Robertson Books

Well-researched and well-written, this book looks at just about every aspect of the southern soldier: recruitment, messing, billeting, leave, camp life, etc. An excellent book and one that has remained on my shelf ever since I read it. Useful as a reference and entertaining as a good read... how many books can say that?

Few books are written of the common soldiers of the wars. Most are written of the battles they faught in and the generals they served under. This is a nice exception.

A most insightful and highly informative study of the common soldier of the Confederacy. Well written and very well reseached.

A must have for anyone interested in the Civil war.

Bell Irvin Wiley (1906-1990), a scholar of the American Civil War, is best known for his two early books describing the lives of common soldiers in the Union and Confederate Armies. His book, "The Life of Johnny Reb" appeared in 1943 and was followed in 1952 by its companion volume "The Life of Billy Yank". At the beginning of his career, Wiley tended to concentrate on the Confederate War effort and wrote his book on "Billy Yank" as a result of the fascination he developed from writing his initial work with the common soldier. Ironically, Wiley's book on "Billy Yank" is the stronger of the two in terms of detail, organization, factual material, and analysis. His book on the Confederate soldier remains an important effort, essential to understanding the Southern Civil War experience.

In the Preface to his book, Wiley points out the fascination that the campaigns and personalities of Lee, Jackson, Stuart, and other Southern leaders exert (and continue to exert) on students of the Civil War. He aimed in his book to discuss the life of the soldier "as it really was" including among much else "how the hungry private fried his bacon, baked his biscuit, smoked his pipe". His book succeeds in that aim. Wiley's book gave me a good picture of life in the Southern Army with all its privations and hardships. He does not romanticize his subject or, for all his affection for the Southern soldier, fall prey to "Lost Cause" mythology.

The book opens with a discussion of the enthusiasm of the Southern soldier during the early stages of the War -- largely resulting from the conviction that the War would be short and that the Yankees would go home. He discusses how the dream of a short, decisive conflict quickly faded and how the troops were left with the dangerous, boring, and dehabilitating business of soldiering. Some men continued througout with their convictions and enthusiasm but for most the War became something that could not end soon enough.

Wiley gives good pictures and stories of the tedium of life in the camps during the winter and during the long periods when the armies were not in combat or on the march. He describes the bad food, shoddy clothes, and low pay that were the lot of the Confederate soldier. He discusses the various ways the troops spent their time. ranging from the sins of gambling, drink, and vice to the repeated attempts at religious revivials. Wiley is sensitive to the instances of cowardice and fear in the Confederate war effort but he rightly praises the valor and courage, overall, of the Confederate soldier. They fought tenaciously and hard. Wiley discusses the loneliness of soldier life as the men in the lines went to great efforts to write letters home and thought of their wives and sweethearts.

I thought Wiley's discussion of the unsanitary conditions of the camps and the toll taken by disease and poor medical treatment among the best sections of the book. He also discusses well the ambivalent relationships that frequently developed between Johnny Reb and his enemy in blue. Although it became a total and brutal combat, the Civil War was marked by attempts at fraternization, and what later writers have termed the "brotherhood of men at arms." The feelings the combatants developed for each other became important in the reconciliation efforts following this devastating conflict. Wiley also offers a good discussion of the various types of shoulder arms used by the Southern troops during the war, their manufacture, and their limitations.

There is a great deal of anecdotal material in this book. The text is repetitive at times. But this book and its companion volume remain essential Civil War reading and will give the student a feel for life in the lines.

Bell Irvin Wiley seems to have been the first historian/writer to realize that the Civil War was not just about Lee, Pickett, Grant or Stuart or any of the other guys with stars on their shoulders. The real truth about what happened on those battlefields had to do with the guys in the tattered uniforms and the rotted shoes, trying to fight with defective rifles.

As in his companion book, "The Life of Billy Yank", "The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy" is an unflinching look at the seemingly endless plight of a Confederate soldier. This is a very sobering account, and some of the letters the soldiers wrote home are nothing short of heartbreaking. Even as defeat was becoming more and more apparent, the courage and determination of these men did not waiver. This is a truly admirable account of men who were more than common soldiers. I believe they were really common heroes.

