John Books

Pope John Paul II will be regarded by history as one of the great Popes in the modern history of the Church. This book is a translation of his "testimony to his priestly vocation" on the occasion of the golden jubilee of this ordination as a priest in Poland in 1946. To me, this was a powerful testimony of the walk of faith of a man who has left a lasting and postive imprint on the face of our Church.

I was most moved by the influence of his father that how his deeds, not his words affected him. As a father of two young children myself, this anecdote from the Pope certainly will influence further and provide more incentive to raise my daughters in the faith and that through my actions (prayer and striving to live a holy life), I can make the same impression on my children as John Paul's father had on him.

This also has the history of John Paul's religious education and how the Second World War affected his education and shaped it. The man we knew as Pope John Paul II was certainly shaped by those events. They apparently made him a better man.

Pope John Paul the Second is an inspiration to millions around the world, both to Catholics like myself as well as to non-Catholics. The combination of wisdom, intellect and faith possesed by the late Pope is matched by few in the history of the world. This work shows just a small portion of all three. While it is a pretty easy read, it is most certainly worthwhile. Reading about the great men of the faith is as vital to the ongoing catechizing process that all adult Catholics must constantly engage in to grow in knowledge of the faith.

As you might expect from such a great person, the Pope's book provides few insights into the Pope himself. He does show how our own lives can influence others, especially in a cumulative way, as the he tells of all of those who influenced his entering the priesthood. He cites the religiosity of his father; the holiness of Jan Tyranowski; the writings of St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Louis Marie de Montfort; the devotions in his parish, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and of the brown scapular. The reader can't help but wonder if there is a link between the lack of devotions today and the lack of vocations today.

A priest's life is challenging. He must be attentive and sympathetic; critical and watchful with regard to historical developments; a giver of Christ; a spiritual father -- especially in the Confessional; holy; constantly training, studying and updating; promoting the family; defending mankind; in dialog with the youth; in dialog with the culture; intellectual and scholarly; and living the Gospel.

But a priest's life is most rewarding. The priest is "a steward of the mysteries of God." An essential part of his mission is fulfilled in the Confessional. The priest is an essential being in the only suitable offering that man can make to God, the offering of God-made-man, an offering made at every Mass. The priest is so united to Christ at Mass that he is "in the person of Christ." What a beautiful reflection on the Mass is offered by the Pope!

The challenge of the priesthood seems overwhelming. It would be without God. It is "a mystery of divine election."

Every parent of a potential priest should read this book.

This book serves as a companion to Rise Let us be on Our Way, but it also stands quite well on its own. In it JPII discusses various phases of his priestly journey, various challenges he faced, and various influences that supported him along the way. John Paul had a true gift for beautiful and clear writing, and it shines through in this book. The only drawback I found were about twenty of what looked like charcoal drawings in the middle of the book. They were allright I suppose, but I could have done without them.

His Holiness Pope John II Spoke to me. This book is insprational and wonerful.

The words of Pope John Paul II have always captivated me, however, this particular book is very touching because we see first hand his humbleness for the people that shaped him into the priest he became. A man of such global stature writes thoughtfully about the individuals that helped lead him into the priesthood, protect him from the Nazis, and urge his following of Christ. This is a great read for Christians and non-Christians, or even students that are doing a report. John Paul was one of the most inspiring human beings to ever live, and continues to inspire even after his death. His books and thoughts are highly reccommended...it helps any reader to better understand this complex and delicate soul.

When I first heard of my uncle James Going to jail over this car scam thing I truly didnt believe it was so big. James and Robert were great friends, but Robert always brought him down in alot of ways. Robert was a crook from the start but its funny to know just how they wrote a book about him and Robert and they"ll be on Cnbc 3/26/2008 at 9pmPT on the show American greed. I even rode in one of the cars in high school not knowing it was bought with criminal money. James came from a great family and a nice neighborhood unlike the Bulls%$t they're writing my uncle was a great football player and an excellent student he also wanted to be a cop. This sucks. I feel sorry the person who Charles Mansion's family member but I still love my uncle and I truly believe that he made a bad decision by being friends with such a loser like Robert Gomez. Steve V. Nichols, Jr. his nephew.

Truth really is stranger than fiction. An amazing story that was very well written.

