Bean Books

These recipes are delicious and healthy. Also, the book is very easy to use.

Raising the Salad Bar has become an irreplaceable stable for me. I have a very well worn and loved copy that is invaluable. This cook book along with a pair of wooden salad tongs has become my favorite gift to give my friends.
My favorite recipes are the Wheatberry and the Chicken Salad recipes. The Fried Tomato and Lobster salad are this side of outrageous! What I like best about this book versus other cook books I have is that these recipes tend to bring out the natural goodness and flavor of the main ingredients rather then mask them w/thick and oily dressings.
The recipes are easy to read. The instructions are straightforward and the end product is always gorgeously presented.

I had purchase this book for a library collection and after seeing how great it was, I bought it for my mother-in-law.
I love this book. The recepies are easy and the salads are very good. The other good thing is that on the back, it has a section of only salad dressings. I strongly recommend this book.

This small book contains some wonderfully creative, new salad ideas. Many recipes arre accompanied by a photo - gives you something to aim for in your presentation! Who knew you could purchase a New Year's resolution?

This is by far the best cookbook I have used for everyday, healthy recipes. Every recipe is reasonably easy and they are all tried and true. They all work well...and for the silly reviewer who thought some were too oily or sweet??-they clearly don't follow recipes very well because I am a chef and these recipes ROCK! Thanks for a wonderful book with gorgeous photos!!

My son told my husband about this cookbook, so my husband had me order it. He loves this cookbook.

Great fun to read and learn of chuck wagon cooking. Good recipes, hints and suggestions. Simple and clear advice for a novice. Photos are terrific.

This is a great cook book for Dutch oven cooking or in the oven. Great stories also.

There is so much here you won't believe it! I love entertaining and this creates big dishes and they are outstanding. Some fun stories as well along the way.

I admit right up front that I am probably a little biased about this book and Bill's cooking because I am his cousin. But in all honesty, I can say that the recipes are excellent and easy for anyone to make. At family reunions, kinfolk can't wait to eat his dishes. It's great to have these recipes that he and Cliff Teinert have used right in our own kitchens for our own use.

After many years of driving minis, I thought I 'knew everything' - no, no, no. This book extensively covers everything one should know from buying the Right tack to lessons from the beginning lunging lessons on to the top. Very pleased I picked this book.

This book is easy to understand for the beginner yet is full of quality classical driving and training principles. It also incorporates natural horsemanship(so old it's new again!) principles. Highly detailed but not overwhelming. Excellent book. This should be the bible of Carriage Driving.

This is truly the best book on carriage driving ever written. It is the bible for people who know the sport. This is the one book you truly need if you want to learn carriage driving. You can tell from the first page you are in the hands of an expert.
The only thing wrong with this book is you can hardly ever find a copy. If you find one, grab it. ( I don't know what's going on but there were about 10 reviews of this book here, all of them glowing, and they seem to have been erased. Everyone in Driving knows how great this book is.)

I have only read portions of the book at this point but plan to read all of it. I am completly ignorant of harness driving but recently purchased a miniature horse that I plan to finish in carting. This book has been an excellant resource. It is very detailed, but easy to understand. It mentions things to keep in mind that might not be obvious (like if you're new to harness or your horse is, you should have a bucking strap on your harness to save you a lot of frustration). I also like her approach to working with the horse - it is definately working WITH the horse and not BREAKING the horse. I have not read any other driving books yet to compare, but I am happy that I started with this one.

This is the book for anyone who is serious about training their horses for driving with no corner-cutting. It is obvious that this book was written by a true horse trainer for true horse trainers, people who love horses and are dedicated to making the training experience a joyful and life-long experience. Heike Bean's book covers everything you need to know starting with the very basics, horse anatomy, hoof structure and shoeing, conformation, collection, bits, harness, carts and carriages.

The definitive and very welcome book on beans and how to cook them. Steve Sando is clearly as knowledgeable about his subject as he is passionate. Some great, hearty recipes that have opened up a fascinating subject to me that I now realize I knew pathetically little about.

What a friendly and useful book! Who doesn't love beans?
The more I wander around in this book, the better it gets. As beautiful and sophisticated as these photos and recipes are, it dawned on me- wait a minute. . . The recipes are easily done, the ingredients are very inexpensive, and this is healthy food.
So far everything I've tried has been delicious. The Christmas limas are my new addiction, followed closely by the Mayacoba hazelnut/radicchio salad.
I think this book will get quite dog-eared in my kitchen.
C-

I love this book - the recipes are fantastic and the book is glorious. A perfect gift, especially with a few bags of Steve's Beans.

