Seasons Books

In a world so hectic as ours, it is always a pleasure to be able to pick up a few lines of prose that returns us to the center and gives us reflections from outside our normally self-centered life.

Dr.John Hopkins

Beach Walks by George Thatcher In this well writen book, the reader is transported to their "beach" whether mental or actual. Mr. Thatcher has a wonderful way of communicating more than sights and sounds that goes to the heart and soul of the subject offered. Obviously, Thatcher is a man of rich life experiences and a high level of respect for life. His educated presentation is meaningful to readers (and beach walkers) of all ages. Around our house, one page can lead into a lengthy discussion. Thatcher's chronical is a treasure!!!!!! Son of a Beach Walker

For a land-bound Arkansas boy, BEACH WALKS opens new vistas of nature and beauty that I have not experienced as a way of life but only in passing on too-quick vacations. But Thatcher's introspection transcends the Coastal life to all who are one with God and nature.

Beach Walks is more than a collection of thoughts inspired by years of beach walking the Mississippi Gulf Coast by an observant, curious and perceptive beach walker. These thoughts, often lyrical, are enhanced with various quotations from Psalms to Mae West and Stalin, and frequently include fascinating scientific and historical facts, as well as entertaining trivia. Though this book will be especially meaningful to those familiar to the Gulf Coast, its essence is universal, transcending time and place.

Beach Walks is a lovely series of daily musings by George Thatcher, whose way of writing reminds me of paintings with words. George has an acute and creative sense of observation as well as a rich interior life! I am giving this book for gifts; a friend told me yesterday she reads my gift daily as a kind of devotional. Susan McNease

This is the only bread book I use . . . despite owning many!! Easy and delicious recipes that are consistant time and time again!

I am going to make this short and sweet. Kind of like the bread. I hate to cook. I love to eat. We have had a bread machine for a year and hardly used it. The bread did not come out right or it took too many ingredients we did not have. I happened to see this book (very eye catching), read the first recipe. It looked easy and there was no magic to it. It used ingredients we already have. The machine has not been back in the cupboard since. The author makes it easy to read, fun, and you get good bread. This book is a must for anyone with a bread machine that is getting dusty. It also has a large and interesting variety of recipes.

Every recipe I tried was excellent and so different from each other. I love the season themes. The recipes were easy for me to adapt to my machine.

I am completely new to the world of bread machine baking so, of course, I ran to Amazon and bought several books of recipes. This book by Connie Merydith is, however, far and away my favorite and the one I turn to the most. The book is beautifully laid-out with clear, easy-to-read type and nice small illustrations of bread at the bottom of most pages. The recipes are arranged by season with hearty wheat, nut and spice breads made with molasses, rolled oats and dried fruits for fall and winter, and lighter breads with honey, yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables for spring and summer. The author also includes recipes for non-loaf breads such as bagels, breakfast and dinner rolls, pita bread, pizza dough, bread sticks, focaccia, and bread rings. I used this book to make an assortment of rolls for Thanksgiving last week: oatmeal-molasses, peppery parmesan, orange spiral, wheat spice and rich dinner rolls (the bread recipes can all be made into rolls -- just stop your bread-maker before it begins to bake). There are also instructions for making and using a sourdough starter and a very complete index. If you're only going to buy one bread machine cookbook, then this is the one to get.

I bought this book based solely on the other reviews I read here, and I'm awfully glad I did. Though the book might not be for bread machine novices (there's hardly any information about the machines themselves, or advice on how to make sure your breads come out well), the recipe ideas are creative and tasty. The black olive bread is especially wonderful, and I'm looking forward to trying more.

My only complaint is that the comic books are so short, but they end on wonderful cliffhangers that keep you wanting more, just like the tv series. The storyline for "season 8" starts off with a bang and I'm really anxious to find out what happens next.

I must say, this particular book is well worth the purchase just for the sexy pic of Angel, Buffy and Spike alone!

I'm so impressed with this series so far, and I loved this issue. The last page was a shocker. Love it. What more can I say?

