California Books

Private eye Thomas Kyd makes a welcome and very satisfying return in Timothy Harris' new novel. Mr Harris, for my money, is the worthy successor to Raymond Chandler and Ross MacDonald in examining Southern California through the honorable and appropriate prism of detective fiction. For those of us who live here, Mr. Harris' Los Angeles is vividly recognizable in all its ambivalent messy glory; for those who don't, it's an invitation to witness a sun-drenched car wreck where you actually care who survives.

Like Chandler's Marlowe and MacDonald's Archer, Mr. Harris' Thomas Kyd has become not only older and wiser over time, but also even more haunted by his past. Salvation appears in the person of a 14-year-old boy, a surrogate son, who offers at least a glimpse of hope for some kind of future. While the mature Kyd might be more reluctant to pull a gun, inflict a beating, chase a skirt, or crack wise, his observations of people and place are sharper than ever.

While the traditional elements of the genre are solidly on display, what sets this novel apart is the author's ability to always keep Kyd's moral sense in focus - the difference between right and wrong, just and unjust, pathetic and contemptible. Like those other great crime writers, Mr. Harris has a unique talent for tackling serious moral issues without being in the least bit moralizing.

A few years ago I was staying at a friend's house in England when I came down with the flu, and had to spend several days in bed. Once the worst part of it was over, my friend gave me a couple of detective novels by Timothy Harris to read, which he assured me I'd love: Kyd for Hire and Goodnight and Goodbye.

I've been waiting for a third one ever since, and now it's finally here. Fortunately, I only had to wait five years rather than 20, like some people. Unfaithful Servant picks up Harris's PI hero, Thomas Kyd, a quarter of a century after the first novel, in foggy Santa Monica. Kyd still hasn't entirely got over his Vietnam days, and the 1990s were apparently lost to booze and bad memories. (Maybe that's why we didn't hear from him.) Anyway, the good news is that the third book was well worth the wait and may even be the best in the series.

The basic story reads a bit like a cross between Hamlet and About a Boy. One evening Hugo Vine, a spoiled 14-year-old Hollywood rich kid with a face full of jewelry and a $15,000 wrist watch, shows up in Kyd's office hoping to get him to spy on his movie star mom and newly arrived step-father. Hugo thinks his late father, an old-school movie industry titan whom he worshiped, was murdered by his step-father, Raj, a suave arriviste with a talent for flattery; trouble is, no one else in the family seems to share his concern. Initially, Kyd brushes the boy off -- he's not about to take money from a teenager -- but a few months later they meet again, and this time he is dragged into the case.

This is very much a Hollywood novel, as well as a Los Angeles one, and Harris uses the inside dope he must have picked up as a screenwriter (he wrote Trading Places, among other movies) to superb effect. The scenes showing what it's like to share a house with a world-famous actress are brilliantly done, and the ability of hangers-on to gradually take control of the person who supposedly controls them is chillingly demonstrated. Also memorable are the various minor characters -- Corelle Lamb, the buff black female police officer with a heart of gold who helps Kyd out; Ken O'Doul, his alcoholic lawyer; and Serafina, the Mexican housekeeper who functions as Hugo's surrogate mom. There are also dead-on descriptions of Venice Beach poetry readings (the poets are nude), AA meetings in which half the people present are Hollywood big-shots, and many wonderful descriptions of L.A. itself.

What makes the book so genuinely moving -- and how many detective novels can you say that of? -- is Kyd's growing love for young Hugo, and the often very funny relationship that develops between them. Though he initially dislikes Hugo, he soon realizes that the boy needs a father figure in his life as desperately as he himself seems to need a son. What happens between them as Kyd solves the mystery of Hugo's father's death is what gives this novel its tremendous emotional punch. If you're a fan of detective fiction, or indeed any kind of fiction, you should definitely take a look.

As an old drinking buddy of mine used to say: "It's like a desert out here!".