Everyone should read this book. It is well written and a real page turner that is based on fact. I was surprised that the religious people had such a hard time accepting and admitting that they had been taken. Like God was going to protect them from crooks. It was a fasinating read. You will enjoy it. I did.

Americans' obsession with the automobile makes it the ideal object for a scam. Invoke divine approval and success is guaranteed. Yet the two young perpetrators could scarcely have imagined that the "miracle cars", which they promised to deliver to a Los Angeles church congregation, would eventually yield 21 million dollars nationwide. They were certainly incongruous partners: Robert "Buddha" Gomez, a brash, extravagant gambler and James Nichols, a serious, seemingly conservative church goer whose fellow worshippers provided the first victims. It was Nichols who was the "executor" of a vast estate, charged with the liquidation of an ever growing fleet of luxury vehicles at bargain prices. Even James' mother, a church deaconess, believing that she might serve God's purpose to provide deserving people with better transportation, was persuaded to help with the collection of money.
Throughout the five years that the fraud flourished, not a single car was delivered and the only visible evidence of the purported fleet was a distant view of some completely unrelated vehicles. As some of the original buyers became impatient, the operation became a Ponzi scheme, with newly collected funds being used to reimburse them. This had the effect of adding a false sense of good intentions to the scheme, thus prolonging it.
Phillips maintains a remarkably even tone in describing events that sometimes verge on the farcical. Judging by his reported conversations with both the primary and secondary players, the reader is left with the impression that they came to believe in the reality of their own deception. Only with the arrests did some admit to the fraud. Yet Gomez, true to character, would even then insist that he knew nothing of the source for the millions he had wagered.
The particulars of this account may be unusual but the general outline is all too familiar: greed combined with gullibility inevitably lead to disaster

As one of the prosecutors in the case, my review may be on the biased side, but I think John Phillips did a great job on this book. Somehow he made it accurate and entertaining at the same time. Having read John's articles in Car and Driver long before I ever met him, I always enjoyed his humorous writing style. After meeting him during the trial and afterwards, I appreciated both his writing and his humor even more. It was a very interesting case to investigate and try in court, but the book was entertaining even to me. Some of our witnesses opened up to him with more information after the trial was over. I hope anyone who reads this book will have an appreciation of the inside view of what seems like an incredible fraud scheme but is actually "sad but true." I know anyone who reads it will be entertained.
Dan Stewart

As a devotional writer and mom, I read a lot of books marketed towards those two groups. This book combined the two in a delightful way. Grace for the Race compiles meditations for busy moms written by Dena Dyer. The writing is both humorous and heartwarming. Ms. Dyer makes herself vulnerable and displays a humility I find endearing. My favorite chapter tells "What Real Love Looks Like." I'd recommend this book for busy moms. Each chapter stands on its own, so the book can be read on the run. And how nice to find a fellow chocoholic mom writer!

No matter what season of mothering you're in, GRACE FOR THE RACE offers something to encourage you. If you're pregnant, maybe you can relate to Dena who says, "As I write this, I'm seven months pregnant with our second child, and I have a confession: I don't like it! I feel like a penguin in bicycle shorts!"

If you're a new mom struggling with keeping up and wondering why your emotions are all wacky, you'll be blessed by Dena's tender descriptions of her postpartem depression, when she was "low on sleep and high on anxiety." Dena says that her passion is to "help women see that we're in this race together."

GRACE FOR THE RACE is divided into nine sections that relate to the various stages and emotions of motherhood: training well, warming up and stretching out, the first lap, using proper equipment, hopping over the hurdles, handing it off, in the final stretch, crossing the finish line, and on the podium.

In the beginning of the book, she quotes a prayer from Saint Frances Cabrini, "Give me your grace, most loving Jesus, and I will run after You to the finish line, forever. Help me, Jesus, because I want to do this with burning fervor, speedily."

Each chapter is short, a few pages of hilarious stories from Dena's personal life. And she is such a great storyteller -- I can totally relate to everything she's describing. At the end of each section, she offers "Notes from the Coach," which are easy-to-read scriptures from modern versions of the Bible that speak right to the heart.

I'm going to get some copies of this book to have on hand for baby shower gifts and for mom friends who I want to encourage. It's so wonderful to read something where you feel loved and accepted for who you are, yet also challenged to be the best you can be for God.