Wonder no longer! As a huge fan of Buffy/Angel/Firefly/Joss, I was anxiously determined to adapt to this new format for Season 8...and, after a few issues, adapted I have. And I guarantee that you will, too - anxiety free. Let me tell you how you won't regret it:

1. It's Joss! He IS these characters. Even just scanning the word and thought bubbles, you can HEAR them all quipping and whining and fighting just like in the good ol' days. It's super fun to try to figure out who the "surprise" character is on the next page from the little bit of enticing dialog revealed before you make that fateful page turn...such is Joss's talent for words that you'll instinctively know who it is before you see the art. You might as well be hearing their voices off-camera on the show, pre dramatic entrance.

2. While some of the body-language slash facial-expression "acting" by the artists doesn't quite match what the actor-actors (on tv) might have chosen, it is incredibly well done and seems to be getting better with each new issue.

3. The comic medium is actually used to deliver new stuff...especially special effects that would've been waaay too "special" on tv. (Dawn's giant situation, for example...but other stuff, too. Especially in this issue.) Plus, you know that some of the harshness of real-world reality, like annoying network notes and the unavailability of actors, etc, just won't be responsible for derailing stories here.

[As an aside, I have to believe that some of the giddiness of this freedom is responsible for the much-hyped Buffy/Spike/Angel fantasy panel which, to me, seems completely bogus, out of character, and gratuitous for the comic-book-guy-stereotype. Some version of this for Xander - totally! But not so much for Buffy.]

4. Joss does an incredible job of smoothing the tv-to-comic transition. As another reviewer (Beranbo) eloquently describes, Joss blatantly chooses "surprises" that almost over-resonate with connections to the tv show. And, in retrospect, you look at the surprises and you're like, "duh-of course! Why didn't I see that coming?" But no matter how well you know your Joss shows, you STILL don't see `em coming. Unlike the other reviewer, even though I occasionally saw through the device-iness - I not only bought into it but completely LOVED it.

Most importantly, the combo platter of Joss's script, the art, your imagination, and your love for the show will allow you to FEEL the characters and their stories and be swept away into their world...which is the whole point!

These comics just keep getting better. This one starts off immediately after Issue #2, and the action never stops. This, I'm sure, is the issue that will woo over any Buffy fans that have been doubting the greatness of these Whedon-penned comics.

So many questions come up after reading the first few issues, so I was counting on some answers in this one. We get to find out the following...

+ Who is Amy's boyfriend?
+ Who is the "My love" guy in Issue #2? Is it the same guy as the floaty-leather-jacket guy?
+ Is Renee alive after being stabbed last issue?
+ What's up with Willow and Kennedy?

Also, we get an appearance from a very popular baddie--none other than Ethan Rayne. Not to mention the unforgettable image of Spike/Angel that Scott Allie promised us in the letters section of the last issue. All that, plus scenes with Giles, Andrew, and the re-union of Xander, Buffy, and Willow.

The art, as usual, is amazing. However, one scene bugged me. There's a scene with only Willow's face, where she says "She looks tired" (referring to Buffy). In that scene, it looks like Willow either almost fell asleep herself or got her hands on a whole lotta drugs. But other than that one little flaw, everything is done well. Particularly Jeanty's interpretation of Ethan Rayne. Spot on. And, while I didn't think Giles looked like himself in Issue #2, this issue shows a VAST improvement. Very Gilesy.

And what can be said about Whedon's writing and plotting that hasn't already been said? Everything is tight, all is perfect. The cliffhanger at the end makes me want the next issue right away! How in the world will I be able to wait until June 6th for Issue #4?

*Note: All Buffy/Angel products rank a 10/10 CLASSIC compared to other products. This is rated against OTHER Buffy/Angel products, not all products*

9/10

Granted, with Joss Whedon doing the writing the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight" comic book is an absolute must have for fans of the late, loudly lamented cult classic television series. You might have no interest in variant covers and you might wait for the inevitable collection of issues in trade paperbacks rather than finding your local comic book store to get each issue as soon as it is hot off the presses, but if you have all seven seasons of "BtVS" on DVD (or your own personal collection of videotapes) then you have to check out what Joss is up to here because it has the virtue of constituting canon. Now the question is: how good is "Season 8" going to be?

