Bean Books

From the title, I expected an in-depth discussion of a relatively small number of vegetables. What I found was a very low-level introduction to an odd assortment of plants. I still can't figure out what constitutes 'shoots' in this context. There was no discussion at all of the wide variation in growing habits, climate requirements, and disease susceptibility of the different species and genera that are lumped together as 'beans'.
I ended up giving the book to a youngster just getting interested in gardening.

The cover says that this is a book for advanced users. How come they spend 21 pages on installing the software. Do you know an advanced user who needs 21 pages to install a piece of software?

In the section about modifing templates they fail to mention that there is hidden text at the beginning of the document that if deleted will cause you document not to be added to your history tab.

This is a beginners book.

A Boston Globe reporter tells the story of the female psychiatrist accused of having sex with her male client. The client later ended up committing suicide. This story was splashed across the Boston headlines in the early 90's. The topic is interesting; but the book not very well written. The book is mostly concatenations of excerpts from legal documents, interviews, and process notes (the therapist's notes during her sessions with the patient.) Those process notes are fascinating., but this makes for choppy readings. The author considers the process notes to see whether they can reveal the true nature of the relationship between doctor and patient. The author argues -- fairly reasonably -- that there was no sexual relationship -- only fantasies. He also makes a convincing argument that the patient was suicidal long before he went into treatment with this psychiatrist. Unfortunately as the author defends the psychiatrist, he tends to be harshly critical of the patient and his family. The author's criticism borders on racist.

This book takes you behind the scenes of TV. It discusses things like commercials, producers, and how shows get started.

The only thing is one chapter is on the future of tv. It says imagine that you are in the year 2000. Well 2000 has came and went.

This diet book provides Dr. Aaron Tabor yet another forum from which to tout his soy products. Interspersed with recommendations about a variety of other supplements (all of which I had heard about previously), this book contains such breakthrough diet advice as: eat small to be small. The tidbits provided by Dr. Tabor's mother, while mildly amusing, offered little in the way of useful material. It may interest readers to know that mama knew it was time to do something when she looked like an overstuffed sausage casing in her slimming undergarment, but these interspersed comments get annoying quickly and seem more like filler than useful advice. This program isn't unique - it's simply repackaged material from a dozen different books already on the market.

I use Revival Soy products (the shakes & protein bars, low carb versions) on a regular basis and enjoy them for the most part. It one of the few products I've ever used that have actually done for me what they say it does. It's helped greatly alleviate my PMS symptoms, clear up my skin, and more. My husband doesn't need further convincing to keep Revival Soy in my life...he doesn't miss the PMS witch at all! Even with the controversies that surround soy products, I stick with Revival Soy...I don't want to go back to what I was (or how I felt) before it.

With that said, when I heard that Dr. Tabor and Revival Soy were coming out with a diet book, I got excited and actually looked forward to reading it. (I hate reading diet books.)

Well, by chance I was able to get a free copy. I'm glad I got it for free, as I would not have been completely happy if I had to pay more than a few bucks for this book.

The biggest reason? This book does come off as a informercial. I've caught myself rolling my eyes on more than one occasion...and I'm only 1/2 way through the book!

Despite that, I have found a lot of great tidbits and inspiration to help keep me motivated in my current weight loss journey. While I'm not doing the Revival Diet plan per se, (I prefer to stick with my low carb diet) I still enjoyed some of what the book had to say and gave me some new ideas and inspiration to work with.

To me the real value of this book is in the psychology of going through the weight loss process. Losing weight is not easy...but if we can keep a positive attitude about it - about ourselves - we will enjoy the journey of change better than just a quick fix plan.

If you can pick up this book for "cheap" then I think you will find some gems in there worth reading. If you're not a fan of informercials, then stay away!

There is nothing in this book that hasn't been said before and it points out in numerous places that you have to follow the entire plan exactly. Which means living off of the author's products. It was like reading over 150 pages of an infomercial.

And its about as much fun to read as watching paint dry.

I was actually looking for a book about Sawney Beane, and thought that this was one. It turned out to be a play with little to do with anything that actually occurred in reality. I read through it anyway, and it was not really worth reading. With all the possible philosophical points that could have been dealt with when dealing with the Sawney Beane family, Nye manages to ramble on incoherently about blood and bones instead.

Overall grade: D+

I am so disappointed in this book. First off, it's expensive for how thin it is. The presentation is decent, but then you begin reading and realize that they have generalized the information. I know a moderate amount of my family history/name, not once did it touch on any of the history that I know to be fact. Instead, it tells you that you have to remember when people came over to the US, they changed their names. So how can they possibly be able to give history if they are admitting they don't know it themselves? It mentioned one person that was famous that is in my bloodline, but leads people to believe that everyone with this name is related to all of the people that are famous with this name. I know for a fact that 2 of the famous people they named are not of the same surname family that I am. Just as not all Smith's are related, the same goes for Bean's. I suggest you save your money and do the research on your own through your library where it's free.

The seller sent me the wrong book. It was actually a book about the character Mr. Bean.

Not even close.

Seller would not refund money.

MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT BOOK and be aware a bean is not necessarily a bean.....

When it comes to the specifics of growing plants this book is pretty skimpy. If you are an absolute beginner to gardening this is not the book for you. The book expects you to already know a pretty good amount about gardening because the instructions are vague and you need to fill in the blanks yourself. He seems to spend more time talking about building trellises, planting boxes and cabinets than he does plant growing. The book also seems targeted more toward people who have a large deck or some other area larger than the average apartment building balcony or fire escape. So apartment dwellers may not benefit as much. Also this book seems more oriented to people who want to grow vegetables for ornamental purposes instead of grocery bill savings. He spends a lot of time describing how to build an acrylic window greenhouse into the wall of a house and a glass door cabinet designed for growing plants indoors. I'm weary about that because vegetable plants need a lot of sunshine to produce well. I had to move some of mine from an outdoor patio to an even sunnier location in the yard, so I can't imagine them doing well indoors. At the back of the book he offers some recepies and quickly discusses what he calls "Mexican Vegetables" like; Cactus, Chayote and Jicama. There is also a list of 13 seed suppliers and a few beneficial insect suppliers. You might pickup a few good ideas from this book but overall I don't think it is very good. The only part I liked was the section on growing your own sprouts, like bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts etc. (By the way "mung bean" sprouts are the ones used in Chinese foods like fried rice.) For that section only I give the book one star. Actually I'd give it 1 1/2 if that were possible. A MUCH BETTER book is MOVABLE HARVESTS The Simplicity and Bounty of Container Gardens By Chuck and Barbera Crandall. ISBN 1-881527-70-0.

Book has a "Island of the Care-a-Beans" cover but is a "Jelly fish Jam" text inside. book is poorly made paper-back. Personalization is simple, ..... says "God is on your side". Do not buy this book for a child - they will not enjoy it.