Dena says, "If you're like me, you probably feel 'stuck' sometimes. Every day, I look toward the top of Mt. Laundry, having just tackled Mt. Dishes. Taking a deep breath, I start the climb...When I feel overwhelmed in the midst of the endurance test called parenthood, it helps me to remember that I'm not alone -- other climbers have gone before me."

Reading this book is like pausing a minute to sip a cool refreshing drink, then gearing back up for the climb, knowing that you're never, never in this parenting gig alone.

--Reviewed by Heather Lynn Ivester for Mind & Media

When I first sat down with Grace For The Race I figured I would read a couple of the devotions. I read half the book before I realized it. These meditations, geared towards busy moms, will make you forget just how busy you are. They are so delightful, humorous, and heartwarming. You will enjoy every carefree moment you spend reading it. And, it will definitely leave you feeling like those moments were truly carefree.

Dena Dyer divides her thought provoking meditations into nine sections designed to inspire and encourage. Each piece begins with an appetizer (a quote) and ends with desert (scripture) related to that particular meditation. The entree is stories and insights from Dena's own life. Each piece is filling and inspirational.

You not only get a peak into Dena's own life, but you realize that what Dena says is true--we are all fellow runners, in the same daily race, with the same Coach. As Dena would have it, Grace For The Race, cheers you on in your daily race and inspires you to look for the little miracles in your own life. It also encourages you to set aside time, even if it is just a few minutes here and there, to talk to your Coach and lean on Him.

I bought Dena's book for my mommy friends for Christmas. They really liked the family stories and personal tidbits Dena wrote about. After I started reading the book myself, I couldn't put it down. I am not a mommy yet, but I will refer back to the book when I need inspiration or motivation, or just a laugh to lighten up the marathon moms always run! Grace for the Race meditations are inspirational for future mommy situations, but also, for now, is inspirational to me, just as a woman. Thank you Dena! I look forward to your next book!

This is the perfect read for every busy mother. I have three small children, and had sworn off any parenting books for awhile to read only fiction. I couldn't put this book down. Divided into REALLY quick daily readings, her true-life stories of mothering made me laugh out loud, and each reading is coupled with great Scripture pertaining to the day's topic. Dena's light hearted and profound approach left me feeling like I really can tackle each day as a busy mom.

Reviewed by Conner (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (04/08)

A boy remembers his visits to his Grandma with his other cousins when he was a "little bitty boy just off the floor." The best thing about the trip was her great big feather bed that he would have traded his whole family for.

"I love it all."
"Conner, do you think it was a fun bed?"
"It's a silly bed. I see piggies right there jumping up with the other dogs.
"Do you think you'd be able to sleep with 8 kids, pigs and 4 dogs in the same bed?"
"No."
"Would you like a feather bed?"
"No."
"Would you trade your family for a feather bed?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't like feather beds and I don't have geese to build a feather bed."

Parent's Comment:

"Grandma's Feather Bed" is a fun tale with silly illustrations for every line of the lyrics. But I don't think that song lyrics make the best storybooks because of the repetition of the refrain makes story telling disjointed. I did appreciate the background annotation at the end with the sheet music for the song to give it more of a history, though my son didn't think that part was as interesting.

This is the 4th time I have purchased this same book for family members & myself. It is such an amazingly illustrated book. The song was written by an inspirational man who has captured the hearts of numerous generations of families. My husband & I, our daughter (who as a child got to sit on the stage with John & sing Grandma's Feather Bed with a few other children at one of his concerts),& now our grandchildren all truly enjoy John's heartwarming songs. His ability to reach feelings that remind us of how truly blessed we were to have his multitude of amazing songs & his one of a kind voice. Keep these books coming to us we need them to remind us of what we are missing with his passing. He would be so proud of the job that Christopher Canyon & Dawn Publishing did to bring his song to life.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

I bought this because I've enjoyed John Denver since before I could read. This book was one of my nephew's favorites (the boy just turned 2 YO in early 2008). He would sit on my lap and look at the pictures for quite some time.
There is a lot to see in the pictures, there is a lot of fun in being able to read-sing the words to little ones. It's fun to play "i-spy" type games with the pictures.
Children love the rhyme, the repetition, the singing (should you choose to use the CD or sing it yourself), and the active pictures.

I bought this book thinking it was a read along book. It is just the song on the CD which is hard to follow for a 5 year old reading along. He does love the song and the book is beautiful and fun to look at. He had a fit of the giggles when we tried to turn the pages to keep up with the song, there is just too much to look at on each page to go so fast. We appreciate them seperately.