Fans of good, literate crime fiction and the work of Timothy Harris in particular (and there are many: see Steven Rea's "The Coolest PIs", Hardboiled Mysteries and Thrilling Detective online reviews, not to mention those here on Amazon.com for Harris' "Goodnight and Goodbye") will appreciate that sentiment, as it's been 25 years since P.I. Thomas Kyd has been on the scene.

That's one looong dry spell for any reader, but Harris has made it worth the wait by bringing our hero back , newly sober but having lost none of his sere sense of humor. And as ever, the descriptions of Los Angeles and its denizens are, by turns, devastating and poetic.

If you haven't yet read the first two novels in the series, consider adding "Kyd for Hire" and "Goodnight and Goodbye" to your library along with "Unfaithful Servant". I guarantee you, Kyd's a character you'll want to get to know better.

It was very exciting to see that Timothy Harris had pulled his L.A. private eye, Thomas Kyd, out of retirement, and "Unfaithful Servant" is even better than his two excellent adventures in the 80s, "Kyd for Hire" and "Goodnight & Goodbye". He's once again offered a large number of fully developed, vivid characters especially Kyd himself and the city of Los Angeles.

This is character driven, p.i. fiction very much in the Raymond Chandler tradition and not the sentimental and insipid who-done-its that have recently been making their way onto the best seller lists. Kyd is very much like Marlowe without sinking into imitation and self-parody as so many have. Like Marlowe, guilt and self-doubt eat away at him, and he is prone to getting beat up.

"Unfaithful Servant" never lags, and Harris' prose remains exciting throughout. Apparently Harris took a break from fiction to write screenplays, and Hollywood provides the background for this novel about the death of a producer, his widow, a major star whose career is about to fade, and his teenage son who forms a close bond with Kyd. The relationship between Kyd and the boy is very moving without ever becoming sentimental, and unlike the sanitized version often found in fiction, the boy feels real and very believable.

Here's hoping that Harris keeps the Kyd series going without taking another lengthy break! With all the detective fiction being published these days, this is the real thing -- the best I've read in years.

Recovering alcoholic Thomas Kyd has stayed on the wagon for six months, but knows that each moment is a challenge. Fourteen year old Hugo Vine visits the Santa Monica based private sleuth to hire him to investigate his mom and step-father. Thomas refuses to accept the teen as a client because he is underage. Hugo storms out of Thomas' office.

Not long afterward the lawyer to Hugo's mother renowned actress Sally Vine threatens to have Tomas arrested for aiding to the delinquency of a minor. Not concerned by the intimidation, Thomas tells Sally's retinue to go pound sand. However, Sally hires Thomas to keep an eye on her son who she worries is doing illegal things. However, Thomas soon learns that Hugo has deep questions as to whether his mother and his stepfather killed his father. The sleuth plans to learn the truth.

Thomas is an intriguing protagonist who is a combination nurturing hard boiled soul. The who-done-it takes awhile before it surfaces, but once it does it is fun to follow. Much of the early segment of the novel introduces the audience to Thomas. Readers who remain patient for the case to commence will enjoy this solid Southern California private sleuth tale starring a solid lead character and a delightful support cast.

Harriet Klausner

I also found the book enjoyable and rewarding. For those expecting a traditional history or biography, the style is a little jarring at first. It is the first time I've seen a dual narrative applied to a biography, but the reasons behind it justify it and make it more natural than it at first appears.

It reminds me of one of my other favorites "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Persig, which is the autobiography of a madman, switching with a critique of western philosophy. The dual narratives enrich each other like a good marriage, making a whole, which is better than the sum of its parts. Because this book isn't just about Biddy Mason, and was never intended to be. Its about the author and Biddy Mason, a person pursuing and dealing with centuries old ghosts, and the emotions they still have the power to evoke. It is the sausage factory of how histories are actually written.

I think in many ways the heart of the book, is less about Biddy Mason, than in the brief confrontation between Demaratus and the staid archivist she meets while searching for some files. He is writing a military history, and brushes her off when she says she is writing a social history. She understands something that he does not, which is that history is the most personal, romantic, and human of all the sciences. Human events cannot be understood clearly apart from the human beings involved with them and why they decided to do one thing rather than another, whether it is Robert E. Lee inexplicably sending Pickett's brigade across a mile of open ground into the withering fire of the Union army at Gettysburg, or Truman's lonely decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, or Neanderthals burying their dead with flowers. Human history is not events. Human history is the human heart and events.