I read this book for a military history class and came away very glad I did. The book really lets you know what it was like to be a common soldier in a Confederate army. I agree with another reviewers sentiments that the book reads very much like a research paper, but a well written one at that. You won't always feel like you are right there, but you will come away knowing exactly what these men did, how they did it, and why. To understand the common Southern soldier in the Civil War, start here. Other books have been written since Wiley's, but this is still the place to start.

couldnt put it down.... was reading it during traffic stops.
oh...was truely great enjoyment... a must read...

- But with deeper sex drive and shallower roots. Raleigh-based and just-fired pharmaceutical representative Buchanan Forbes is really a bit too young for a Herzogian mid-life crisis. But his wife pushes him over the edge when she packs up boys and goes to live with his father in Charleston. Buchanan's reaction is less than heroic - he has overlapping affairs with three sexy ladies. But perhaps he can be forgiven since the first one is his lawyer. And we hope that the Feds won't be able to bag him for the candy store operation he'd been running with the free physician samples. His wife needed the extra money for a new SUV. As Buchanan runs around and is shadowed around the Carolinas, we experience the charms of the southeastern coastal resorts and the ladies you can find there. Ragged, disconnected and improbable in spots, Buchanan's story nevertheless kept me turning the pages until the morally ambiguous end. Thanks to Brewster Milton Robertson for showing us a new kind of southern novel.

Enjoyed! Liked the use of short chapters. Gets the point across without being too wordy. Would like to have seen ending embellished more...with a chapter where Long was drilled by cops as a suspect as Forbes and the doctor were.

Enter Buchanan Forbes. Devoted father, out-of-work pharmaceutical salesman,with a crumbling marriage and under surveillance from several governmental agencies for black market wholesaling of prescription drugs. And an array of beautiful women who find him attractive. Something for everyone here! A man not immune to women's rights nor sexual emancipation. Lots of Southern sense of place - food and the smell of Carolina beaches, believable characters, many also good old Southern boys wearing college T-shirts and cut-off jeans. Only the women appear liberated and strong-willed. The social problems in the background often appear unnecessary - closing of abortion clinics, a return to back alley butchers, problems with the IRS, possession- hungry wives trying to climb social ladders. Buchanan faces them all as he tries to put his life back on track. What a man! What a story!

Brewster Milton Robertson's hot thriller, RAINY DAYS AND SUNDAYS, set at the Carolina seashore is a heck of a read. The protagonist, Buchanan Forbes, star pharmaceutical salesperson, devoted father and family man, intellectual, and all around good guy, finds himself on the wrong side of a Federal drug bust. The Feds are aiming to clean up the multi-billion dollar black market in prescription drug and medical device samples involving manufacturers, crooked detailmen, and physicians. To make matters worse the Feds are following the lead of a dingbat conservative President who has just outlawed all abortions and seems determined to return to dark ages politics of the 1950's.

Forbes finds himself in the middle of this mess when several young Carolina women die as a result of botched abortions involving experimental IUD's. The Feds pour on the heat and Forbes is wrongly accused of prescription drug theft and sales. His life is further shattered when his faithless wife leaves him taking with her Forbes's four beloved sons. Forbes sets out to put his life and reputation right and he has to fight mighty odds. If and how he is to succeed makes great suspense and a powerful read. Get the book and read it now. It won't wait for a "Rainy Day" or a "Sunday."

One of the reasons we read is to remind us we are not ordinary. We are beautiful, complex, brilliant, and flawed at any given moment. Mary takes us deep into the parts of humanity we crave: the excitment of desire, the edge of fear, the loveliness of sorrow, the pull of longing, the danger of love, the disconnects...
She captures us with unique images and strong language and moves us toward a greater understanding of ourselves. Those of us who are seaching creativity are inspired.
We're all connected on this path--if only in imagination

Mary utilizes colorful phraseology in her deep and passionate verse. Her contemporary style evokes promise unlike those in similar fashion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys avant-garde, thought inspiring poetry.

When reading Ms. Eastham's poetry I'm reminded of an impressionist or expressionistic painting. She uses words like an artist uses color. At times the ideas are clear and recognizable coming clearly into focus but more often this artist is not spelling out every detail for the reader. One has to use their imagination, creativity and experience as a human being here. These ideas take a moment to penetrate and sometimes require multiple readings in order to establish a connection. It's definitely an interesting read, one that will give you pause for thought.