Made a pot of Drunken Beans yesterday and they were fantastic. Had them simmering on the stove all afternoon - the aroma was so warm and comforting. Can't wait to eat the leftovers and try another recipe.

I really like this book. In addition to good background information on bean varieties and cooking methods, the recipes present a varied, down-to-earth and flexible collection with vibrant flavors, appealing photography, clear instructions and well-written headnotes. Beans turn out to be a very good candidate for a single-subject book, especially with this one's fresh and practical look at a nutritious, adaptable and easily-available ingredient that can often be an afterthought or side-player. The introduction mentions over 30 heirloom varieties with diverse colors, textures and sizes that can be transformed into appetizers, snacks, soups, stews, chilies, salads, side and main dishes. While the book focuses on Latin American and Mediterranean geographies, the individual recipes are well chosen to incorporate a variety of ingredients and styles. Sando's passionate interest in the subject is both infectious and informed by a lot of knowledge and experience, and his easygoing, engaging voice and useful tips add to the book's considerable appeal. Recommended.

This Madeline Bean series is a winner. The books are well-written, and in this case, the plot moves swiftly. I find that I'm really getting to like Maddie and her crew. I find that I always get hungry when I read one of these books because the food is always divine. In this one Madeline is working with Wes and Holly to plan a breakfast for 200. One of the guests is no other than the Pope. But stuff starts happening and there appears to be a number of dead bodies found around. When Maddie tries to put it together she finds she has to delve back into history a bit. At least as far back as the Second World War. These books are surprisingly good and quite unique. Definitely this series is recommneded for mystery buffs who like a mystery with a bit of humour and a bit of fun.

After an unexpected windfall at the end of the first book in the series, Madeline Bean and her partners have branched out from catering to complete event management. With the reappearance of Madeline's old flame, now a Jesuit brother, they have the ultimate plum assignment: catering breakfast for the Pope and 2000 of LA's movers and shakers. A mysterious note found tucked into an old cookbook, the inexplicable murders of first one and then another seemingly unconnected members of the clergy, and threats of bodily harm all distract Madeline from the business at hand, however. The deeper she delves into these troubling events, the more sinister the secrets become.

Once again, this second installment in the series is outstanding. The writing is brisk and sharp, and laced with humor. The characters are well-developed and quirky. The heroine is bright, determined, spunky and funny, and the added information about her history is interesting and well-handled by the author. There is a good sense of place; perhaps the geography is a bit less developed than in the first book, but the culture of Hollywood is almost another character here.

So why only 4 stars? There is one major, blatant clue in the first murder that Madeline overlooks, and even later when it occurs to her she neglects to give it the consideration and attention it obviously merits. The progression through Maddy's investigation to the ultimate solution is just slightly and vaguely less satisfying than in the previous book. Ultimately, the balance here has tipped from the mystery to the personalities involved. Nevertheless, it is overall an engaging book, well written and well worth reading.

Continuing with my Madeline Bean theme of late, I read Jerrilyn Farmer's second book Immaculate Reception. This was an excellent follow-up to her first installment with Madeline Bean...

Now that Mad Bean Events has recovered from the poisoning episode of book #1 and have all the money they'd ever need, there's more of a focus on creating events instead of just catering. And they've hit the big time with their first event... they've been asked to do breakfast for 2000 people and the Pope. While there's no problem setting up the event, there are some major issues surrounding it. Brother Xavier, who is doing preparation for the event, was at one time engaged to Madeline before leaving her for his religion. While doing some planning, they find part of a letter in an old cookbook that points to a murder confession involving the Catholic church. The deeper they dig, the more the story points to a major cover-up of an event that happened during World War 2. And when a fellow Brother of Xavier is murdered and Mad is threatened, the breakfast event might just be their last.

As usual, Farmer does a great job with her writing. You find out more about Madeline's background, as well as why her relationships are what they are. 20/20 hindsight (reading this book after some of the later ones), you also get the stage set for some of the material that shows up later. Wes is still somewhat of a mystery, but you get a bit more clarification of his personality here. And I'm impressed how Farmer was able to weave a bit of historical fiction into the storyline.

Great job, and another great read...