Having said that, it would have been interesting at the end to know if the author had resolved her issues with black folks, or merely found more mysteries.

Chris Garcia

DeEtta Demaratus has taken the lives of five people--Biddy, Hannah, Robert, Rebecca and Benjamin--interwoven by circumstances and events during a time far removed from that of people today and has given life to each in a most refreshing manner. You are presented with not only a historical masterpiece, but a moving narrative of events that changed each life forever.

I was immediately captivated by the authors ability to fairly treat each of the characters; especially since the issues involved were given to volatile possibilities in interpretation. Apparently, she chose to be impartial yet totally candid in her treatment of each. In order to have a well rounded narrative of "the search for a lost story of slavery and freedom", each life involved was given its place in this cause and effect chronicle. It was obviously vital for the characters involved to take his place and be counted and held accountable for his part in this gripping narrative.

Ms. Demaratus deserves accolades for her beautiful portrayal of justice triumphing even in the most unlikely of circumstances!!
Kudos for a job well done!!

This is a very thought provoking book for anyone interested in southern history and especially for us with a genealogical interest of our "Deep Southern Roots". Since my husband descends from Robert Mays Smith, the book is a necessity in my "Genealogy Library"!

As both a professional librarian and practicing historian and biographer, I understand the sentiments of reviewers expecting one sort of book but unexpectedly finding another. Personally I am delighted that an author finally has the gumption to meaningfully address their role and biases toward their subject. There is no sanctimonius false objectivity here. The author is subjective and tells you so, yet it is one of the fairest books I have read. While readers who expect fact will find it in Demaratus's book, this more accurately described as a biography of emotions. It is a book about every character confronting themselves over an intensely emotional subject. Compare, for instance, the stories she includes of her experiences with Brenda and the man she calls Sam C. Ultimately, that theme binds together what otherwise could be an important but intensely impersonal narrative. Demaratus suceeds, in my opinion, in treating life--with its chance, missed opportunities, short-sightedness, and subjectivity--historically. This is tough. Slaves typically left little documentary material of their own and the case of Biddy Mason is no exception, so like Ladurie's "Montaillou" the author approaches her subject from a tangential documentary angle; in this case based upon material specifically for and about Biddy's owner, Robert Smith. I found one of the book's greatest strengths to be the author's acknowledgement of how this habeus corpus case affected not merely the plaintiff and defendant, but also the judge and herself. This book not only lays out but also wrestles with the first-hand issue of slavery: what was it like to be owned, and how did ownership affect people on both sides? I was not bothered by the "what ifs" because she stated them clearly and hung to the facts and sources well (and yes, I did check notes). The result is a book that is interesting without sacrificing academic integrity, emotional without being maudlin, and anything but stuffy. I highly recommend it.

As a resident of Los Angeles, I purchased THE FORCE OF A FEATHER anticipating a biography of Biddy Mason, one of this city's early important religious/cultural figures. Before finishing the introduction, entitled "Coming to the Wall," I sensed that this book would be something else, itself quite apart from a standard biography.

A meticulously researched work (along with vibrant illustrations), author Demaratus has managed to unearth the stories of some little known (and a few famous) Americans -- including Biddy Mason -- whose lives, by the mere forces of chance and fate, were to intersect during one of the most dramatic and fascinating periods of U.S. history (the years of Westward expansion leading up to the Civil War). Lives of free people and slaves, white and black, all of whom stood on the threshold of a defining historical moment, confronting hardship, brutality, adventure, loss and the fierce inevitability of change.

Biddy Mason was an astonishing woman by any measurement and the force of her life would resonate farther than she could have ever imagined. And this is exactly where this unique book makes a precarious, yet carefully and perfectly pitched, departure. For it is the author's own story -- her own inspiration to write and her arduous process to complete this work -- that is woven into the narrative, breathing both immediacy and an extraordinary sense of intimacy into "a search for a lost story of slavery and freedom." It's a daring literary choice, and one that I found to be both moving and gratifying.