Lovely, lovely words and feelings, images and emotion. Amazing writer you are, Mary. What an imagination and talent you have for moving your reader on a deep level.

"When asked to describe her childhood, she said it was like riding a bicycle through sand." Ahhhhhhh. Perfection.

Kissing Harrison sent me on a journey of emotion that comes from rich and authentic details. In the end, I ached for her lost love. Same with the title poem. Beauty, too. Loss and love, the two thematic threads tie the book together. Universal, thus evocative.

Undertones, deliberate? or not? hint at deeper themes. A man can't give her what she wants because another woman has already stolen his heart. hmmmmmmm

To love and to lose. Mary's book leaves me determined to live fully in love while thumbing my nose at the impending loss...

What a joy to find this book. Ms. Eastham has found the words for her heart. This is a lovely, special book of poetry that anyone who has thought they were living life will be surprised by. It touches in deep corners.

Mike Shanahan shows how people can learn from mistakes, be flexible, and organize a team (business or sports).
Much can be learned from this book and help one form good habits for success.

In review of the autobiography I read, Think Like a Champion: Building Success One Victory at a Time by Mike Shanahan, I learned a great deal about succeeding on the football field. But more importantly, I learned about succeeding in life.

The book begins with Shanahan in college at Eastern Illinois University. Shanahan played quarterback on the Eastern Illinois football team and was routinely tackled during games. However, after being fiercely tackled during one particular game, Shanahan was rushed to the emergency room. Within hours Shanahan had undergone surgery to remove a badly ruptured kidney, and was soon told he could never play football again.

Wanting to remain close to the game he loved, Shanahan decided to try his hand at coaching. His first coaching stop was in Oklahoma as a part-time assistant coach for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. That year the Sooners won the National College Football Championship, and Shanahan was soon offered coaching jobs at other universities. He was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Eastern Illinois University, and at the University of Florida before moving to the professional ranks. As a professional football coach, Shanahan coached teams like the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. Under Shanahan's direction, both of these teams won Super Bowl Championships.

Throughout the book, Shanahan states that he has learned something from every step he has taken in his coaching career. He notes that coaching football was not what he had wanted to do with his life; he wanted to play the game. But he acknowledges that he would probably never have made the pros as a player and would never have had the opportunities he had experienced as a coach.

In the book, Shanahan identifies a few key things he says are critical for success on and off the football field; preparing, sacrificing, competing, and persevering. Without any one of these items, success would not be possible. Shanahan also says that life may take you a direction you weren't planning to go, but that it is important to do your best, no matter what life has to offer.

After reading this book, I have a new perspective on coaching, and a new outlook on life. Hearing that perspective shared by a future Hall of Fame candidate, like Mike Shanahan, makes it even more powerful. Think Like a Champion: Building Success One Victory at a Time was more than a book about coaching the game of football. It was about being in, and succeeding at the game of life.

Straight-forward, crisply articulated and with practically no unnecessary fluff, Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like a Champion," compellingly argues that the game of life is basically won or lost before the "players" take the field. Shanahan asserts his point of view over sixteen easy-to-digest chapters (each about ten pages or less) on the diffent tenets of becoming the best at what you do.

What I liked about this book is that while the author culls specific examples from his football career, the "moral of the story" is clearly applicable to ANYONE seeking to become the best in any endeavor. Offering an excellent, enjoyable read to both sports enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike, the author's writing style is to neither excessively arm-wave nor make unsupported generalizations.

In fact, part of the Shanahan's credibility here is in his willingness to name names when providing examples of people living up to a credo espoused in a given chapter or more dramatically, falling short.

Written with humility, Shanahan's book leaves the reader feeling that there is nothing magical to becoming a huge success -- other than having a plan and putting in the blood, sweat and tears required to make that plan a success. Or as the author concludes, citing legendary coach Vince Lombardi, "Your quality of life is in direct proportion to your commitment to excellence." So true.

A die-hard Broncos fan from the days dying watching those ridiculous striped socks and watching Fran Tripuka get killed, what a job Shanahan did turning it around into two Super Bowls in a row.

