California Books

To describe "Short Bike Rides in and around San Francisco" as a cycling book does it injustice. Sure, it succeeds in describing ways around and out of San Francisco, but does so much more. Even for someone who's never been on two wheels, the descriptions of the neighborhoods, their attractions and history, is worth the investment. I strongly recommend it, the best cycling guide book of its type I've read.

The one weakness is a lack of an index. You might read an excellent review, for example, of a burrito shop, but recalling on which ride that review occurred may turn into a serial search operation. Nevertheless, it still ranks as a 5-star on this rating scale. Virtually a must-read for all cyclists in SF.

San Francisco is a very "livable" city, especially without a car to worry or pay for. "Short Bike Rides..." suggests two dozen fun routes in and around the city that allow you to make the most of living here without a car. From the fastest way to get across town, to a wonderful rides in Marin and the East Bay I have ridden nearly all of these rides, and enjoyed them immensely. Not only are the directions and maps clear, but Kingman's comments are often very entertaining. There is also a handy supplement in the back listing public transportation contacts for taking your bike on BART, CalTrain etc.. Absolutely essential for any SF cyclist - commuter, weekend warrior, out of towner, tourist entertainer. And for less than $10 I have used this book 10x as much as any of the other rides books I have.

One note: I would assume Kingman is one hell of climber, since he does tend to downplay the physical effort required to climb the "hilly terrain" of some the rides.

This is my favorite bike rides book. It's an excellent read and lets you see the best of the city.

Not only is Henry Kingman's book a great way for visitors to explore San Francisco by bicycle, it is also a handy reference guide for local cyclists looking for new or better routes. Every S.F. cyclist should have a copy.

I'm Craig's little brother, but I was surfing Amazon and didn't even know he had a book out until I saw it here! So I ordered it.
I like to cook, but I was very intimidated by trying my famous chef brother's recipes. I have to say, the way the book is presented that making these dishes is very easy to understand, you just have to be willing to search out a few uncommon ingredients, and be willing to buy a few items for cooking that you might not have had before. But if you are passionate about food and don't mind some extra effort, it is really worth buying this book and trying these supremely delicious recipes!

You might think it's biased of me to write a good review, but seriously, one taste of Craig's creations and you'll realize that relation has nothing to do with it. ;)

Although I may be somewhat biased in my opinion (Craig is my brother), I am unbelievably impressed with Craig's culinary skills. I have personally been to Sierra Mar and tasted many of Craig's creations. My brother was somewhat skeptical of my opinions because I used to be an extremely picky eater growing up, so I hope he's been surprised by my lack of fear in trying new foods.

If you have never been to Sierra Mar and tasted the fine cuisine invented by Craig, you are truly missing out on a culinary adventure you will savor for years.

Way to go Craig!

Love,

Your Little Sister Suzanne

This cookbook is a valuable addition to the library of those who have a greater-than-average interest in the preparation of fine gourmet cuisine. The recipes are well-described and keyed to seasonal ingredients. The photographs are beautiful, and illustrate artistic presentations. The preparations are interesting, creative and delicious without going way over the top.

I would warn potential purchasers that this is not really a cookbook for the casual home cook. You should ask yourself the following questions:

Do you enjoy spending an entire day in the kitchen preparing dinner?
Does your list of kitchen equipment include a mandoline, a chinois, and a juice extractor?
Do you know where to purchase ingredients such as grade-A foie gras, diver's scallops, guinea hen, ramps, or baby chioggia beets?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no", then this book will probably spend more time on your coffee table than in your kitchen.

I think a lot of books of this sort are written by chefs who prepare their dishes in restaurants with an army of sous chefs, line cooks, dishwashers, and the necessity of feeding a crowd of customers each evening. Moving the techniques to the home setting where you are preparing dinner for your family and maybe a few guests requires a process of translation that leads to error-prone and incomplete recipes. This cookbook has been well thought out and edited, and avoids the problems that others have found with "gourmet chef" cookbooks. All recipes are calibrated to serve 6 in a format of a multi-course "tasting menu" dinner. That means the portions are each relatively small, and designed to be individually plated. Each course has well-thought-out wine recommendations for those who like to pair indiviudal courses with wines. Definitely not Tuesday night dinner.