It occurred to me more than once, while reading this book, that the progressive, embracing, non-judgmental style of the author might be a source of complaint for some. But Demaratus seems too respectful of her subjects to draw conclusions without fact, and is content on occasion -- and asks the reader as well -- to ponder what "might have been." As for the risks she took to tell this story, as well as her willingness to question her own conflicted personal beliefs, it only deepened my impression of this book as well as my sense for the author's integrity.

As for the other posted review, I can only surmise that the critic wanted Demaratus to write a different book that she did. But I don't think it is the critic's job to tell the artist what to create - only to assess and analyze what has been created. If the reviewer simply wants a biography of Mason, then I suggest the critic turn writer and get busy constructing it.

I am an immigrant from El Salvador and this book made me cry because reading it was like reading about my own life. The writer spent a lot of time knowing the people because she tells the story of thousands of people like me and those in her study. If you want to know what life has been like for Salvadorans, read this book.

This is a great book. It has a lot of information about Salvadorans. Obviously, the author is an expert. But you know what makes this book unusual? It's because it was written by a Salvadoran scholar (very few around here...) about Salvadorans. So just for the information alone, it's worth it. That's why I said that this is an unusual book.

This book debunks many assumptions we have about help among poor people. It presents vividly what happens when there are very few resources and people must make heartwrenching decisions whether to help their mom with a small loan of money or their children with school supplies. The poor often don't have enough resources to help everyone and end up in difficult situations that sometimes lead to tension. This book is an eye opener! Anyone working with poor and disadvantaged populations should read it!

This book is a truly exceptional. It provides a sophisticated analysis of the complexities and intricacies of family relations. It is a must for those interested in immigration, but also for anyone else who would like to know how social networks and families operate under situations of extreme poverty. The stories are riveting (often heartbreaking) and the style simple yet elegant. Although it is an academic book it sometimes reads like a novel. A GREAT read!

This is simply outstanding. It is very complex, very rich, but incredibly human. The people laugh, cry, mistrust, love, etc. In sum, they have feelings--good and bad--just like you and me. I highly recommend it to anyone--it'll make you think twice before helping (or not helping) a relative or a friend!!!!

I loved this book from Dianna Crawford. I am very cautious about the books I read as I don't want to read anything unproper for my age.(15) This book was exciting and old fashioned just the way I like it. Ike and Annie make a Great couple and i can't wait to read her second series about Baxter and Sabina and the rest. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good Christian read!

this is the first book from Dianna Crawford I have read...I love Dee Henderson so much I am cautious picking up any other author...since I have long since read all of Dee Hendersons books I was desperate for a good story...I loved this book and am right now looking for more written by Dianna..

I have been a christian for a long time but until now i have not gotten into Christian novels, perticularly romance. I read Freedom's Promise by Diana Crawford, and fell in love with the Reardons. I immediatly went to amazon to order the rest in the 3 part series. I have devoured them all and loved every minute. I then went onto the Reardon valley series and am currently on the last book. these are happy ending, christ filled novels. I have come to love Diana Crawford and her storytelling.

For the first time in Annie McGregor's life, she's free. Her years of servitude drawing to a close, Annie hears there's a man in town looking for settlers to accompany him across the mountains into Tennessee country. Could this be the answer to her prayers>
Issac Reardon is on a mission to claim his betrothed--along with a preacher and a small group of settlers--and return to the beautiful home he has carved from the rugged wilderness. He is devastated to learn of his intended wife's betrayal. And now to make matters worse, he's confronted with a hardheaded, irresistible young woman who is determined to accompany his wagon train--without a man of her own to protect her!
Together, Annie and Ike must fight perilous mountain passages, menacing outlaws, and a rebellious companion. As they do, both are shocked to discover their growing attraction, which threatens to destroy the dream of freedom for which they have risked their very lives.
The first in an exciting new historical series by best-selling author Dianna Crawford.