Learning of his background and his principles makes me now not only a more avid Bronco fan, but also a Shanahan fan as well. His perseverance from the days of his kidney injury to how he became part of Sooner coaching staff till today is truly one of principles of success through hard work, not gifts or who you know or any of the other myths most people who never get anywhere fall for and are unmotivated. Most of them just don't ever want to work hard at anything, but have it handed to them. Shanahan disproves all that bunk and shows how it came to be. Unbelievable that when given the Raiders head-job, didn't even have the downpayment for a house.

This guy is very endearing to so many of us who never had the backgrounds for those connections, but wanting something bad enough, and always believing it, achieve it one goal at a time.

Great advice, especially appreciate his concern for balance.

Excellent read. Thanks, Mike, from a new fan and admirer.

I have heard this advice before: If you want to be successful
at something, find the most successful person you can in that area, listen to what they say, and try to follow it. Well, its hard to imagine a football coach more sucessful than Mike Shanahan. Here's a guy who started with a dream: to be a head football coach, started as an unpaid volunteer for a college team, and worked his way to be one of the best, most respected, coaches in the NFL (winning 2 consecutive Superbowls) at a young age.

The great thing is, he has written a book that is designed to help people win beyond football, in any area of life. Shanahan breaks it down for you: the way he prepares, some struggles he's had, some ways he motivates people (including the little things that we learn are so critical), very good wisdom concerning life, and a lot more. Also very critical is the fact that this book is very easy to read and understand.

You even get a bonus section in each chapter written by some of the greatest people and minds in football: Paul Tagliabue, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh, John Elway, Deion Sanders, Steve Young, George Seifert, Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Al Michaels, and more. They give their own take on the subject being discussed in the chapter, which is not only informative, but like the book itself, filled with wisdom.

The chapters consist of 16 basic areas to focus on to become successful, things like: Preparing (all of life is preparation, and not preparing is preparing to fail), Sacrificing (don't expect to get anything good done without sacrifice, if it was easy, everyone would do it), Learning (without learning, you will be hopelessly stuck where you are), Detailing (the devil is definitely in the details and that's where things often break down). This is just a taste of the wisdom in this book. Highly recommended for people looking to improve themselves.

I have found most "self improvement" golf books to be difficult to grasp without great photographic portrayal of the techniques being taught. Video would make them all that much better. This book, however, deals with easy to grasp concepts and exercises that are practical and efficient. What a great thought process the super fluid concept is! This is just the book needed for those who need to take a break from the physical grind of improving their golf game and get into the mental end of the spectrum.

I'd heard of transcendental meditation since the mid-70's and always found it fascinating. I never paid the exorbitant fee they wanted to learn it, but understood enough of the fundamentals that I could apply it to some things in my life.

This was the first book about golf that actually used those principles. I had been in the Navy for quite a while and had the opportunity to play golf at many fine courses around the world.

I bought this book one early summer while my handicap was hovering around 17 and went on leave. I read the book, practiced the way the teacher asked in the book, and went back to my duties after my thirty day leave. Within a month, I had my handicap down to 12 (quite an accomplishment for a self-taught duffer like myself.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that aspires to achieve "Zen" in their golf game.

A PGA master professional told me that my greatest problem was rhythm and tempo. He introduced me to a few aspects of "quantum golf" and I suddenly hit my 3-iron longer than I previously hit my driver.

Back in Europe I still focused on my rhythm and tempo but after several months the length of my shots decreased and I went back to classical golf.

Only after reading the book "quantum golf" I saw that I was missing one essential part of quantum golf - the Q-position. I went back to quantum golf and my results are amazing: my length and precision off the tee improved a lot.

A fascinating novella, where a Mr. Smith learns about himself as he explores golf with a mystical teacher in the middle of Iowa. Great reading for tennis players or golfers who want to learn a "superfluid" swing, but also for the golf/tennis metaphors that apply to life. Delightful

I'm a pretty good golfer, and I knew that my game was plateauing. I was stuck at about 79-83, and I knew that spending time beating balls at the driving range was getting me no where. I bought this book based on the reviews I saw here, and I have to admit I am SHOCKED. The book is that good. It's a story, that reveals the secrets of golf within it, primarily teaching you better rhythm, and how to "dance with the club", I feel the difference already, and I have owned the book for only 3 days. Its a great read, and very helpful, I would recommend to all level of players.