Our Story So Far: Of the almost two thousand Slayers running around in the world about five hundred of them are working as squads under the control of Buffy and her new "Watcher," Xander. The gang is working out of a castle in Scotland investigating a strange symbol that is being carved into human bodies. But things escalate when somebody (who do not yet know who) sics Amy on Buffy. The witch and former rat has Buffy living a nightmare from which only the kiss of true love can awaken her. Oh, and Dawn is a giant.

Written by Whedon with pencils by Georges Jeanty and inks by Andy Owens, issue #3 of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight" is the third part of "The Long Way Home." As the start of this issue Buffy's nightmare continues, with Ethan Rayne showing up to play Virgil to the Slayer's Dante on a tour of her collective slayer memory, which includes an image of Buffy with Spike and Angel that you have never seen before and will never forget (What is this comic book rated?). Back in the real world Willow has finally showed up and is going toe to toe with Amy. We do not get back to the plotline where the military thinks of the Slayers as being terrorists, which I find rather intriguing, so I assume that is a set up for something down the road. However, by the end of this issue all of the pieces appear to be on the board for the end game and I am willing to round up on issue #3.

So far all three issues have ended with a bug (gasp!) reveal on the final splash page, and what bothered me is that the reveal of Amy in issue #1 reminded me of the reveal of Darla in "To Shanshu in L.A.," the season one finale of "Angel," while Willow's appearance on the last page of issue #2 explicitly repeats the sudden appearance of Giles at the end of "Two to Go" from season six of "BtVS." I find myself wondering if Whedon is trying to mix familiar bits with all of this new stuff to make the transition to this new format palatable. I mean, we know what the man is capable of and I am certainly hoping that he is able to work into this "season" his story idea for bringing back Tara (a good pair of shoes holds not temptation for me). However, I think it is safe to say that Joss is laying the foundation for his brave new world in this first story-arc and you should plan on being here for the long haul.

Reading Joss Whedon's "BtVS" comic book might take a bit of getting used to and it dawned on me today that the pacing is much more like what he is doing in one of the other comic books he is writing, "Astonishing X-Men" ("Runaways" is now the third), than what we learned to love with the television series. It turns out "The Long Way Home" is going to be a four-part story, which will conclude in the next issues. But given that the real villain is not disclosed until the final splash page of issue #3 it seems there is a lot to get covered next month. Initially my big question was whether each issue of this comic book constitutes an entire episode or just an act in an "episode," and at this point I think it is clearly the latter case. So when I think that Joss has a lot of 'splaning to do regarding who shows up on the final page I know at the same time that I am going to have to see how this whole thing plays out before I make a final judgment on how well things are going with this first "episode." Suffice it to say that my hopes outweigh my fears in this regard.

This was the first scriptbook I bought and I was really excited to read it. Some of the dialouge was wrong but most of it was correct. The episodes were spectacular and immediatly I got my freinds togethar and we acted it out.

Its been about 3 months and my script book is starting to curl at the ends. :( But thats alright because its still in good condition .... I dont know why I'm telling you this ...

If you love to act this is for you!! This is ALL SCRIPT!! Unlike, Once More With Feeling -- this is a bit of a better buy. :)

This was the first Buffy script book I ever bought and I thought it was pretty good. I could now act it out with my friends (I was always Buffy he he ) and stuff. The only problem was that it was the original script and some of the dialouge wasn't right. (as you will see with all the other Buffy scripts) but I think its totally worth your money!! Its brilliant! Awesome! Amazing! You'll capture Buffy, Drusilla, Spike, Angel, Kendra, Willow, Xander and GILES' humor, peronsality and everything that makes Buffy great!! BUY IT BEFORE THE RUN OUT!! ITS THE BEST!!!