This book should be used a text for all MBA classes that look at international strategy. I really enjoyed the illustrations and examples.

It' s a very valuable work and push to think (or rethink)strategy and approach for doing business in emerging markets ; as the best travel guides , it treats the subject with insight and a lived knowledge: It is a very useful travel plan to develop business in emerging countries .

It' s a very valuable work and push to think (or rethink)strategy and approach for doing business in emerging markets ; as the best travel guides , it treats the subject with insight and a lived knowledge: It is a very useful travel plan to develop business in emerging countries .

The raw emotion and insight into emerging markets contained in this book clearly illustrates the importance and means of establishing long term global relationships, on an equal footing basis, combined with proven business tools for the development of long term profitable business within the world's emerging markets. An essential read for those serious in establishing long term profitable global business.

This book should be read by any executive planning to enter emerging markets, or by those already operating in them. It covers all aspects to a depth rarely found in business books. It is not just a superb read, it is also a guide and reference source full of "how to". We will use it in our organization as a "must" training material.

This is an excellent book, Great artwork and the poetry sings with all the magic of God's creation, a great book for all ages.

This boook is full of fun colorful poems. I've only seen the the original copy. The only bad thing about it is the pictures which look very 60s and poorly done. Still I love the poems.

This was one of all time favorite books as a child. It's not a story per say, however, its' value lies in its' ability to teach even the youngest of kids about feelings, emotions and "color" through poetry. Each page dedicates itself to a different color and describes the essences and feelings that those colors evoke in us. It's a very useful teaching tool for young children in the primary grades.

This was my absolute favorite book when I was in elementary school. Now that I have 2 small children of my own, I have rediscovered it with them. The poems are soothing to hear on a lazy afternoon and the colors are as fresh as watercolor can get. After reading it to the kids, I go back and indulge myself and read it again. Definitely a rainy day pick!

This slim book was originally published in 1961 and by now, we may safely call it a classic. The title is taken from her poem "What is White?" A series of poems each entitled "What Is--- (Green, Gold, Red, Blue, etc.)" describes in ways you have never thought of what exactly the color is. I have never found the child who was not fascinated by the ideas presented and usually had a few additions of his/her own to add. I always thought this vivid book would bring much pleasure to a blind person who had never "seen" a color. Ms. O'Neill brings the feel, the taste and the mood of each color to a shimmering life of its own.

--the purple feeling

is rather put out.

The purple look is a

Definite pout.

But the purple sound

Is the loveliest thing

It's a violet opening

In the spring.

This author has a special talent for covering topics with practical, down-to-earth language. I have heard him preach and teach classes, and I've read his articles and books. This book continues to show this quality. For Bible students looking for good advice, tips, and examples of how to understand God's Word, this book is a must.

Topics covered include:
--Tips on what to look for regarding an accurate Bible translation
--Suggested books that will help in Bible study
--Tips on studying figures of speech (Evans is a former English teacher)
--Nine common mistakes made in study
and much more!

This book lays a great foundation for Bible study. It is simple enough to be of benefit to (and not intimidate) beginners, but it also provides good examples, questions, and thoughts to provoke the seasoned student. I highly recommend it.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RIQV1HND3GDU3 How To Study The Bible is an excellent resource workbook to help you learn more about God's Word. It takes you step-by-step through things you need to consider when examining the Bible. You will profit by reading it.

John Evans has given the Bible novice keys to unlock the seemingly complex word of prophecy. By following these 12 lessons, one can begin to enjoy the journey of the coming Messiah to the fulfillment of Christ's purpose for all mankind. It is a valuable study tool!

This is an excellent book for every level of Bible student. Everything is explained well, with application and illustration that makes even difficult concepts easy to understand. If you want to learn how to study God's Word, and find His will for you life, you need to start here. You won't be dissapointed.

John's approach to the material is logical and easily understood. Whether you're a "seasoned" Christian or a novice at Bible study, you will be benefited by this work. It is filled with scriptural references and sound reasoning. The questions at the end of each chapter are thought provoking.

This is an amazing book about solving complicated problems simply, with a simple calculator. That the book is not more widely known is a travesty. If you are in real estate, you owe it to yourself to get the book and the calculator. The book is easily worth ten times what you are likely to pay for it.