Lowstuter's "In Search of the Perfect Job" was excellent in its first edition. The second edition is even better. As a marketer, I like how the book begins with personal strategic planning -- defining what you offer, and what constitutes a great work "fit" for you -- and progresses into the tactics with which you can identify target companies, tell your story, and negotiate offers.

This is an insightful, practical, personal strategic planning tool for executives, and for those who aspire to be. While the book is organized for those actively conducting an executive job search, the thought processes and exercises are also very helpful for anyone wanting to proactively take steps toward achieving greater satisfaction in their career. Someone considering entrepreneurship after working in established corporate environments will likely find Chapter 6 quite relevant and useful.

I've bought multiple copies of this book to give to people I know who can benefit from it -- I think it's that good.

Executives, if you are thinking about a new career or are in transition, In Search of the Perfect Job by Clyde C. Lowstuter is the best career management book I have found. This book has changed my attitude and approach about finding my next amazing career position! It helps you explore who you are, what you want, and how to get there. I am thrilled to recommend Clyde's book because I know it will help you, too.

DB - Chicago, IL

The best book I have ever read on finding an executive job - very insightful in helping me to understand myself better, what really motivates me, what is important to me, and how to use this knowledge to structure a job search. Also provides practical, specific insights and techniques to master interviews, and keep organized during the search.

Lowstuter's latest edition continues to lead the way as the most comprehensive book on executive transition. If you have to pick one book that will get you to the next level, this is the one.

J. Steven Angell
Director, Business Development, Bureau Veritas, NA

A `must-read' for anyone facing an unexpected or unwelcome transition. The practical strategy, in an easy step-by-step format, will lead you to better opportunities. This comprehensive book covers everything from dealing with the emotions of moving on, to exercises that show you how to complete each step in the process. A `life line' for those in transition which I've recommended to several colleagues and friends.

I selected this book only because it took place in Ohio - and mentioned several areas that I was familliar with. Well, imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a beautiful love story of an elderly couple. To sound cliche - I laughed and I cried while reading this - and I think you will too.

Had to lock myself in the bathroom to finish reading the last few pages just so I could savor, enjoy, and mourn the ending of this book. The whole thing was so, so marvelous...

I told my husband about this book tonight. I read this while working in a bookstore as a senior in high school; I graduated in 1976. Awesome book! I agree with the existing comments above; I fell in love with the characters and especially Howard Amberson, who just tried to get through life with his integrity intact, and for the most part suceeded. A truly timeless, unforgettable work.

From a person who always has at least three books going at one time, (book on tape in my car, one in my hand bag, and one on my night stand) I have my all-time top ten favorite books. I first got this book from the Library in the 80's and tried desperatly to find it to buy and I couldn't. So I am embarrassed to say it is the only book I have ever purposely kept and paid for from a Library. It is also one of the few books I have reread many times. It is one of the most REAL books I have ever read. It made me laugh, it made me cry. It gave me a whole different perspective on relationships and all the stages one goes through in a realtionship that lasts a lifetime. ANY one who loves to
read should read this book. It will be one you will never forget.

I've read this book three or four times. I read it again this past year and include it in my list of favorite all time books.

The Southern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Newlywed Years is a cute little pink and green book that will match most gift-wrap at the next bridal shower you may attend. Humorously delving into such topics as Mother-in-Laws, moving in together, household chores, decorating, husband hygiene, and feeding and fighting this book provides a comic relief to many newlywed dramas.

The delightful and interesting thing about this book is the Southern spin Annabelle Robertson gives to age-old situations. While she's not quite the female version of Jeff Foxworthy, she is good for a few chuckles. I particularly like the small graph/tables she includes to reinforce her points such as the Color Code for Disposal of Husband's Possessions:
Color Code for Disposal of Husband's Possessions
Red Stickers: Items to dispose of before the move
Orange Stickers: Items to lose and/or break during the move
Green Stickers: Items to keep temporarily

I also enjoyed some of the recipes in this book such as Everyday Chicken Casserole and Southern Sweet Tea; however, an index would have been nice, so that you can find them again once you've read through the book.

Written like a self-help book, The Southern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Newlywed Years is easy to flip open and begin reading from any point. Like wise it is easy to read a section, set it down for, oh say, 7 to 9 months, and then pick it back up again. At times the humor is a bit redundant and more like the Southern Girl's Guide to being high maintenance than it is to surviving a marriage. Of course, I might not get all of the humor, being a Yankee in all. One thing about this book that is universal is how funny being married can be. It makes the perfect gag-gift and should be read as such.

