Williams Books

What a beautiful and poignant, bittersweet romance.

I fell in love with Olivia and Jai. The history, description and writing drew me right into the author's world.

I first read Olivia and Jai years ago and I've read probably thousands of books since, but I have never forgotten this book or the dynamic main characters, Olivia and Jai. There are also a number of very well developed and interesting secondary characters. Rebecca Ryman is a master of characterization and rarely have I read a book where the characters and the setting come alive to this degree. There are so many layers to the characters and to the plot that each revelation throughout its perfectly paced plot is like a gift of literary brilliance. This book encompasses the themes of love, hate and the sacrifices and devastation of revenge. It will make you laugh and cry, and it will break your heart. In the end, it will restore your faith in true love overcoming all obstacles, all the while educating you about a fascinating time and place in history. My 19 year old daughter recently came home from college for the summer so I checked this book out of the library for her. She at first showed little interest in spending her summer reading, but ended up locking herself in her room and ignoring her family and friends until she finished this book - in 3 days! Young and old will enjoy this book and I can not recommend it enough. I would actually give Olivia and Jai 10 stars! (I'm less enthusiastic about the sequel.)

This epic tale of love and revenge, set in India in 1848, chronicles the story of American Olivia O'Rourke's obsession with half-Indian Jai Raventhorpe and (as she believes) his betrayal, and her eventual revenge. All of this takes place against a backdrop Raventhorpe's shady background, interwoven with a multitude of family secrets.

It's quite clear that Ms Ryman is familiar with India. However, what she appears less familiar with are the language, mores and customs of the 19th Century. So the freedoms permitted Olivia and her cousin were a little overdone; and neither the thought of a woman being accepted in business in Colonial India, nor of the heir to a title being dirtying his hands in "trade", rang true. And the language used by the characters is far too twentieth century for credibility. That said, whilst for the first third of the book, I was somewhat irritated by these inconsistencies, I did become swept up by the story and just enjoyed it. Ms. Ryman certainly does know how to spin an absorbing tale. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, and the escalating "war of attrition" played out between Jai and Olivia was very cleverly developed. Additionally, Ryman's skill in drawing out her characters ensures that no matter how terribly Jai behaves, the reader is still able to retain some sympathy for him.

So is it a great book? I didn't think so, but it's a gripping read, and provided you can get past the issues of language and incursions of 20th century freedoms, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I eventually did.

This story is set in India some 20 or so years before the Sepoy rebellion. Olivia is an American who is in India for an extended visit with her Aunt, who is married to a British tea merchant. One day while trying to escape a boring ball she goes outside for some air and privacy. Ending up down by the river, she crosses paths with Jai Raventhorne, a dark, brooding, and mysterious Eurasian. For reasons unknown to them they are drawn to each other with an intensity that is both exhilarating and frightening. Despite Jai's repeated warnings that he is no good and will ultimately end up hurting Olivia her runaway emotions have a mind of thier own. Jai, knowing he will eventually hurt her, is unable to resist his own attraction to Olivia as well.

Eventually Jai's disturbing warning proves true...in the form of an unimaginable betrayal that shatters not only Olivia but her entire family. For some reason Jai is set on destroying Olivia's family. After the betrayal Olivia's love turns to an intense all consuming hatred. Her life spirals downward and she puts all her efforts into destroying Jai...and discovering the reasons and motives behind his intense hatred for her family.

As Olivia and Jai's hatred for each other increases they do all they can to hurt and destroy each other. However, the vigor and passion that they throw into hurting each other matches the one they once loved each other with. And as we all know...the opposite of love is indifference, not hate!

This story started out much like a typical well written Historical Romance, after the first 100 pages though it quickly turned into anything but. This is an emotional rollercoaster ride and I found myself cheering for Olivia and hating Jai with an intensity that I'm sure would make the author proud. It was absolutely impossible for me to tear myself away from this book at times. The plot is complex and the elements of mystery, romance, and revenge are absolutely genious. The last 20 pages had me in tears!

This is a great book, one of those rare books that envelopes you and you live, sleep, eat, and breathe it while you are reading it. When you finish you will wish there was still more to read. I find myself thinking about this book weeks after I've finished it. Lucky for me there is a sequal!