Although BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER had been a first rate show from its inception, it was during the shows based upon the scripts that it started moving towards something approaching genuine greatness. Before these shows, it had been a superb series, but after these it became something considerably more. The most unbelievable thing is that as great as these six episodes (well, five of them anyway) are, the ones following were even greater, so great as to place Buffy among the greatest shows in the history of the genre, and arguably the greatest. The two episodes following these six would be ?Surprise? and ?Innocence,? and from that moment on Buffy would exist on an artistic level unmatched on television.

?Lie to Me? was written by Joss Whedon, and as fine as many previous shows had been, it is one of the first truly great moments in the series. Billy Fordham, played by Jason Behr (who would shortly after this achieve television stardom playing an alien in ROSEWELL), an ex-boyfriend of Buffy?s from L.A., shows up unexpectedly in Sunnydale. Eventually we learn that he is, in fact, dying, and has cut a deal with Spike and his crew to turn the Slayer over to them in exchange for being made a vampire. The episode has many funny moments (such as when Angel, Xander, and Willow go to a faux vampire club, and Angel remarks that none of them know anything about vampires, including how they dress, when a wannabe walks by dressed exactly like Angel), but even more poignant moments, like when Ford explains to Buffy his reasons for betraying her.

?The Dark Age? was written by Dean Batali and Rob DesHotel, who co-wrote a number a number of episodes of Buffy during the first two seasons. This is the best script they produced. Ethan Rayne, to whom we were introduced in ?Halloween,? makes his second appearance in the series. By far the most interesting aspect of the show is the way that we manage to learn more about Giles background, all the way to learning that his former mates had called him ?Ripper.? I enjoyed the few episodes that featured Ethan Rayne, and was always perplexed that he appeared in only four shows??Halloween? and this episode in Season Two, ?Band Candy? in Season Three, and ?A New Man? in Season Four. There was talk on a couple of occasions of Anthony Stewart Head doing a show set in England based on ?Ripper,? and if he had, I?m sure Robin Sachs would have been his ?Lex Luthor.?

?What?s My Line?? is a phenomenal two parter, and is notable not merely for introducing Kendra, the second slayer, but for the writing debut of the great Marti Noxon, who would become one of the greatest writers in the run of the show as well as co-executive producer, eventually running things when Joss Whedon ceased the day-to-day overseeing of the show. She co-wrote the first half with Howard Gordon, and then wrote the second by herself. One of the major themes of Buffy during the first two seasons was her hesitancy to embrace her calling as slayer. Although she wouldn?t fully accept the role until the first show of the third season (?Anne?), these two episodes stress her reluctance to be the Slayer more than any other shows prior to them (and even after ?Anne,? although she has accepted who she is, she struggles against her fate). These are exceptionally well-written shows, and one can engage in endless discussion the Kendra/Buffy relationship. Kendra, unlike Buffy, has completely accepted her fate, and while Buffy can never be like Kendra, she does learn from her to accept her calling.

?Ted? (written by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon) is not as strong on paper as it ended up being onscreen. Although it is a first rate script, John Ritter absolutely nailed the part of the psychotic robot Ted, and turned in one of the most memorable guest appearances in the entire history of the show. This is the episode that contains Giles famous quote about subtext rapidly becoming text. No other show in the history of TV has ever contained lines as clever as that one.

?Bad Eggs? was Marti Noxon?s third contribution to the show, and unfortunately perhaps the weakest script she ever did. One of the most amazing thing about the Second Season is that while the strong episodes established it as one of the great shows in the history of television, it nonetheless had a surprising number of pretty rotten episodes. Also, some of the strongest shows are preceded by the weakest. Just as ?Becoming? would later be preceded by ?Go Fish,? so ?Surprise? is preceded by ?Bad Eggs.? This might be an accident, but I doubt it. I suspect they realized it was a weak script, and wrapped the season-long story arcs around it. After this season, each season had considerably fewer weak episodes.

These six scripts show Buffy, which was already a very good show, in the process of becoming a great one. The scripts that immediately follow the ones in this collection are arguably as strong a group of scripts as any show in the history of television.

This book is great for fans who haven't seen the first six episodes of the second season. It gives the lines and stage directions to them so you feel like you've seen the actual episode. It even includes scenes which may have been removed from the original episode.