Treat yourself to an easy read of Annabelle's fun stories this summer. You'll be glad that you did! She makes the mundane and even annoying adventures in matrimony funny. Enjoy!

I read this book in the Greensboro, North Carolina airport at 6am while waiting for an 8 am London flight. I was laughing out loud so much that the man beside asked what I was reading and I told him. I ended up reading it out loud, and we both laughed our buns off!

True Southern Girls are not to be confused with southern girls. Southern Girls are natural-born beauties who never fail to write thank-you notes, and understand the importance of a little unsolicited advice. Whereas, southern girls were born and raised in the south, but sadly, they don't have the charisma, breeding or anything else that might remotely resemble the charm of a true Southern Girl.

In The Southern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Newlywed Years, Ms. Robertson teaches us the difference between Southern Girls and southern girls, and talks about all sorts of important issues to beginning married life with your significant other. Looking for a love shack? Ms. Robertson shows us the pros or cons to moving into your place, his place, or getting someplace entirely different.

With fun titles for the chapters, such as:

-- Men and Food: Help Me, Rhonda
-- Cleaning and Chores: I Say a Little Prayer
-- The Mother-In-Law: I Wanna Be Sedated
-- Conflict Resolution: Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting
-- Babies: In the Year 2525

Ms. Robertson addresses all issues of married life. As a veteran of ten years of marriage, she knows what she's talking about. She also discusses how difficult divorce is on all concerned--and she knows that first hand too, as her parents have gone through multiple divorces.

All newlyweds or those going to be married, Southern Girl or not, should pick up a copy of The Southern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Newlywed Years. It will truly teach you how to stay sane once you've caught your man.

Armchair Interviews says: Wonder if there is a difference between northern girls and Northern girls?

I had the great pleasure of meeting Annabelle while arranging for her to speak at a spouse function. I knew almost instantly that she was a witty, intelligent woman however nothing prepared me for the real deal. She is downright F-U-N-N-Y and proved to be quite the entertainer. While I am definitely not a newlywed, I truly enjoyed this book and was unable to put it down as I was anxiously awaiting the next fit of laughter. The longer you have been married, the funnier as we have all "been there, done that" at least a time or two. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! Thank you Annabelle for this literary dose of fun and giggles... I look forward to the next great reading adventure!

I've hesitated to review cookbooks because I'm never sure when I've tried enough of one to warrant a review. After all, I can only comment on the bits and pieces with which I have experience. Still, the good cookbooks are worth mentioning, and this is one of the good ones.

As I flip through Vegan Fire & Spice, I'm finding that just about every recipe screams "Try me!" The recipes are organized broadly into large swaths of the globe (The Americas, Mediterranean Europe, The Middle East and Africa, India and Asia), and each section is further broken down into more specific regions. The recipes are -- you guessed it -- spicy, though of course this is adjustable to taste by varying the amount of spice or the quantity of chilis.

Anshu's Red Lentil Sambar sounded immensely appealing, although it required a trip to the local Indian grocery to purchase Garam Masala and a Sambar spice mixture. This is a good weekend recipe, as preparation and cooking takes some time. And there's a small criticism: I wish this cookbook included estimated prep times, because although some steps in this recipe gave approximate times, others did not and so it was hard in advance to get a sense of how long I'd be in the kitchen. I started making this at 6:45 and the meal wasn't ready until 9:00. Now that I understand the recipe, I'm sure that I could cut that time way down -- but it was worth even the long prep time.

The sambar is a delicious, hearty dish, full of chunks of vegetables and rich simmered lentils. It is more like a stew than the thin sambar soup you normally get in restaurants. Spiced to perfection -- and even better when I brought some with me for lunch the next day.

On a side note: I purchased this and another vegetarian cookbook from Amazon, and in a lovely gesture, they tucked in a coupon for a McDonald's chicken sandwich with my order. How thoughtful. At least I got a laugh in about it!

I always know that if Ms. Robertson is the author, the recipes will be wonderful. Vegan Planet is my most used cookbook but Fire and Spice is certainly competing for number one. All of the recipes I have made to date are easy and taste delicious. The quinoa stuffed avocados is a perfect recipe to serve to guests. it is both easy and colorful. I just made the Garlic Soup yesterday and it is absolutely delicious!