5/5 stars

The story begins in Calcutta in 1848 as Olivia O'Rourke arrives from California to spend time with her mother's sister, Lady Bridget Templewood. Used to the freer life she shared with her father, Olivia chafes under the rigid morals of British Society, but then she accidentally meets a man reviled by her family, Jai Ravenstone. Jai is a Eurasian with a mysterious past who against all odds built up a successful shipping empire.

Despite her family's hatred of Jai and his attempts at destroying her uncle's competing shipping business, Olivia cannot overcome her overwhelming attraction to Jai and sees him at every opportunity, even though Jai himself warns her of the dangers of involvement with him. Just when it seems Olivia and Jai may be able to surmount the problems of his past and find love, Jai's obsession with destroying the Templeton's takes him on a path that utterly destroys Olivia's love for him and sends her on a path of building her own business ventures to enact her revenge against Jai.

This was a wonderful tale of love and revenge that will have you reading well into the wee hours of the morning, by page 250 or so I literally didn't come up for air until I finished it. There are many twists and turns and quite shocking surprises that will have you guessing and turning the pages until the very end. It's not quite up to the standards of The Far Pavilions, but for those seeking a well spun yarn set in 19C India during the British Raj this is one worth checking out. Five Stars.

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright was first published in 1941, and though it was written many years ago, is as delightful now as it was then. It's a story about a family who loves each other, works hard and strives to do the right thing. How refreshing!

Mona (13), Rush (12), Miranda (10 ½), who is known as Randy, and Oliver (6) live in New Your City in a brownstone that is rather shabby, but has many floors and fits their lifestyle perfectly. The Melendy children's mother died, but their father and Cuffy, the beloved housekeeper, provide the love, attention and care the children need.

Each of the children has dreams and desires for their futures. Their interests are varied and they each are independent and inquisitive about life and their surroundings.

But while the Melendy children find life generally interesting, Saturdays can sometimes be just plain boring. The children form a club they call the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (I.S.A.A.C.). All of the children agree to pool their allowances and each child takes a Saturday with all the money to do something by themselves that they really want to do.

The Saturdays are exciting, not just because of the activities they choose, but because of the people they meet and the stories they hear. Well, Oliver does make one Saturday particularly memorable, but you'll have to read the book to learn about his adventure.

In the day of the novels that glamorize the worst society has to offer, The Saturdays is delightfully refreshing.

Armchair Interviews says: Read the series and enjoy!

This book is different in a good way. It is about 4 children who decide to put there allowences to a good use. Every Saturday the add up there allowence and one of the children gets to do any thing that they will always remember.
By,
Girl With A Plan

I had doubts for this book because it didn't sound very interesting but my Mom wanted me to read it so I did-I loved it. It's original and imaginative and above all easy to read for hours without getting bored. It's original and fun like the story of Mrs. Olifount being kidnapped by jypsies, or Isaac the dog saving the family from suffocating. It's a wonderful book I can't wait to read the sequils.

When I was nine years old I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Enright's "The Melendy Family" on sale for 25 cents at my school Christmas fair, donated by some eighth-grader who evidently felt she had "outgrown" it. I wonder, does anybody ever outgrow the Melendys? "The Melendy Family" was a three-in-one volume comprising "The Saturdays", "The Four Story Mistake", and "Then There were Five". Alas, "The Melendy Family" is no longer in print, but fifty years later, I still have my copy, read to shreds, patched and repatched with scotch tape, a book to be treasured forever and never thrown away. Fortunately, the books making up "The Melendy Family" have been reissued as individual volumes available to enchant yet another generation of young readers.

"The Saturdays", the first volume in the series, introduces us to the four Melendy children: Mona, age 13, Rush, age 12, Randy, who is ten-and-a-half, and Oliver, age 6. Each is given a distinct personality and Enright modeled them on children she had known in her own life, her own children or childhood friends. The result is four fictional characters so totally believable that for years after the books were published, Enright continued to get letters from readers wondering if the Melendys were "real".

The Melendy children's mother is deceased, but they are raised by a devoted, caring father and Cuffy, their beloved housekeeper, who stands in as nurse, cook, substitute mother, grandmother, and aunt, and generally rules the roost. The children are funny, refreshing and unspoiled. Mona has aspirations of being a famous actress and already at thirteen can recite "yards and yards of Shakespeare at the drop of a hat." Rush is the next to the oldest, a musical prodigy with a penchant for getting into and out of trouble. Randy at ten-and-a-half (the half is very important at that age) is an endearing mixture of grace and klutziness, a talented dancer and artist who keeps falling over her own feet when it comes to manual labor. And six-year-old Oliver is the baby of the family, placid and calm, very much his own person, as his story shows.