This is the second of the Madeline Bean Culinary Mystery series, and this one is just as engaging as the first. Madeline and her colleagues have been slated to prepare a 2000-person breakfast for the pontiff, but they are nothing if not ambitious, managing to take on a murderer, an exhibitionist star, a parchment that may be a confession to murder, and even go out on the town a few times! The characters are very entertaining -- problem-solving Madeline, her omniscient partner Wes, their goofy employee Holly and her Donald (who has just written a successful screenplay), and Maddie's part-time beau Arlo. There is a lot of activity here, a bit of Hollywood name-dropping, colorful portraits of the star lifestyle we love to ridicule, and even a decent mystery. Do yourself a favor and check out this delightful series by talented author Jerrilyn Farmer.

Madeline Bean has just been given the event of the year to cater - the official Los Angeles welcome breakfast for the Pope's visit. Still, this is the least of her worries. First, she's struggling with her feelings for ex-fiancé Xavier Jones who left her to become a Jesuit Brother. Then there's the old letter she finds that seems to be a confession to murder. But who's confessing, when, and why? Then a priest, a friend of Xavier's, is murdered in a TV star's trailer, and things really start to heat up. Madeline is going to have to dig up some old secrets to figure this out before the Pope must cancel his visit to LA.

This is a thoroughly entertaining read from start to finish. The characters are charming and easy to like. The plot flows well with just the right mix of mystery and humor culminating in a perfectly logical and surprising ending.

I can't recommend this series highly enough. Start with the first, Sympathy for the Devil. You will enjoy this entertaining mystery series immensely.

The Night Flyers book is now one of my favorites! If you love mysteries... or History Mysteries, I suggest you read this! When Pam Lowders' father is a soldjer in World War 1 in her mind,comes a replacment. When a strange person with a Brittish accent comes to town every one says... SPY! When the stranger offers her an amazng amount of money for her most precious belongings, her pigeons,(her night flyers) and she objects, her birds start to dissapear. Pam has only one suspect... the stranger! She must find her precious birds, before its too late!

WARNING- This book may be very addictive. The book The Night Flyers is by Elizabeth McDavid Jones. This book is very suspenseful.
The Night Flyers is about a girl named Pam. This takes place in Currituck, North Carolina 1918, when the World War I was occurring. Pam gets an offer for her pigeons from a German, and she thinks he's a spy, so she says no. A couple of days later her pigeons star to disappear. Then she suspects it's the German man named Arminger. One day she sees Arminger's truck, while letting her dog, Bosporus, out. She follows the truck. She goes through the back and sees all these pigeon's lofts. When about to go into another loft someone captures her....... Read and find out what happens next.
I would give this book a 10, out of 10 stars because I LOVE to read mystery books and it's very suspenseful. You should read it because it is REALLY good. It also leaves you hanging and you just don't want to put it down. Now get up and go pick it up at your local bookstore. Find out what happens next to Pam in The Night Flyers.

A mysterious man shows up at Pam's loft wanting to buy her pigeons. He says he'll give her $200 for all her pigeons.Pam said "No." The next night,he shows up again wanting her pigeons. He said he'll give her $200 for two pigeon but Pam still won't sell them. Then her pigeons start to disappear. Pam gets in some trouble trying to find her pigeons. Read this book to find out who stole Pam's pigeons.

I read this book in about 3 1/2 hours. I had previously read one other "History Mystery" book about 3 years ago when I was in 4th grade. The plot of the story is this:
12 year old Pam Lowder hates school. She especially hates her worst enemy, Henry. When she discovers that her prize winning pigeons with the rare ability to "home" at night are missing, she is furious, and the mysterious Mr. Arminger, a new man in town with a German accent, is a prime suspect. (The whole town believes that he is a German spy, it is World War I) Pam must collect her wits and, well, do something about it.

It's 1918 and Pam's dad is in the army for WW1 he gives Pam pigeons before he leaves to go to the war. She takes excellent care of them but when a mysterious man comes to her farm that talks like he's a German and he wants Pam's pigeons Pam believes that her dad's pigeons are in danger.
I really enjoyed this book and I've read almost all of the history mysteries and this is one of the best ones there are!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It is very detailed and you can sometimes get lost in the details, but wow! What an exciting adventure for little Bean! I admit, I felt like I was left hanging at the end of the book, but I look forward to reading the next installment. I could tell the authors took extreme care in writing this book. My favorite part was the illustrations throughout the pages. What an artist!! Very captivating!!

Bean's Song was a hard book to get into,took awhile but once I got into the middle of the book I couldn't put it down, finished the rest in one setting. Many fun charcters. My favorite part of the book is the illustrations. I enjoyed exploring each picture with all of its details. Book does leave you hanging for the next one. I would recommend this book to any reader of fantasy.