I use this book with my HP-19BII. The keystrokes are almost totally compatible going from the HP17BII to my HP19BII. The book is a great refresher for simple keystrokes solutions like solving for the monthly payment, balloons, amortization and so forth. The book contains so much advanced and useful material that is is easy to say that the professional real estate organization I belong to would gouge us twice the cost of this book and tell us they gave a great deal. A group of agents and appraisers from our company held a private seminar using an instructor we brought in from an adjoining state. To our suprise the instructor was using algorithms right out of this book! Wow, this was gave us confidence in the value of this book. though most of us will not use the advanced software equations but company wide we received out money worth.
One of my agents called the author for help with a topic. The author was very helpful and supportive.

This is an exceptional book, worth many times over its price. However, Hewlett-packard in its "wisdom" has idiotically cancelled the HP17BII and the HP19BII calculators.
I purchased this book some time ago from amazon and called mr Tirone for help (his number is at salestime.com/hp as I recall?) He told me that he doubted he would reprint this book and that he had a 6 or so month supply.
The book is excellent and works well with the HP19BII (one of my new agents uses the book with her HP19BII) almost perfectly.
Unfortunately this fine book may go the route of the HP17BII/19BII, though if there is a replacement I feel the author will convert his 17BII book over to whatever device HP stupidly replaces the 17BII and 19BII with.

A very thorough and well prepared book. I have Mr. Tirones HP12c book and our office manager ordered his HP17Bii book. Both books are rather high level in parts but overall there is so much to choose; it is a bargain.
we have used the book in a training class; worked fine for us.
Our manager called the author several times with questions on the book: Mr. Tirone was very helpful, a gentleman.

Please note: My book is compatible with the newer HP-17BII+, and I was told by one user that it is compatible with apparently the "new-new" HP-17BII+PLUS Financial calculator. To get the most out of this (blockbuster!) book your HP-17B series device MUST have LET (THEY MAY CALL IT "L") and GET (THEY MAY CALL IT "G") programming capabilities.
The book's solver equations work just fine with the HP-17BII and HP-19BII series devices.
I feel the most "astonishing" part of this book is that it TRULY takes the math out of most appraisal/income capitalization--income property valuation--problems. The solver-equations/algorithms I derived took some doing but the resuls I am sure you will appreciate (along with the other 90+ percent of this labor of love!).
If you care to contact me through amazon's website I can provide you with more information on the book.
John A. Tirone
Macomb, Michigan 48042

This book is comprehensive -- but isn't organized by common or scientific name. It is organized by type of tree, though I'm not certain how they chose the ordering of the groups. Nevertheless, two indices in the back reference all the trees by common names and by latin names.

This isn't a photography-based book, but has everything illustrated with paintings. This is like one of those detailed naturist descriptions you'd see from the 17-1800's. The drawings are very precise -- and full of color (not faded or faint). They aren't fuzzy sketches -- they are precise naturalist drawings -- showing detail of leaves, nuts(fruits), bark, shape -- sometimes with multiple views of the same tree in different seasons (to see color & shape change).

There are few trees you will find that are *not* in this book, but very few. Many of the trees listed will talk about origins, growth conditions & habits, sizing, how it was named, usages, wood quality, author's subjective overall rating (which is a pretty good guide), origins -- (some common trees today are long-ago cross breeds). And -- I underscore this -- it's ALL ABOUT TREES -- so it's an extremely thorough (I've never seen its equal, let along better). At 830+ pages, and over 6 pounds, this isn't a pocket book. But it is a book you'll want to read or skim from cover-to-cover -- and keep as a permanent reference. Would be nice to have a permanent down-loadable version into a palmtop for portability...Encyclopedias are so heavy! :-)

this book has everything u need on trees and it is one of a kind.the colour illustrations are wonderfully painted.the gang responsible for all areas of this book really new what they were doing.isnt there literary awards given out for this kind of acheivement?unique,complete,lovely and breathtaking!

David More has created a massive, beautifully realized book which details, with almost scientific precision, individual species of trees. Although it retails for $80 it still seems reasonable given the massive scope of this project, which took More over ten years to complete. I can't imagine a better book on trees ever being published with this quality of illustration. The book does focus on species of trees within Europe, particularly Great Britain, but tree lovers will not be disappointed after a few pages of More's breathtaking work.