I have looked over the recipes, and personally prepared the "Smoked Salmon-Wrapped Day Boat Scallops with Quail Egg, Fennel Emulsion, and Salmon Roe". It worked very well, with no missing ingredients, steps, or poorly-thought out proportions.

I think this book was well worth the price. As Jaques Pepin likes to say -- "Happy Cooking!"

"You can learn so much about food just by listening to people from different cultural backgrounds talk about their food memories...what you hear is about the soul of their food, not its science." ~ Chef Craig von Foester

The Sierra Mar Cookbook features recipes from the #1 Hotel Restaurant in California. The ever-changing menu features a fusion of French, Mediterranean and Asian culinary influences. The pictures alone produce a sense of awe and are beyond inspirational.

The unique style of this cookbook displays six intriguing menu options that represent six evenings at Sierra Mar:

Local Farmers Markets & Perfect Timing
Monterey Bay Salmon, Taste Memory & Total Utilization
Tomatoes, Terroir & the Artistry They Inspire
Preserves, Marmalades & Capturing Flavors that Sustain Us
Black Truffles, Shellfish & Pondering the Soul of Food
Slow Braising of Flavors & Big Sur Chanterelles, a Rustic Spirit of Taste

It seems rare for a cookbook to have the variety of stunning scenic pictures and it leaves you longing to visit this restaurant. A slopping field of flowers melts into a perfectly pink sunset in one picture and in another waves dash against the rocks.

Recipes that looked especially tempting include:

Salad of Grilled Black Mission Figs, Bitter Greens and Bleu de Haut Jura Cheese with a Port Reduction

Pancetta-Wrapped Sika Venison Loin with Pistachio Puree, Huckleberry Sauce and Pumpkin Dumplings

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage-Pecan Brown Butter

Composed Main Lobster Salad with Satsuma Mandarins, Hearts of Palm and Basil Oil
(the colors are gorgeous and look very tropical)

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Crispy Potato Cake and Oyster Mushroom Cambazola Compote

Ceylon Tea - Glazed Salmon with Hoisin-Braised Bacon and Pea Tendril Salad

Throughout the book there are step-by-step technique pictures with descriptions so you can learn how to slice potato gaufrettes. A section of "basic recipes" introduces you to Brioche, Pate Brissee, Champagne Vinaigrette, Fig Jam, Red Wine Syrup and Fines Herbes.

If you are looking to impress someone with recipes that will create an intoxicating culinary experience, I can't think of any cookbook that compares to this one! The pictures are stunning and the flavors are complex and have comforting seasonal appeal.

100 Stars!

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

I thought this book was stupid, but i've read it twice. Sofia manages to capture Antonio's heart and also his best friends. I won't tell you the ending, but it was sad and happy at the same time. I liked it but as i said it was kinda dumb.

This book was ok but not as good as some of the other American Dreams. It was pretty good though. It is about Sofia, a Spanish-Californian girl living in the 1840s.

HIS BOOK WAS REALLY GOOD AND GOT ME INTO IT. THE TRAGEDY OF HER FATHER DIEING AND LOSING HER MONEY TO HER FATHERS LIEING BUSINESS PARTNER AND HER DICISION TO SEPERATE HERSELF FROM THE ONE MAN SHE REALLY LOVES IS SO TOUCHING SO TRUE SO LIFELIKE. THEN THE JOYS OF STARTING HER OWN SCHOOL ANDTHE RODEO AND FINALLY MEETING UP WITH HER LOVER . THIS WAS AN EXCUISITE BOOK AND I HOPE ALL OF YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT.

I have read other books in the American Dreams collection, but this would have to be one of my favorites. Sofia DuFay is in love with a man that loves her back, but do to his snobby family, she knows there love wasnt meant to be. So she decides to forget him, but through time she realizes she cant. Do to an unforuantate(sp??) tragedy, she is left broke and decides to start a new life. All the time she still thinks of the young man and there forbidden romance. I dont want to tell the ending, so I will keep quiet, BUT THIS BOOK IS ONE YOU CANT PUT DOWN!!!