A truly exciting adventure of a young girl seeking to improve her life by moving west from North Carolina into the untamed land soon to be Tennessee. I admired her grit and her faith in God's plan for her life.

This is one of the best family histories I have read. The genealogy is very good, but it lacks valuable information about the Italian ancestors, which would make it even more interesting. I will try to find out who these ancestors are and where they came from. Very good work Dr. Zeiter!

Flavio Andreatta
President
Italian Genealogy and Heraldry Society of Canada

Henry Zeiter's autobiography is a compelling account of an examined life. He tells of a delightful childhood in Christian Lebanon under the French mandate, a world long gone. He brings to his examination a mind honed by broad reading and deep pondering. He bares his thoughts honestly as he searches for essential truths across three continents, in science and religion, in the arts and philosophy, in family and society, and in the self-scrutiny that opens his mind to the universal human condition, a quest that brings him to a final phase of deepening faith and committed service. --Reuben Smith, Ph.D., Dean Emeritus of the Graduate School, and Professor Emeritus of History, University of the Pacific

I found this book very enjoyable. It is much more than an autobiography.
It is a learning experience, and fun at the same time. The reader is taken
on a voyage into philosophy and history, music and literature, science and medicine, and into moments of pure wisdom. I loved the many humorous anecdotes and the easy reading style. I could visualize all the places and people described vividly, that I thought I was there the whole time.
A remarkable book and a remarkable life story. ---Bob Unger

Dr. Zeiter weaves a touching story of his family's life in Lebanon and immigration to Venezuela, the United States and Canada in the 1950's. The story is splashed with a sense of humor, rich in cultural detail, and a good overview of Lebanon's history and geography. He doesn't dote on his personal success but rather reflects on how his Catholic faith and his upbringing inspired him to succeed as a renowned surgeon and successful businessman. The piece is splattered with pertinent quotes from the great philosophers and writers over the centuries that support his values and guide him through his life. Dr. Zeiter is a man filled with culture and an appreciation for life general. Not a light read, most autobiographies aren't, but this is fun and informational. Nice photographs and just enough detail to keep you interested but not labored.

This autobiography is a fascinating reflection on a life of experiences rich enough for three men. A testimony to family, friendship and faith, it is, like St. Augustine's Confessions, a spirited and frank account of the quest for the Eternal. Dr. Zeiter is driven throughout his life to find truth, goodness, and beauty, and it is particularly through the beauty and order of music that his imagination is captured and he is brought to see even more fully truth and goodness in their own intrinsic splendor. High culture is not some incidental acquisition for Dr. Zeiter, but part of the nurturing of his daily life for nearly three-quarters of a century, whether in Lebanon, Venezuela, Canada, or the U.S. Dr. Zeiter reveals in his autobiography his wit (evident in his healthy sense of humor), his insight, and his optimism, as well as his intellectual and spiritual depth. This book is a pleasant reminder to us all of the high destiny to which we are called.

We've taken two recent trips to San Francisco with our kids (15, 11 and 2). This book proved to be invaluable! I carried it in my purse whenever we left the hotel.

The restaurant recommendations are fantastic! We were not disappointed with a single one we tried. We ventured into neighborhoods we might not otherwise have due to the detailed information in this book.

This resource is a must have for those travelling to San Francisco with kids!

We used this book like a San Francisco bible. It had great recomendations that were also enjoyable for the adults. We will keep this one for future trips!

We used only parts of this book for two full days in SF, and found those parts very helpful. We liked the suggested itineraries and the neighborhood walking tours. Would have liked to see more, and larger scaled, maps of the neighborhoods. Highly recommended.

I love this book! I brought my 1 1/2 year old and 4 year old with me on this trip and used this book exclusively. It was very informative. We had a lot of fun! The only thing I would warn you about this book is the recommended places to eat...don't go to them.

With the use of this guide, we were able to find the inside scoop on all the favorite family attractions, ranging from Fisherman's Wharf, to the Exploratorium, and even the cable cars. The author obviously had children of her own and knew all the hot spots for families. The planning guides, colored maps, and reviews on hotels and restaurants made our first trip memorable!