A story of mystery, greed, power, betrayal, integrity, courage, and hope. The reader is as naïve to this world of the Broken Moon as Bean himself as he ventures unprepared onto a journey that no other could. Travis' story and Aimee's writing kept my eyes riveted to the pages throughout the book.

Several characters contribute to Travis' fascinating world. Each is unique and surrounded by mystery. My primary hope from the second book is that major characters are developed more fully.

The art on nearly every page contributes significantly to the vividness of each scene. It tells the story that the words cannot while the words tell the story that the art cannot. The balance of words and pictures is perfect.

Do not hesitate to view the back of this book first. There you will find a glossary that adds significance to the story as you improve your streetwise of the forest of Darkleaf. The glossary is entertaining to read independent of the book.

Hats off to Travis and Aimee on a world well created. Keep the stories coming.

I just finished Tales of the Broken Moon, and I LOVED it! It doesn't take long to get attached to Bean and get caught up in the path his little feet have found him walking on. If you're looking for a great book with charm and suspense, this is a great book for you!

Honestly, what can I say? I've been a big fan of Bean's Song from practically day one... through it's early conception as a web comic to it's comic book expansion to it's now final and rightful place as a novel. This fantasy style series finally allows the incredible world of the Brokenmoon to expand far beyond where it couldn't in the previous formats and boldly explores it's wonderful mysteries with greater depth! On top of that, even if you're absolutely clueless to the story or the mysterious world it resides in and don't want to take my biased opinion to heart... no worries! You soon won't be once you read it yourself! Travis Hanson's astounding eye-candy black and white art and Aimee Duncan's detailed descriptive writing instantly weaves the tale of the boy named Bean for you! So, pull up a seat my friend, sit next to the warm cozy fire and drink an ale or two... before you know it... you'll be in a magical drift and craving more!

This book has a wealth of information on the politics in treatment options for lyme disease patients and their families. This helps the reader to understand the obstacles and attitudes encountered when seeking medical diagnosis and treatment for lyme disease. I was disapointed that there was very little information on actually treating the disease besides the authors own experience. While trying to explain the whole lyme picture, I felt that too much emphasis was put on information that was dated, and not enough newer ideas or research were presented. I had to put the book down numerous times because it felt like the author was rambling on and on about the same thing over and over. Especially difficult for a late stage lyme disease patient with neurological issues to absorb.

Finally, I found a book on Lyme disease that tells me what I need to know in an easy to read and helpful format. This well written book is approximately 286 pages complete with chapter notes, an appendix on symptoms, contact resource information, and an in-depth index. The authors discuss cause, testing, diagnosis, and effective medical treatment of this difficult disease. After reading the book I am now armed with information on prevention and treatment of Lyme disease. I am also alerted to the possible political deception or (lack of understanding) by some providers in prescribing insufficient antibiotic treatment.
I have already used my copy of the book as a reference when I removed two suspicious ticks found on my husband following some yard work. We followed the book's protocol and sent them off to the lab for testing. I am glad to have my copy as a resource and sincerely recommend it to all who desire more knowledge about Lyme disease.

Connie has put it all on the table for us to read! There's no gloss or coverups! She tells it like it is and in todays highly political arena of Lyme Disease battles, we need many more Connie Beans......
In reading her book, I couldn't help but feel I was looking in a mirror of sorts as her many battles to be properly diagnosed so directed parrelled mine!!!
Bravo, Connie. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. Thank you for your knowledge but more importantly for your truthfulness and honesty!!!!!!

Alot of info on the politics of Lyme. Yes Lyme is worse than you think

Dispassionate, well written and well-researched addition to the literature on Lyme disease oriented toward patients and the general public.

A fun book of entertaining short stories about the people who live in the small border community of Tecate, Baja, Mexico. Good insight as the author, tho American-born, lives there on his rancho. Several surprise endings, some superstition. The first romantic tale is so engaging it's worth the price of the book.

THIS BOOK WA ASSIGNED TO ME BY MY TEACHER AND AFTER READING THE ENTIRE BOOK, THE THING I MOST REMEBER IS THE CHAPTER ON JEEMY A WHITE MALE THAT WANTS A CALM AND PEACEFUL LIFE AND HE IS RICH TOO.

I don't know when I've read a book that I enjoyed any more. After 17 years of life in Mexico, I KNOW that this author knows what he's talking about. Wonderful insights into Mexican life and that great mystery--Mexican Macho.
The chapter about Casa Grande and Casa Chica was just dead on...Makes me want to meat Daniel Reveles.