I am a new science teacher. I have found this book to be a necessity in my classroom. In talking with veteran teachers, they also see this book as vital to any biology teacher. It is easy to use and provides many innovative ideas.

This is one of three essential source books that includes A Sourcebook for Elementary Science and Geology and Earth Sciences Sourcebook (out of print). Professionals in business, science, engineering, agriculture and K-12 & university education keep these sourcebooks close at hand. These are the "how to" methods of science. You are cost-effective by efficient use of equipment, glassware, reagents and specimens. I regularly give the Sourcebook for the Biological Sciences as a gift to those I work with.

After majoring in biology decades ago, there are only two books that I did not sell. This is one of them. It is truly a "keeper". As a science teacher, I continue to find it useful every year.

The wealth of information encompasses such diverse topics as the solving of biological problems using the chi-square, the making of stock solutions (for example, Lugol's solution), examinations of onion cells, the testing for Vitamin C content, field classification of conifers, and the culturing of live animals in the lab or classroom. The latter include earthworms, daphnia, hydra, Drosophila, and brine shrimp.

A great resource for science methods and information.

This book provides descriptions of all the parks in the area it covers, with maps that show nearly all hiking trails and advice on when is the best time of year for each. I wish the equivalent books for other parts of the bay area were this complete.

For over a year this book has been my bible for selecting hikes in the south bay area. The authors' trail descriptions are vivid, and their routes are planned well. I have two major grievances: first, their loquacious style can make it hard to determine exactly what turns you're supposed to take and when. Secondly, finding a hike is too cumbersome: you go to page 18 to search the map for the park you want, then back to the table of contents to find the page number for the park, then forward to the actual content. The map should be in the very front or back of the book and should include page numbers. Despite those annoyances, I still bring this book with me every weekend, and can recommend it as a good guide.

This is a wonderful book that goes into great deatil about the many trails in and around the South Bay. It breaks down the area by specific parks and then suggested hikes, including mileage, elevation loss or gain, and time. It even has a neat little appendix outlining hikes by category (ie., short hikes, hikes to see spring flowers, etc.) The text is detailed, explaining what you will find around every bend, and the historical information on the parks is very interesting. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get out and away from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.

I just replaced my battered copy of the first edition with the latest, third one, and it's a real winner! These authors' books are always educational, interesting and complete. And best of all they lead one into many fine hiking adventures around the bay. I've spent many a fine summer day following their instructions. It's about time they put out a new edition, because of all the new parks and trails they had to cover. Recommended!

Carey McWilliams has been called "the single finest nonfiction writer on California--ever." This book, along with *California: The Great Exception* (1949), helped establish that reputation. Drawing on McWilliams's deep insight and remarkable versatility--he moved easily between the worlds of politics, law, literature, and journalism--this book, even after six decades, still captures the spirit and energy of a region that seems to remake itself continuously. *Southern California* has influenced not only journalists and academics, but also artists. One of its chapters, for example, inspired Robert Towne's Oscar-winning original screenplay for *Chinatown* (1974).

Unlike most historians, McWilliams also made history by serving in state government, arguing against the Japanese internment during World War II, and defending the rights of workers, minorities, and the unjustly accused--frequently in high-profile cases such as the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial and the Hollywood 10. In one critical area after another, McWilliams mapped the social and political territory, raised the main issues, distilled the key facts, and proposed the most practical remedies. He's probably the most versatile American public intellectual of the 20th century, and *Southern California* is one of his masterpieces. Highly recommended.

Originally published in 1946, McWilliams describes the socio-historical and economic formations of Southern California from the "bottom up" in a way uncharacteristic for his time period. He unveils the racist, eurocentric, environmentally devastating, materialistic and otherwise ruthless basis for the area's hegemonic culture, economy, and social relations. Moreover, he adds great insight into the incorporation of California into the world capitalist system. He covers the use, abuse, and devastation of various peoples in the area including Native Americans, Californios, Chinese, Japanese, Oklahomans and Mexicans. He also offers insight into the materialism or 'fake' culture which has emerged from the area only to exploit the cultures it has destroyed. The book is a bit long winded at times, but overall is a must read for anyone intersted in the topics I've described. It would be of interest to anyone who appreciates Almaguer's Racial Faultlines, Pitt's The Californios, or even Montejano's Anglos and Mexicans in the Making of Texas.