This book chronicles the first arrival of Spike, whom is now an important character. It also has "Halloween" which includes some funny stage directions from Joss Whedon.

If you haven't seen the beginning of the second season of Buffy or if you want in-depth information on the episodes' scripts, you should definately buy this book.

I happen to like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and I love reading through the scripts when I'm bored with watching the same episodes over and over. Its just nice to be able to read.

As A Freelance Artist This book has been so helpful In getting me started for the carreer I have ahead of myself. This book is a must have for all designers in my opinion.

Tad Crawford has written a whole series of books out of his expertise in the law and creative arts, with a special focus on photography and visual arts. I'd suggest looking at Tad's other books, too, since this one is more action-focused without extensive explanations of the whys and wherefores of it.

"Business and Legal Forms" has the documents you'll need, such as model and property releases, copyright transer forms, publishing contracts and other stock art forms. His descriptions are very helpful. Of greatest practical use, though, is the included media containing MS Word documents of all of the forms.

If you're just getting started in the arts, you need this book!

Not only does this book present a wealth of practical information on the business end of illustration, but the included CD-ROM works for Macintosh users as well as Windows. The electronic versions really *work* and are easily customizable. A very well done and helpful publication.

A superb book! When you consider that I downloaded a single "shareware" contract for artists that the author wanted $50 for, you realize the value of this book. And this book comes with a CD-rom with all the forms in electronic format, so you don't even have to go to the trouble to type or scan them in! This is the essential book for all graphic artists.

I found this book to be very helpful and well- thought-out. The author has provided an extremely powerful tool. He has thoroughly covered practically every situation a commercial artist is likely to face. This book contains 21 complete tear-out forms appropriately prepared for specific business matters such as estimates, collaboration, illustrator-agent agreement, consignment and sale of artwork just to name a few. This new revised edition conveniently includes forms on a CD-ROM. It also includes a detailed explanation on how to use each form. The legal advice found in this book will surely save you a great deal of time and money which is invaluable to any working artist. Unless you are a ''starving artist'' who works for food only, this informative legal guide will no doubt prove itself very useful and effifcient. This is truly an essential book for commercial artists!

A wonderful keepsake for anyone who was--and still is--a Steve Yzerman fan. A man with incredible accomplishments and integrity, he was a dedicated captain and dedicated to his teammates and his fans. His fans, in turn, were just as dedicated to him. And I think I probably speak for every one of them when I say it was a really sad day when he retired. It was almost like the lights went out in Michigan. We would have been happy to see him in a Red Wings jersey for many years to come. We would have been happy just to see him out there skating around. He is a shining example of what every hockey player should strive to be but he was pretty unique and he'll be hard to beat.

Purchased this as a Christmas gift for a BIG fan of Stevie's and she LOVED IT! Worth the money and "cheaper" than the bookstores!

Outstanding book! It really captured the whole history of Yzerman and his legacy plus legend... This is an outstanding book for both Red Wing and alll hockey fans

This book reminds me a lot of my all-time favorite Yzerman book, "The Making of a Champion," which came out about 10 years ago. It's pretty much the same format - reprints of news articles and photos that appeared in the paper, along with some original features.

Whereas "Champion" covered the first 10 or so years of Stevie's career, "The Captain" covers all of it. The articles, written by Detroit Free Press writers Bill McGraw, Mitch Albom, Nicholas Cotsonika and others, follow Steve from his early days as a teenage Red Wing, referring to Steve as "baby-cheeked" and telling us "if he shaves, it's only for practice" (and that he used to order white milk in bars!); as he becomes The Captain; blossoms into one of the NHL's most prolific goal scorers under Jacques Demers and then a three-time Stanley Cup champion under Scotty Bowman. All while playing for only one team - the Detroit Red Wings.

"The Captain" is a great tribute to a man who personifies the words "class" and "perseverance" and the ice is a colder place without him. This book is a must-have for Yzerman fans everywhere, regardless of which team you cheer for.