Sorry - I couldn't help but continue the conceit of the book, that this is a plate full of "chismes" (tales) from Tecate, Mexico... tales that are truly delightful to the palate.

You will meet a host of intriguing characters, from El Gato, a man who is larger than life, and resident of my favorite novela, "Of Time and Circumstance"; to Fito, who fulfills a promise in "The Man In White"; to our un-named narrator, our "servidor". Mexico and the city of Tecate are characters too. The settings and happenings are ordinary, but imbued with magic, which is part of the delight.

Another reviewer states that this isn't a true depiction of Tecate, and I have no doubt that they are correct. For instance, I'm sure the peasants aren't actually blissfully happy in their poverty. But one of fiction's jobs is to take us to places that don't exist, and in that, the book succeeds admirably. And if the stories make you want to learn more about Mexico, then so much the better!

This is probably the best author you've never read. Pick up a copy ASAP! I can't wait to get a hold of his other two books... my mouth is watering in anticipation!!!

I enjoyed the stories in Enchilada, Rice and Beans, but my favorite was the one about El Gato, who is a character bigger than life in all that we find out about him at the party in his honor. Reveles tells some good stories and I think they don't have to be super great to please the critics,just warm enough to encourage a good look at out neighboors to the South, who embrace life slightly differently in some ways, and yet just like us in others. Very enjoyable.

Looking for things to do with my Mother who is in the realms of Alzheimer's Trying to tickle the mind with fun things. These books are great. I enjoy too.

I spy books are always fun and this book is great. I used it as an example for a photography class that I teach at our middle school. The students loved it

I saw the book "I Spy" in a house where I was visiting and had to have it for one of my grandchildren. I found the items they asked you to find, sometimes hard if not impossible for me to find. But I figured that my 10 year old grandson could handle it and find them.
I would recommend it to anyone.

I ran across this book (figuratively, not literally) in my dermatologist's waiting room. Thanks to a moderate wait, and a book of only forty pages, that are mainly photographs, I was able to get a good look at it. I had not before seen one of the I Spy books, of which there is a series, although I knew of the game, and had played it. I was impressed with the book, although I initially had reservations about where it would be of most use.

As to the book's features, it is forty pages of large, colorful photographs, most covering two pages, with a large collection of various items scattered across each picture. Each picture is accompanied by a short riddle or rhyming phrase, that tells you what to find in the picture with which it is paired. The objects could be just about anything small, with many being small children's toys, like marbles or little animal figurines. An example of a riddle or clue phrase is:

"I spy a snake, a three-letter word,
And flying underneath, a great white bird;
Nine gold stars, a blue tube of glitter,
One clay cat, and a six-legged critter."

The suggested age range is four to eight. While I did not have the time needed to adequately tackle the challenges, I will say that, for the one I focused on, it was indeed a challenge. I could not find the rabbit!

As to the physical qualities of the book, it is an over-sized hardcover, measuring 12.1 by 9.2 by 0.3 inches, which allows the pictures to be very large. The cover is glossy and thick, and the pages are not flimsy, all of which adds up to a forty-page book weighing well over one pound. Physically, the book should last quite a while, despite regular usage. That is a good thing, for a book aimed at young children, and also contributes to its suitability for doctor's waiting rooms.

At first, I thought this book might be the kind that parents buy for their small children, their children initially love it, and, three weeks later, it will sit on a shelf, accompanied by a growing collection of dust bunnies. After looking it through and trying it out, I think I was wrong, and that the book will have sustainability. The level of difficulty is one key to that. In the first two-page collection, I was challenged to find eight objects. I found six fairly quickly, but then that darn rabbit kept eluding me! It was there, but it was a quick and sneaky little thing. I can imagine a parent using the book as a read-along, with a four-year-old, and the child will find the first four or five items, the parent-child tag-team will hunt down two more, and the remainder will have to wait until tomorrow. Those elusive items will eventually be found, and then you turn the page, and get to start over. There are also extra credit riddles at the end, which will further extend the book's attention-lifespan in the family. Meanwhile, the three-year-old will want to see what all the fuss is about, and so it goes. Also, given the separate puzzles throughout the book, it is very aptly fit for a waiting room.

The bottom line is that this is a good book for children, and I believe it will stand up to time, use, and the challenge of childhood attention spans.

My 2.5 year old son loves this. We make up our own stuff to spy and don't really use the riddles(yet). This is kind of similar to his earlier favorite book(My first word book) which I also recommend. They both have taught him many new words.