The story opens on a rainy Saturday which finds Randy and Rush monumentally bored with nothing to do. Randy wants to see a some French paintings. Rush wants to go to the opera. Mona wants to see a play. But in the early 1940s (the approximate time in which the story is set is revealed in the opening pages when Enright tells us that the long scars on the linoleum floor were made by Rush trying out a pair of ice skates on Christmas afternoon, 1939), fifty cents a week allowance was standard, and there wasn't a whole lot you could do with that. Randy has a brainstorm. Let's start a club, she says, and pool our allowances together each week so one of us can spend them on something we've always wanted to do. This idea is adopted enthusiastically by all the children (Oliver wants to contribute his ten cents, too), and thus the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (ISAAC) is born.

Each following chapter describes an adventure that takes place on each child's Saturday. Randy goes to see an exhibition of French paintings, runs into an old family acquaintance, Mrs. Oliphant, and is treated to tea at the Plaza while she hears a delightful story of the time Mrs. Oliphant was kidnapped by gypsies during her childhood.

Rush goes to the opera, walks home in a snowstorm, and finds a lost puppy that becomes the family's devoted friend and companion from that day on.

Mona, tired of her long braids, goes to a beauty parlor and treats herself to a haircut and a manicure. The resulting uproar by her father and Cuffy seems a trifle overdone, but as Father later admits, it's hard for parents to realize that their children are growing up.

And Oliver, keeping his own counsel, sneaks out of the house when his Saturday comes and goes to the circus all by himself. An even greater adventure occurs when he is given a ride back home by a mounted policeman on a horse, after he gets lost leaving Madison Square Garden.

After Oliver's adventure the kids decide to spend their Saturdays as a group, but that doesn't stop them from having mishaps such as Randy falling overboard from a boat in Central Park, the family almost suffocating from coal gas when Rush forgets to shut the furnace door, and the storeroom catching fire. It all comes to an exciting conclusion when Mrs. Oliphant invites the children to spend the summer in her lighthouse in Long Island.

"The Saturdays" takes us back to a simpler time and to adventures that probably couldn't happen today (no parent in his right mind would allow a ten year old to go to a museum alone in the New York City nowadays), but kids are still kids, and the Melendys seem so real they could be anyone we knew when we were children, or wish we had known. The time frame may help children understand what a dollar could purchase back then (a wash, set and manicure, or admission to a museum with change to spare). The whole series is a gem for every child and every generation. I still marvel at the priceless find I picked up off a bookshelf at random fifty years ago for only twenty-five cents. It's paid me back a zillion-fold ever since.

Judy Lind

I wanted to respond to the reviews below that thought it was either implausible or dated for children aged 10-13 to wander around New York by themselves. I grew up in New York (in Manhattan, across the park from the Melendys) in the late 1980s. I turned 13, just Mona's age, in 1990. I started walking home from school alone in fourth grade (when I was nine, a year younger than Randy). Like Mr. Melendy and Cuffy, my parents' major worry was that I was careful crossing the street. (Reasonably enough, they feared that drivers would not be able to see a small child.) Many of my friends from elementary school walked or took the bus to school alone at the same age. By twelve (Rush's age), I was allowed to take the subway to visit friends from junior high school, and they took the subway to visit me. By fourteen our teachers assumed that we were competent to find the Metropolitan Museum of Art on our own for projects. None of these people were neglectful, and none of them were "horrified" at the idea of pre-adolescents wandering around the city alone. This was in the supposed "bad old days" when crime was theoretically much higher than it is now, and none of us ever suffered any accident. (Although a group of friends and I got lost coming back from the theater in eighth grade, and were pretty embarrassed that we looked like tourists.)

Anyone familiar with the geography of New York City knows that the Melendy children stay within a fairly small geographic area in THE SATURDAYS, and that the areas where most of their adventures take place are some of the richest and safest in the city. Most sensible New York parents would allow their children to wander there on Saturday afternoons with no more concern than the appropriate ones that Mr. Melendy shows. (Be careful of traffic, don't talk to strangers, and don't get lost.)