The tagline to this book says it all..."22 seasons, 3 cups, one team" and that one team may be more important than the three Stanley Cups. In this era of free agency and mega-million dollar salaries, Steve Yzerman was a rarity...a superstar athlete who played his entire career with just one team. You need only mention "The Captain" to any Detroiter and they will know who you are talking about.

This marvelous book from the Detroit Free Press and Triumph books traces the career of one of the greatest professional athletes in Detroit sports history. The word legend is thrown about quite freely these days but it certainly applies to Yzerman. Here was perhaps the most modest superstar you could ever hope to meet. A fierce competitor on the ice, who over came numerous injuries, and a pure gentleman off the ice, Yzerman retired after the 2005 - 2006 season to take a much deserved spot in the Red Wings front office. More than any other player, coach, or owner, Yzerman was responsible for resurrecting a once great hockey team that had fallen on lean times in the 1970's and early 1980's.

We get to see a young Yzerman, just 18 years old as he shakes hands with team owner Mike Illitch after being selected in the first round...only after the Wings first choice, Pat LaFontaine, was drafted one spot earlier. We can all thank the NY Islanders for that! Yzerman was named team captain in 1986, at just 21 years of age, making him the youngest captain in team history.

The book tracks Yzerman's career, season-by-season, reprinting articles by Free Press writers such as Mitch Albom, Keith Gave, and Nick Cotsonika. Re-live those early playoff disappointments including the Stanley Cup finals loss to New Jersey in 1995. Then relive the glory of 1997 as the Red Wings took revenge on the hated Colorado Avs, first in the regular season, and then in the playoffs, on their way to their first Stanley cup since 1955. Yzerman's visit to the David Letterman Show and the tragic accident of Vladimir Konstantinov is also covered as well as Stevie's career achievements and milestones and his laundry list of injuries suffered throughout his career.

This is a must have for any Red Wings fan!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

A really great book to learn about the religion, customs and history of the Jewish faith. The storys are wonderful and the crafts and food are easy and meaningful.

Aimed at intermediate or slightly older readers (but also could be read aloud to younger readers) this is an excellent introduction to the major Jewish holiday, including traditional ways to celebrate the holidays, recipes, activities and history. Adults as well as children are likely to learn something new about each holiday - I know I did!

Good books on Jewish traditions and heritage are very hard, if not almost impossible, to find. This book is easy to read and understand - for adults and children alike.

I used this book to introduce my private-school, sixth grade students to some Jewish holidays. The stories are clear, entertaining, and accurate, explaining the history and religious reasons for each holiday without being educationally or spiritually overwhelming. They are written with love and care; even my non-Jewish students remembered and referred to the stories throughout the year. This book is a treasure!

This has proven to be the perfect book to help our own (Catholic) children learn about the holidays our Jewish friends and neighbors celebrate throughout the year. Thank you, Gilda Berger and Peter Catalanotto!

As a lifelong participant and member of the United Church of Christ, I have listened to countless sermons. Alex Gondola has the gift of clarity while basing his inspiritional sermons on a solid foundation of intellectualism and historical fact. His words stay with you. I recommend "Don't Forget The child" for meaningful reading during the Advent season.

"Don't Forget The Child" are wonderful written sermons for advent and Christmas with inspirational parables that gave me a greater insight of the meaning of the advent season and the birth of Christ.

I have just read the book "Don't Forget The Child" by Alex A. Gondola,Jr
and find his words inspirational giving me renewable meaning and faith.
With the advant season upon us we need to experience the true meaning of
Christmas. Alex was my pastor at Dennis Union Church and I too take part
in the Dennis Village Green Living Creche. It is truly the spirit of
Christmas.May we all read his sermons "Don't Forget the Child".

Advent is always an exciting time for churches and pastors. But it is often difficult to remain fresh and informative. Dr. Gondola provides 20 sermon starters for both experienced and novice pastors. The sermons include traditional advent Sundays, Christmas Eve/Day, and Christmas tide. This book will help develop excellent sermons during this time of expectation.