I collect books on trees, because I love trees. But not all books will do. I avoid gardening books and concentrate on dendrological or botanical type books because they are more useful to me. This is a great find because it is somewhat encyclopedic in nature and the drawings are wonderful. The only downside is that this is an English book and highlights trees grown there. It is much to large and heavy for a handbook, but it is nice to sit in your easy chair and slowly turn the pages.

The combination of this author and this illustrator has produced an amazing book. Both have a lifelong interest in trees. The author aimed to produce a book to be "read for pleasure", but maintained a high scientific standard throughout, so you'll need to know a scion from a taxon from a sport. (There is a helpful glossary.) But he never forgets his duty to keep the text interesting. So we learn every cricket bat for the last 300 years has come from a single willow and its descendents.

The max height and hardiness are given for each tree, plus a rank as to desirability on a scale of 1 to 5 . One is a top choice for the garden or grounds, 3 might be suitable for commercial use, and 5 is a tree not particularly recommended, if only because of "extreme dullness".

It's rare to find any author this knowledgeable, who can offer anecdotes and historical information on countless specimens. And the accompanying paintings are works of art in their own right.

whatever your political affiliation, you can't help but be amazed at the graciousness the kennedy family brought to the white house during his term of office. down to minute details, jackie emerges as the quintessential first lady. i especialy enjoyed the personal comments and special moments shared with the first couple. this makes a wonderful gift

Letitia Baldridge's book is unquestionably "un coup de maitre". We are most grateful to her for allowing us to take a peek into that atmosphere of class, sophistication, grace and good taste that once was the Kennedy White House. Reading this fascinating book is like going back into this elegant and refined world created by Jacqueline Kennedy where culture, arts and good conversation were a main priority. I so enjoyed reading that book!!

In this small book there is a surprising amount of information on Jackie and Letitia's entertaining style, in stories, beautiful photographs, recipes and anecdotes. I especially like how she includes descriptions of the table settings (tablecloths etc) and menu choices, with short explanations of why they were chosen, and how they parted with tradition in many cases. It also provides a peak at the highly talented guests outside of politics whom they entertained, and how they entertained them! As other reviewers said, the recipes are mainly classics. Some I wouldn't dare serve today but it's nice to know what to do if I ever wish to!

I already own Rene Verdon's White House cookbook which is an enjoyable read as well as a great reference. Many of his great, classic recipes from that collection re-appear in this wonderful, picture-filled book that recreates the magic of Jackie's style that made Camelot. Rene Verdon and Letitia Baldridge show that they have not lost their touch and guide us through a host of beautiful occasions. My personal highlight is the famous state dinner at Mount Vernon. We find out many intriguing details about entertaining at the highest level and are able to take a little of the glamour to our own table. Rene Verdon's recipes are great classics that are meant to be enjoyed over and over again. They can be reproduced by the capable home cook with highly satisfying results.

This is a marvellous, beautifully presented look at the entertaining done by President and Mrs. Kennedy during their too-brief thousand days in the White House. Letitia Baldrige was Mrs. Kennedy's Social Secretary, and she has collaborated with Kennedy White House Chef Rene Verdon on reminiscences and recipes that really do evoke that very special time and place. Baldrige's anecdotes give glimpses behind the scenes that help us all understand how distinguished the hosts, guests, and entertaining really were- and her comments are often very funny indeed. Verdon's recipes are drawn from menus actually served at the White House on historic occasions, such as the famed evening when cellist Pablo Casals played for the Kennedys and their guests. The book is incredibly generous with its illustrations, which range from White House photos, to pictures of actual invitations for the events described, to fashion designer Oleg Cassini's original sketches for Mrs. Kennedy's clothes. For Jackie devotees, the book is a bonanza, with many photos showing her in her full splendour as First Lady; one 1954 photo of her lighting the candles on her dinner table may be the single most beautiful ever taken of her. I have one small, gentle caveat: Verdon's recipes have been given before, in different form, in his 1967 "The White House Chef Cookbook". The versions of the recipes in this new book have been changed a bit from the 1967 incarnations, mainly with an eye to increasing the strength of flavour; today's palates are evidently more demanding than those of the Sixties. Still, you're getting a look at the Kennedy White House from the people who made it HAPPEN- no gossip, no hearsay, no errors of research. Baldrige and Verdon were indisputably THERE, and you could do much worse than to buy their book. Come to think of it, if you've been reading some of the other Kennedy books issued recently, you have.