Ironically, this ties in with the review that says that Enright did not take enough "risks" with the book, by having her characters get kidnapped by gypsies or run away from home. The fact is, she wrote a fairly realistic description of the childhood of the middle and upper-middle classes of New York City....kids who come into CONTACT with a relatively diverse group of people who have had a variety of experiences, but who actually live in a fairly safe, and sheltered world.

As a New York City kid, I was thrilled to read a book that reflected MY real life experience, as opposed to yet another story about kids who lived in houses with back yards and rode a school bus, and generally had no relationship to my real life. I still love THE SATURDAYS for its loving description of a New York that has in some ways remained startingly the same, even though parts of it have disappeared (no more two way traffic on Fifth Avenue, and no double decker buses!). As other reviews have said, The Saturdays is a charming, well-written book for kids, that can also be enjoyed by adults. It's also one of the few accurate and positive stories about growing up in a great city. I would recommend it for all ages.

Ever wonder about what a Lutheran is? You know you've seen them, heard about them from time to time but don't really know what they believe. Well here is your chance! This is an awesome way to get to the real answers of the Lutheran confession of faith. An excellent exposition of the Bible as God's Word.

So, if you even have questions as to what the Bible itself really teaches, this is a great tool to read in parallel with the scriptures, really helps open one's eyes to the truth of God's Word, and exposes the errors of other religious thought. This is a timeless classic that has as much revelance for today as it did when it was originally penned.

This edition of the Book of Concord makes the Lutheran Confessions very accessible to the average lay person. The translation is easy-to-read, and the extensive historical introductions provide just the right amount of context to understand the setting in which these important documents were written. Pastors and theologians would likely benefit more from other, more scholarly editions, but I enjoyed the woodcut illustrations, which give this book a nice 16th-century feel while also making it more attractive for the intended audience, the laity of the Lutheran Church, for whom these Confessions (as a true exposition of Holy Scripture) form the basis of their doctrine and practice.

Short and sweet, this is a user friendly version of a time tested and true resource. Highly recommended for EVERYONE, not just Lutherans, as it contains the basics of our catholic (Christian) faith in the creeds, and explains the reasons that caused the rift between Luther and the Roman Catholic Church and led to the Reformation, and (probably) most of the denominations that exist today. Buy it Read it and Rate it!

If you are looking to learn what the Bible teaches, this is the perfect book for you. This book is in-depth, very detailed, and specific about what the Bible teaches and does not. You especially need to read this book if you are a Lutheran. This particular edition is great because it is so readable and provides historical introductions to each section. I highly recommend it!
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions -- A Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord

The Book of Concord is something EVERY pastor and layman should read. It is a clear understanding of so many relevant Christian truths about life, sin, faith, justification and pretty much anything else.
Stop chasing fad after fad... dig into some seriously good, Biblical theology. You'll be glad you did.

Twenty four years ago, I was a ten year old girl who saved every last penny to save $35.00 to buy the Little House on The Prairie boxed set by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It was my love of the TV show that started the savings venture...I heard it was based on a true story and I needed to know all the details. What happened when I received those books, and read them one after another that year changed me into a fan of the show, into a full fledge Laura Ingalls Wilder enthusiast. Why? Because of the simple beauty of the pioneer tales within. Stories that show that even when things are worse than you or I can imagine, family and faith still bring hope and contentment. Little Town on the Prairie is one of my two favorite stories. Even as a ten year old I loved watching Laura turn into a lady in this story. Its been several years since I read this one, and taking a break from my regular readings seemed a good idea. I noticed that I picked up new little things this time around. I can read different things into that meeting with Almonzo where he and Laura change cards, I can feel the shame and tension in the school house scene where Laura defends Carrie to Ms. Wilder (I think I felt this horror anew from a parents perspective) and I also noticed Ma's prejudices against the Indians more keenly as well. There was a scene I even felt uncomfortable with. In a social gathering at the school, some of the town's men dressed in black paint and acted like "darkies" to the amusement of the audience. I think Laura herself, would flinch from that in this day and age. But again, it only emphasizes the times the Ingalls family were living in, and how far this country has come. The country has made mistakes along the way (slavery and the Trail of Tears, for example). But where we are now is in no little part, due to the efforts of the brave pioneers like the Ingalls family. This is a historical, christian, pre-romance, and tale of growing from child to woman all in one and there is no doubt in my mind, why this remains a beloved story to children and adults everywhere today.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