Thanks so much, Ms. Roberston; keep them coming!

Robin Robertson has done it again. Vegan Fire and Spice is one more gastronomic masterpiece to add to her impressive repertoire of cookbooks. This collection of recipes is as exotic and flavorful as it gets, from Vegetable Tagine with Seitan and Apricots to her recipe for Arugula Potato Salad, a unique twist on ordinary potato salad, laced with cayenne and speckles of capers. Robertson inspires the reader with every turn of the page. From the heat of the Mediterranean to the "Fiery Bliss of India," I was transported on a tantalizing journey around the world via these extraordinary recipes. For anyone who likes it hot, this book is for you!

I bought this book a few weeks ago for my vegetarian daughter. She has cooked many different recipes from it and they are all great. I think that we'll throw out all our other cookbooks. This is the only one that we now use. My husband and I have stopped eating meat since my daughter's cooking is so good. The meals are rich and hearty, and they don't need meat to make them great. Robin may be a couple of new vegetarian converts soon!

Whenever I'm looking for a tasty change-of-pace recipe to make for dinner, I turn to a Robin Robertson book, whether Quick-Fix Vegetarian, Vegan Planet, and her latest, Vegan Fire and Spice. Robin's recipes are hearty, straightforward, and they always work. Her passion for great food, healthfully prepared always shines through, and her knowledge of international cuisines is impressive. I'm a bit timid when it comes to spices, so this book has helped me appreciate bolder flavors.

Luisa Adams invites us into a world of beauty and truth with poetically beautiful prose and clear insights that touch all our lives. I could not stop reading. Luisa has a way of describing her personal experiences with metaphors that touched me deeply. In the first chapter, she describes her love of swimming with "This was not the world of trying. Effort sat down at the door, heavy in her overcoat of duty, as I plunged into the warm waters of a reality I loved." Reading this, I was plunged into the waters of my own reality of trying and yearning to leave this trying at the door. Luisa Adams goes on to speak of many universal life issues - birth, step-parenting, grief, divorce, death, love, share connection - in a way that speaks to all of us. Although I don't usually like short stories, and often don't finish books I begin, I raced through this book, knowing I would return to savor each word. Luisa welcomes readers to experience her joys and fears at the cabin by the lake. When she writes of the lake forest, near the end, "It is a homecoming, one I believe that has roots in the deep longings of the human heart to experience a sense of connection." I felt she was describing her own book. I experienced this sense of connection throughout. So leave your duty at the door and gift yourself with some quiet moments of reflection in company of Woven of Water. You will not be disappointed.

I read this book with the excitement of,"and then and then."
Luisa's gentle way of presenting her deep connections to life connected me to my own and others. Her unique writing was universal in the connection of the heart. Reading this book was like having a warm cup of tea with a special heart friend. An honoring of the magnificence of life.

What a pleasure and a delight to be welcomed into the authors' sacred space!
I was drawn into her world of inner life, her time alone...her room of her own and I could NOT put it down! I sipped these wonderful short stories as if they were the most delicious of treasured wines. How wonderful to see into her world and to share her journey over the years.

Woven of Water by Luisa Adams could be the dream of every woman with some history behind her, needing a clear view of what the future holds, and has an urge to express it by whatever form of creative genre occurs to her. How often I have imagined a cabin (with the amenities) where I was alone for a considerable time: to ponder, observe what happens around me in nature, dream, do nothing, lie still outdoors, and write. She does this so well. I was held by each of her essays. Without blame or guilt she talks of difficult situations in her family, giving the reader another model of how to handle those inevitable dramas that arise if we are alive! Thank you Luisa.

Lynn Scott, author of "A Joyful Encounter: My Mother, My Alzheimer Clients, and Me.

while I was living my life. I guess, that we are, indeed, more alike than perhaps we want to think. Forced me to look a bit closer at some of the experiences that I have had. Divorce, death, parenting, marriage seems mundane for some, but still.... Granted that this book is not for the person who cannot reflect on the experiences, choices, and chance happenings that makes each of us who we are. Although "vince" was a stretch, I could relate to all of her writing. Her thoughtful writing just made me feel better. A pleasure to read.