Take a good helping of witty memoir, add a handful of very useful gardening/farming information, & a huge heap of garlic (and recipes) and you have a marvelous book. Highly recommended.

After reading Chester Aaron's Symptoms of Terminal Passion I needed to read a little more. Aaron's Memoir is a little premature, because his is still living and growing garlic more than 10 years later, using the garlic theme in all he writes.

It was fascinating seeing the real-life background for the stories I had read. I'm also looking harder for different kinds of garlics, and even tempted to try to plant a clove or two in one of the pots on our patio.

Strangely, I was reading this at the same time I read Out Stealing Horses: A Novel by Norwegian writer, Per Petterson. It was amazing how the two books complemented each other!

Both are written in the first person in beautiful, engaging prose. (Horses is so well translated that you don't notice that it was written in another language, except for the occasional Norwegian place names.)

Both utilize many flashbacks to childhood, Petterson's Trond mostly to 1948 in alternate chapters, Chester to the 30's in Pennsylvania.

Both have moved to the country to start over after losing their wives: Chester after a devastating divorce, Trond after a horrendous car accident.

Both recall strong relations to difficult fathers, who continue to influence the way they try to create new lives as 70-something "old men." (Their mothers are lurking in the background.) Both fathers are still lurking to show how to do practical things on their farms.

For both books the natural settings (fields, woods and ocean for Chester, forest, meadows and river for Trond) and the weather (wind, rain, and yes, also the sun) provide more than just the setting.

Trond's dog Lyra and Chester's cat Sadie are their constant companions, while sheep, horses, gophers and other creatures also play important roles.

Crops play important roles (garlic, of course, and fruit trees for Chester, trees for Trond.)

Neighbors and other humans provide insight and sometimes help, but occasionally are more of an irritant to their daily lives alone on their farms - although Garlic ends with a wedding!

But only Garlic provides you with numerous recipes for strange garlics, including 2 desserts!

Chester Aaron has something for everyone. His love of Garlic is only matched by his love of a richly varied life. The receipes are are a little simplistic and really a sidebar to the real story which is Aaron himself. I am buying several copies to Give to friends. This book is not a loaner

I have had the pleasure of interviewing Chester on my gardening show on a couple of occassions and found him charming, enlightening and certainly passionate about his garlic. I was thouroughly pleased when I found the book to be an extension of his interviews. This man at 80 something is more full of life than most twenty year olds and he exudes this energy and love of life into print in a way that makes you feel that you are in the field talking with him rather than reading a book. The recipies were devine. An absolute must for the Garlic aficionado.

This is an autobiographical slice of Chester Aaron's life as he waas intoduced to garlic growing and became a garlic devotee. Aaron and his cat take the reader into the world of garlic,its many varities, and how to best grow these bulbs of life. At the end of the book are thirty recipes for tasty garlic dishes. It is a very readable primer on garlic growing.

This book includes more about his personal life than his other books. Still some good stories though and you feel like you know him. Terry does repeat himself regarding his wife's support and various beliefs, but the game warden stories are so darn good that he is forgiven.

Terry Grosz is a 6 foot plus conservation law enforcement agent of great renown, but who is he really? Duck Cop introduces you to Terry's life from the eighth grade on and lets you watch his love of nature grow from the days when hunting and fishing were done to feed the family to when his greatest joy was protecting "God's creatures". Terry always believed that he had two guardian angels keeping watch over him and that there were many times they had very ruffled feathers. Writing in his own distinctive manner you find yourself crying, laughing hysterically and wondering how in the world will he get out of his current scrape. A wonderful read of "Memories & Milestones".

We have all his books and this one definitely show how and why he became the Wildlife Warrior he was. I bought this for my husband but had to read it as Terry always tells a good story.

This review of Terry Grosz's book is based in part on the response of my husband, to whom it was a gift for Father's Day. He was thrilled. The men in our family are all hunters, fishermen and lovers of the Great Outdoors so it made sense to me to get the
latest book in the series. Our men, who are not wide seaching readers, devour these books, quote from them and pass them around. Based on Mr. Grosz' extensive experience in Wildlife Management, these stories are sometimes hysterically funny, sometimes maddening (at people's greed, cruelty and general stupidity toward animals) and always entertaining. I'm looking forward to purchasing the next book as a gift for one of my deserving fellas.