For all residents of Southern California past, present, or potential, there can be no better book about this unmatchable part of the world. Past residents (like myself) will sigh with fond remembrance, current residents will be amused, and potential future residents will be astonished. All will be entertained. The land, the geography, the history, and the weather. They're all discussed. The social outcasts, the wierd misfits, the kooks, the characters, and their schemes and dreams. It's all here, along with so very much more. Written by a longtime resident in a very entertaining style that combines dinner conversation with classroom lecture, this book will be a joy to anyone who has a love for the irreplacable experience of Living In Southern California. You will truly FEEL as though you are there. This book is one for the heart as well as the mind. Oh Los Angeles, how I miss you. Carey McWilliams, thanks for taking me back.

....California historian known to me, with his pithy style, his endlessly fascinating observations, and his anecdotes, rich in history and amusing in detail, which unlike the rivers of my state flow one after the other without any damming. I'm a native of Southern California, and I have yet to find a better book on this territory even though this one was originally penned in the late 40's.

The colonizers, the boosters, the flamboyant pillars of society who bamboozled, bulldozed, and boutiqued their way into California: they and other characters appear on the McWilliams stage in a fascinating--and at times disturbing--progression in which the land itself, that most neglected of characters, puts in appearances too. For we Southern Californians live in a land of constant paradoxes; to quote the author ("The Land of Upside Down"):

"To their amazement"--he means tourists--"they discovered that umbrellas were useless against the drenching rains of Southern California but that they made good shade in the summer; that many of the beautifully colored flowers had no scent; that fruit ripened earlier in the northern than in the southern part of the state; that it was hot in the morning and cool at noon...here, in this paradoxical land, rats lived in the trees and squirrels had their homes in the ground." No wonder we're all a bit topsy-turvy out here.

My one objection: I disagree with the author's description of the early Missions as "concentration camps." That through disease and, later, a mis-education that left the Native converts vulnerable to ranchero exploitation and settler genocide is beyond question; but however misguided their efforts, those early padres had no conscious agenda of wiping out a people. Nevertheless, McWilliams's detailed accounts of Mission life provide a much-needed antidote to the idealization and denial and Eurocentric bias that saturate most Mission histories.

If you want to know Southern California better, then of course you must stand on her soil and listen to her voices; but you could do much worse for an intro-at-a-distance than this fine book, which fellow natives will find confirming and eye-opening.

Like many of you, I'm a total advocate for human space exploration. Sure, robots are great, with their industructability and unquestioning loyalty, but there are times when you really need to get some human hands and eyes on location to provide some solid data and deal with the unexpected. But humans are soft, fragile, and can sometimes get a little grumpy.

Spacefaring: the Human Dimension by Albert Harrison helps fill a niche that I've found largely unfilled in most of the space exploration books I've read - how to keep humans alive, and stop them from killing each other during long space trips. And by focusing only on this aspect of space travel, Harrison gives the subject matter the time and respect it deserves. Each element is covered in tremendous detail, including the basics of food, air, water, heat, etc. but also the more psycological elements of coping with stress, group dynamics, training, and dealing with mistakes and disasters. Harrison throws in a plenty of anecdotes to give real world examples to the topics covered.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who finds this aspect of space exploration fascinating. I'd especially recommend it to folks like the Mars Society, as many of the issues have been largely ignored by NASA so far. And I'd force scriptwriters and directors to read this book before they make another Mission to Mars. Great book!

Al Harrison's book "SPACEFARING" has the qualities of an instant classic. It deals brilliantly with the central element in our ventures into space, the human being. It is a book about human factors in space. The work has the thoroughness and completeness of an academic treatise, but still reads easily. It is packed with little-known anecdotes and many cool historical and technical facts. The book's clear organization is particularly helpful, not just for guiding the layreader through a complex subject, but also for serving as a quick reference for space exploration professionals needing to read up on a specific topic. The book offers both a summary of lessons learnt and an analysis of our possible spacefaring future. For planners of a human mission to Mars, this is an ideal synthesis of where we stand on the subject of human factors.

