook something out of here that doesn't get snacked on constantly or rave reviews from people that visit. My original copy of this fell apart from being used so much! What I wound up having to do was cut the spine off of the book and rebind it myself.

I'm honestly very surprised that this book doesn't have more reviews than it does. Not only are the recipes wonderful to eat, they are fun to read. The author adds fun descriptions and background information with every recipe. Reading these will actually make you want to cook them. Almost every recipe book that I've read since has been disappointing in this respect. This book raised the bar!

Actually there is one recipe that I haven't been able to cook very well, and that is the biscuit. I've dedicated entire days here and there to do nothing but cook batches trying to get it right, but they always come out hard and don't taste very good.

I can't believe there are used copies available! Why would anybody sell one after seeing and using it? I wasn't born in Texas but was made an "honorary native" by friends (complete with membership card!). I received this book as a gift after moving back to the midwest and I LOVE it! I now make the best chicken-fried steak this side of the Sabine River thanks to this cookbook. It not only has great recipes, it has invaluable tips and interesting comments on Texas culinary history and culture. The recipes are not fancy (meaning not "nouveau" or "fusion"), not laden with fillers. Just good food suitable for any night of the week.

This book tells the hard-core truth of what our men and women go through and the lifelong pain and suffering they endure for our freedom. It is graphic but for those of us who care to know the truth, it is exactly what it needs to be. My heart goes out to this author and every other veteran. I thank them all for their service and sacrifice. I highly recommend this book. It will open your eyes to the true horror and cost of war.

A well written story that took me back over an odyssey of more than 30 years. I was honored to have made my very first journey to "The Wall" with this man and believe me when I say that simple words are not able to convey my personal feelings. He is truly a "Brother"... Vietnam was something that had to be experienced to appreciate the writers words. Someone that has experienced the man, or woman that served in country would be wise to read this work and understand that pain and agony many of relive each and every day.

Excellent book! The way it really was! Not for the light of heart! No holds barred! Stories told that the media tends to squelch! A must read for all veterans and families of vets. It sheds light and understanding on what goes on inside the combat vets head after the combat. Not just from "Nam".---Poe

Storm captures the essence of what Viet-Nam Vets went through and what many are still experiancing. It is not candy coated and it tells of the real cost of war. We all turned are backs on them and could never understand or feel their pain. Storm has the GUTS to share it all and not hold anything back. Hopefully by reading this many will begin to heal and come full circle with friend and relatives. This is a must read for the all Baby Boomers..... I love you my cousin and now after all these years you have shared with the world the true cost of war.

Awsome. At long last a book about the the Viet Nam Vets went through and what many still are. This story has needed to be told for many decades. This is a book about a young man caught in one of the ugliest wars of the twentieth century. His struggle with his demons, during and after battle, mistrust of higher command and the mistreatment from his own country people, government, his families and friends after his return from probably the most unpopular war in American history. Now, more than 35 years later, we find ourselves in the middle of another illconceived, immoral and illegal war where vets returning are suffering horried similarities. The book goes a long way in helping vets and their families heal and inform. May God bless the author, Elliot Storm

Sincerely,
Benjamin A. Martorella