I bought all his books and consider him the best wildlife writer in the world. I usually check out my books at the library but his are to keep. Terry exceeded himself in Duck Cop. This book should be required reading for the downtrodden and the underprivileged. Terry's family life would have broken the average man. Hard knocks gave Terry the will to succeed. Thanks Terry for being man enough to tell us when you fell short and how you got up again.

For me, this book was a fun and very usable introduction to a new world of foods...and the Rhone-style wines that go with them.

I admit it: I'd rather go to Sonoma than to Napa. And when I do go to Sonoma, I always try to visit the author's restaurant, The Girl and The Fig, located on the corner of the Town Square. When I can't be there, I love using the book at home to remind me of being there.

I like this book a lot and use it about once a month.

I purchased this for a Christmas present and she loved it! There are some recipes that are a little too fancy for my taste, but otherwise this book includes great recipes to serve with individual wines.

As a local who lives and works within two blocks of the girl & the fig restaurant, I admit to being biased, but I just have to correct the previous reviewer: the girl & the fig restaurant is not and has never been a chain! There's only one restaurant, and it's my favorite place to take visitors who want to experience authentic Sonoma Valley cuisine at its very yummiest and most inspiring. The cookbook is a delicious introduction to the area for foodies who are still planning their first visit ... and a great way to keep the experience alive for those who can't wait to come back. I highly recommend it.

This book by restaurant owner Sondra Bernstein, with recipes by executive chef John Toulze represents the cuisine served at a chain of Sonoma County based restaurants after which the book is titled. Based on the passions of Ms. Bernstein and her staff, the book and the restaurants focus on figs; dishes based on figs; the produce of Sonoma County; the cuisine of Provence, France; and the similarity of the terroir of Sonoma with Provence.

One object of the book is to publicize the chain of restaurants and the line of products based on the owner's love of figs. This is not too unusual, as I am certain this is one of the motives behind every celebrity chef / restaurant owner's cookbook. Some, like Tom Colicchio are less obvious about this interest. Others, like Emeril Lagasse, are pretty out front about this objective. All restaurant based cookbooks aim at providing the reader with some twist to their cuisine or it's presentation which adds sugar to the bait to create an interest in the restaurant(s).

One special feature of this book is borrowed from Ms. Bernstein's distinguished California culinary neighbor, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. This is the addition of sidebars on some of the restaurants' more important, or, at least, more interesting suppliers. This includes fig, mushroom, and cheese vendors, past and present. This highlights one weakness to the book, in that it is so thoroughly based on what is available from the gardens and vineyards of Sonoma County. Not everyone in the United States is blessed with access to wild mushrooms and the talented foragers who supply them, or to cheeses from artisinal cheese makers. Happily, the chef / recipe writer has supplied generally available products to substitute for his Sonoma pantry.

The cornerstone of the book's cuisine is the parallel between the Sonoma and Provence produce and the cuisine which can be based on that similarity. Therefore, it should be no surprise to see most recipes appear to be straight out of the pages of books by Patricia Wells and Lydie Marshall. One of the most pleasant parallels is that the Bernstein / Toulze cuisine is based on fairly simple recipes, often with the kind of recipe modularity of sauces and pantry preparations common to an influence from Julia Child. The recipes for stocks, for example are about as simple as they come. There is no Thomas Keller / Judy Rodgers obsessiveness about technique here. Most recipes follow a recent quote I heard from Wolfgang Puck who said that the trick was to start with great ingredients and try not to mess them up. There are some unusual twists, such as the cooking oil of choice, a `blended oil' of one part olive oil and three parts canola oil. I am totally baffled that disciples of Provencal cuisine should eschew pure olive oil.