Al Harrison, professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, is doing some far-reaching and somewhat unique work on the psychological impact of the "high frontier". His previous book, After Contact, explored some of the possible psychological and social implications of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. Now, in Spacefaring, he tackles these same issues as they apply to long-term human habitation, exploration, and settlement in space. This book is not just for the academic or space specialist. Soon, we shall all be involved and affected in some way with the human migration into the solar system and beyond. Essential - and entertaining - reading for those who want to know what lies on the journey ahead!

Al Harrison's new book is simply the best resource on the human side of spaceflight ever written. From radiation hazards to ergonomics to sex in space, Harrison provides a readable, comprehensive overview of the state of our knowledge. There are details aplenty, enough brilliant tidbits to add verisimilitude to any novel.

Harrison focuses on NASA's hostility to human-factors research, particularly in contrast to the Russians' long history of interest in crew selection and the effects of long-duration spaceflight. Given NASA's recent objections to the flight of Dennis Tito, this context is extremely timely.

His concluding chapter, on the drive to explore space, why we came so far so quickly, then walked away from human exploration, is well-reasoned, insightful and deeply passionate.

These were Ronald Reagan's best speeches. He selected them himself, not those a revisionist would impose. They are his most important speeches: his first inaugural when he warned that "Government isn't the solution...government is the problem!" His CPAC speeches including the landmark, March 1981 address. The Evil Empire address and his farewell address from the Oval Office. This is vintage Ronald Reagan.

This book is a selection of speeches that Ronald W. Reagan did since the fifties until he finished leadering the United States of America in 1989.
Here you can see how America was in the eighties and the challenges that americans had to face.
I think Ronald Reagan is one of the most importart people in the 20th century.

Es una pena que no se dinponga de ninguna biografía ni de ninguna selección de discursos de Ronald Reagan en español.

Out of all of the Reaganalia in print, this one is the Reagan Bible. If you are curious about what he thought, where he stood, or why every Republican candidate since 2004 has claimed his mantle, then get this book.

All of the beloved speeches--which sometimes feel like motivational sermons, celebrations of the American Spirit--are here:

* "The Speech" aka "A Time For Choosing" This is the speech for Barry Goldwater that launched Reagan's political career.
* Selected radio addresses.
* Both inaugural addresses, plus his farewell address.
* "The Evil Empire" speech.
* The D-Day/Rangers Monument Speeches.
* The Challenger Speech.
* The rededication of the Statue of Liberty.
* The Q and A session at Moscow State University.
* A selection of witty and wise quotes.

This book's strength is that it was selected by the Gipper himself, so this is essentially "Reagan on Reagan," or what he thought was important. In this aspect, "Speaking My Mind" outstrips its only rival Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan That Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America. To be sure, I recommend both books, but the former has an edge over the latter.

In addition to providing the key intellectual cornerstones of his though, I found this book helpful for establishing a Reagan chronology. Lou Cannon's quasi-official biographies Ronald Reagan: A Life in Politics has chapters that revolves around (and therefore emphasizes) Reagan's shortcomings. This book, on the other hand, highlights the high points of his life. Between the two, you get a depth perception that each one lacks. "By proving contraries, the truth is made manifest."

Take this book, then, as the main standard work on both Reagan and Reaganism. In Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan, Edmund Morris passes Reagan off as an enigma. Not so!--he was an open book. Open this book, and see what I mean.

This is the first book dedicated specifically to Ronald Reagan I've read, and I'm glad it was one Mr. Reagan himself put together. I freely admit I admire Mr. Reagan very much for not only his political principles, but also his wit and his way with words.

Here in "Speaking My Mind" we get to see how Mr. Reagan wants us to remember him. He is truly "The Great Communicator". The speeches he includes shows his sense of self-deprecating humor, his ability to good-naturedly rip his opponents to shreds, his compassion, and his unwavering dedication to conservative economic principles, not to mention democracy and individual liberty.

Naturally such an autobiographical work may tend to be one-sided, but Mr. Reagan doesn't shy away from the politically devastating Iran-Contra scandal; He included his address to the American people taking responsibility for the wrongdoings of his administration.