Rex Fortney, Licensed Lay Pastor, UCC

This book contains good, concrete illustrations that fortify and clarify the more abstract thought of the author.
Short, simply stated, but well written segments bulild to a point of understanding that take the reader forward toward being a more fully realized Christian

I've been a western fan for as long as I can remember,over 40 yrs.I own every book written by Louis Lamour & love them all.Major mitchell has managed to capture the spirit of the west and the grandeur of the sierra nevada mountains,the rivers and valleys of 19th century california,blending historical fact & characters with adventure,mystery & romance.This is one great read.I can't remember enjoying a novel more than The DONA!Thank you Major Mitchell
Barry West

I happened across The Dona by accident. Having never once read a western, I had no idea what to expect. But The Dona did not disappoint. It's a classic story of good against evil and Mitchell's prose flows so smoothly I found it very hard to put down the book. I also learned quite a bit about early California, which made the book that much more enjoyable. If you've never read a western before, I can highly recommend it. And if you're a veteran of them, this one is sure to rank very high on your list of all time favorites.

In the spirit of the great westerns by Louis L'Amour and Zane Grey, The Dona transports you to another world, another time where love knows no barriers and good always prevails. Mr. Mitchell leads you through life in a California rancho, showing the rich and beautiful customs of the Mexicans that inhabited the California foothills. The characters are as real as they get and you find yourself rooting for the good guys. An engaging story eagerly guides you to the suspensful ending. In a world were everone is searching for complex and hidden meanings, The Dona is simple, pure enjoyment. This is a classic good guy vs. bad guy story. A must read.

Mr Mitchell wrote a book that I could not put down. I picked the book up just to kill some time. Then I found that I could not put the book down. Yes, it was one of those. You could tell that the author did some research on this time period and the things that went on during the time. I throughly enjoyed this book and would highly recomend it to anyone.

The Dona is a spicy courageous woman whose faith gives her the strength to endure hardships. Relentless evil men of greed make it their purpose to steal the Dona's land; and, in the process, destroy all that is dear to her heart. Mr. Mitchell's fabulous research into the erra breathes life into the characters, and enriches the historical background of the story. He caputures the reader and won't let go. The Dona is a wonderful book worthy of being read. Mr. Mitchell is a true storyteller!

As Catalans we love cooking and (specially) eating. This book is just the perfect balance between exquisite recipes, excellent presentation and informative reading. Do not miss the chance to get it

I just returned from a lovely stay at La Luna e i Falo, and enjoyed six nights of impeccable meals prepared by Elena and Franco. Our meals included all of the recipes from this cookbook, and I must say, not one of them disappointed! I was able to read this cookbook while at the farm, and made a note to immediately try to find it when I returned home. Amazon is the only place to get it, since it is now out of print. It was only released in America, so you can't even find an Italian version of the book. The other recipes from other cooks featured in the book look equally as good. You can't get more authentic, regional recipes than those that are found here. I highly recommend it!

This is a great Italian cookbook, very different from most of the cookbooks you see. Not only does it have great recipes but it also tells great stories about all the various farms the authors visit. And it also tells you how you can visit the farms yourself. The pictures in particular are very interesting. They are not the usual slick shots. It seems like they were all done on location and they have a feel of food photo-journalism. This book has great recipes and great heart and soul.

I love this book. It is the most unusual cookbook.I have travelled the Italian Countryside many times and this book reflects much of its uniqueness. I bought four copies for friends.

In this world inundated with tomes devoted to Italian cooking, this wonderful book stands out. The author spent years researching, collecting and testing authentic, seasonal farmhouse recipes (from all over the country) made with only the freshest ingredients. (The recipes are full-proof!!) This is one of the few books that allows everyone to make some of the most appetizing Italian dishes--just as the Italians do. Everything is explained in detail--from ingredients to techniques to customs to mail-order sources--in one of the most complete books ever written on the subject. And if this weren't enough, the flavor of the food is beautifully captured in some of the most exquisite photographs ever taken of Italy and its food. This book is a MUST for anyone who likes to cook and/or eat the most mouth-watering Italian cuisine!!