The recipes are organized by size and role of the dish rather than by main ingredient. Recipe chapters are:

`a small bite' hors d'ourves with figs, radishes, mushrooms, olives, shellfish, charcuterie, and crackers
`from the garden to the stockpot' soups, including many Provencal classics
`in the salad bowl' with lots of vinaigrettes, figs, asparagus, beans, endive, beets, walnuts, and cheese
`large plates' 25 familiar dishs such as pastas, coq au vin, duck cassoulet, and lamb shanks
`sauce over and under' with lots of butter, aioli, pistou, rouille, citrus, shallots, remoulade, and figs
`on the side' with lots of balsamic reductions, familiar vegetable, polenta, couscous, olives, mushrooms...
`sweets' with lots of figs, apples, pears, nuts, lavender, cheese, and cream

The cuisine owes a fair amount to the exchange of cuisine between Provence and northern Italy, with a fairly substantial contingent of recipes involving pasta, risotto, polenta, cipollini onions and balsamic vinegar. This makes the abandoning pure olive oil in favor of the blended oil even more puzzling. In spite of this mystery, I am certain that these recipes, especially those based on figs, are superior to many and worthy of the authors' dedication to Provence.

One very serious aspect of the restaurants' connection to Provence is Ms. Bernstein's commitment to wines based on varietals originating in the Rhone valley rather than the wines which made Napa and Sonoma wines famous. These are the Carignane, cinsault, Grenache, Roussanne, Syrah and Vognier grapes. All but the Syrah are unfamiliar to me, but that's just a symptom of my ignorance of wine. Each recipe gives a very simple recommendation of wine selected from this list. The emphasis on simple is important to contrast it to the elaborate, sometimes arcane recommendations given by Patricia Wells and others.

The authors' dedication to their chosen cuisine and their featured product is genuine and fruitful, producing many simultaneously simple and worthy recipes. There are occasionally long recipes for standards such as cassoulet and coq au vin, but that should be no surprise. They have convinced me to look forward to a visit to their restaurants if I ever get to northern California.

Recommended recipes for even novice cooks. A good read at a fairly reasonable list price. If you already own 10 books on Provence cuisine, you may want to take a pass.

My first experience with Girl and the Fig was it's first home in Glenn Ellen, CA. which is still there. The restaurant quickly became a favorite. The newer restaurant in the town of Sonoma, also excellent, has a wonderful bar. Great place to join friends for a glass of wine from their excellent wine list or enjoy one of the best martinis. They have also opened a restaurant in Petaluma, CA.
I am delighted that they have finally come out with this wonderful cook book. It represents the best of the Girl and the Fig's cuisine. I love to cook and I am thrilled to have this cook book in my collection.

I found this in a used book store and encouraged my 8 year old daughter to buy it. She agreed reluctantly, but I thought she needed a little summer reading that depicted active, goal oriented teenagers. She loved the book! Now we wish there were more than just three, but we are going to buy the other two. These books depict 5 girls with varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds all working toward a goal. Wholesome and healthy. For once I am glad to have my daughter reading about teenagers!

I like the book, GIRLS R.U.L.E because it is very well written. I like the way that Kris Lowe made each of the main characters tell a part of the story from their point of view. I suggest that you should read this if you like adventure books or reading about girls your age.

The great thing is that there are two more books in the series already!

this book was exciting i picked it up i day 5 days later i was done, and i'm not a big reader. i only read about 3 books a year if that. This book the whole time kept saying keep reading me go on go on it was so good and how the girls handle some of the parts was so good. I liked how it was in parts of 5 girls point of view like first 4 chapters one person and it got better and better as i read i hope more come out soon.

I to know Kris Lowe and I urge Girls to read them. There are 3 great books about 5 girl park rangers and there adventures in a California park. If you think this is good for you or somone you know buy it NOW! If you love the books and needto reed more about Becka, Kayla, Carson, Alex and Sophie PLEASE buy the books there is a possibility of no #4. SO BUY THE BOOKS NOW!!!

Kris Lowe, my friend, is a great person, let alone writer.She has a great book klub, whick I belong to and I've read, and helped to edit all her Girls rule books.She and her books rock!!!!!!