I recommend "Speaking My Mind" to those interested in learning about Ronald Reagan as only the man himself can teach.

Tarnhelm. The very name of the great old house on the cliffs beside the Pacific Ocean spells hope and mystery. Here, with Uncle Dirk and his mother, Cory Winterslow will surely find a home. What she finds is a lot of mystery surrounding her Uncle Dirk. There is strange music in the night, the whispers of the town people, and even rumors about the unicorn necklace she wears.

I guess this is the same story as the other reviews - I loved this book when I was a young girl and checked it out of the library several times. I recently purchased a used version of the book and enjoyed it all over again - more than 30 years after I first read it. Eleanor Cameron's style lets your imagination run away but in a believable way. I recommend this book for young and formerly young people everywhere.

I have thought of this book often ever since I first read it as a child. I couldn't remember the name nor the author but knew it immediately when I came across it recently at the library. I agree with the previous review, Cameron's writing is mystical yet natural. I reread it and was instantly taken to that otherwordly realm full of shadows and possibilities, a place where the natural world and the fantasy world coexist. All of Cameron's books are written with a richness and beauty that challenge the young reader while entertaining her. I recommend any of Cameron's books most enthusiastically.

I fell in love with this book in the fourth grade and still read it periodically. Superstition and magic play a part in this story of a young girl searching for her place in the world. This is not really a fantasy; the plot is very down-to-earth, but Cameron's writing has a mystical feel to it that delights without creating over-imaginative horrors. Excellent for 4th and 5th grade readers, but interesting enough for older readers as well. Definitely a book to remember.

This book is a nice illustration of Yosemite Park.
It may serve as a good beginning for a little kid's spiritual path.

While the story alone is enough to engage even the most rambunctious children aged 4-8 and lead them to study nature, author-illustrator Emily Arnold McCully's natural watercolor artwork makes the words on the page come alive and awakens a yearning to experience nature too. There is more of the main character, a girl nicknamed "Squirrel," in most of us than we would like to admit! The book's images show us a spritely dynamo of a girl who goes from 'rebellious' to 'inquisitive' as her mentor, John Muir, a gentle giant of a man, teaches her many object lessons and observational skills in the great outdoors. This book won the 2005 Giverny Award, given annually for the best children's science picture book. McCully's artwork gives us a sense of moments of self-discovery in nature, frozen in time. In the story, Muir honed her powers of observation by his own example. He had not lost his childlike sense of wonder, even though, when he arrived at her father's hotel, SHE almost had. The sheer joy of studying nature with Muir gradually replaced her delight in causing trouble. Near the end of the story, Floy (Squirrel) even became a nature guide for the tourists who visited the Yosemite Valley. The torch had been passed to another generation.

This book is about John Muir--an early naturalist in Yosemite Valley who founded the Sierra Club--and his young daughter called "Squirrel" This beautiful picture book is designed for early elementary. I would put together information about Muir--e.g., http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/ --along with photos of Yosemite Valley so the students could imagine what it would be like to want to protect the land. This book would make a good historical bridge to science and environmental studies.

When author/artist Emily Arnold McCully set her sights on famed naturalist John Muir and a little girl whom he met in Yosemite in 1868 the result was a splendid story which isn't totally true - but, it could have been.

At that time Muir was 30-years-old. He'd been to college, worked at several jobs, and felt a strong call to commune with nature and discover its laws. When he arrived in Yosemite hoping to prove his theory of glacial formation, he was hired by James Hutchings, an English journalist bent on attracting tourism to the area. Hutchings was also bent on one other task - taming his spirited daughter, Floy. Here was a girl who never wanted to grow up because then she'd have to be a lady. A thought quite repellant to the rebellious young miss whose nickname was Squirrel. She happily spent hours "talking to the family's pet parrot, balancing on a plank by the woodpile, making mud pies, and capturing frogs."

As the story develops Muir and Squirrel soon become the best of friends as he shows her how to see through his eyes the incredible surroundings in which she lives.

It is not known whether or not Floy grew up to be a lady, but it is known that John Muir became famous and the world has benefitted by what he learned.

- Gail Cooke