What an incredible book!!!! WOW!!!! I admire the man behind this book, Les Brown. He is real! He asks you questions to get you to think of where you are and where you want to go. IF you have not found success, regardless of the "excuse", this is a must read!!!! It is Powerful!!!!Les Brown really makes you figure out where your place is in this world. You have one, you just have to find it. Thank you Les Brown. God Bless you!!!!! My husband is suppose to read this book next.....I think I might have to get him his own copy. :)

I purchased Les Brown's "Live Your Dreams" when it first came out and it made a great difference in my life. I started having more confidence in who I was and it helped my reach beyond anything I previously thought I could accomplish. Since then I met a young man who I feel could benefit from "Live Your Dreams" and absolutely had to buy it for his birthday. I hope that this title will eventually be brought back as a CD. I feel anyone could find peace and confidence in themselves after listening to Les Brown. He offers hope and possibilities.

I bought this book as a result of the fact that for two days in a row, I had the privileged to be at a seminar given by Les Brown at Jesus House DC, Live and uncensored. After listening to him, I purchased most of material including this book. Reading the material simply brings him back live to my mind. It is as if he was right there next to you talking to you; showing how and why you CAN DO THIS! You have potential. You can make it; here is how. Then he explains the steps to achieve your greatness. This book is a must to any one who wants to make it to the top. My heartfelt Gratitude to both Les Brown and Pastor Ghandi of Jesus House DC for exposing us to such priceless and tremendous knowledge.
Dr. Israel King,Ph.D. Author of How To Keep A Man

Les Brown is phenomenal and very motivating. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone.

I first saw Les Brown on PBS television while he was giving a motivational seminar. I couldn't change the channel. He was so good. So motivating and fun to listen to, I just had to hear every word he had to say.
When I saw his book, "Live your Dreams" in the bookstore, I knew I had to buy it. It was a great investment.
The book is entertaining, honest, extremely enlightening and of course, motivational. I enjoy this book so much that I can't recommend it enough. Anyone who wants to go against the odds and be successful in life will need the right motivation and attitude. Les Brown's "Live your Dreams" gives you that much needed boost in moral support.

At first the authors' sef-help suggestions seem almost too simple to be effective; akin to Nancy Reagan's, "just say no...". But as I continued reading I began to see their point with greater clarity, and finally had to agree with them: I am a person of value who is loved and can love others. Neither they nor I need to try to measure up to any unrealistic expectations in order to be acceptable and to enjoy life.
The book is based on the core teaching of the Bible: even though we are hopelessly messed up from day one, God loves us, forgives us, and gives us the ability to become what we are meant to be. Because of this, no matter how full of resentment, emptinesss and hate we are, we can change and enjoy inner peace, free of guilt and self-condemnation.
I was surprised at how, in some of the case studies, the authors seemed to minimize people's anguish, telling them what they were experiencing was, "...not so terrible...". But eventually it began to make sense. It's a matter of getting a better perspective; correcting the negative 'can't see the forest for the trees' view so many of us don't even realize we have.
I recommend this book to anyone who really does want to get past the "gotta play the bad hand life has dealt me" mentality. Too many people have overcome horrible circumstances; the rest of us need to know that we can as well. This book helps us see how.

This is an essential book for anyone who struggles with depression and they don't know why! I have learned so much from this book, and I recommend it to everyone.

The book is excellent. Im' reading it for the second time which I rarely ever do with books. The dissatifation I have is the 1st week I had it the book started to come apart. Books are not made as good as they use to.

This is a wonderful book written by Christian couselors. It teaches a person to re-train their thinking to overcome depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, etc. A lot of people, especially when very young, are given wrong messages about being a bad person or a failure, etc, and it carries through adulthood causing shyness, low self-esteem, etc. This book tells you that those wrong messages are lies and are not the truth. In lots of cases, we have more capacity than we think we do, and we deserve more credit than we give ourselves.

This is a really awesome book, using Christian backing.

After reading this book, I've since given away my copy and bought it twice. It's based on a simple concept: eliminate negative self talk by recognizing it, arguing with it, and replacing it with the truth. Anyone who has ever been discouraged, experienced doubt, or been angry at themselves will learn from this book.

Rick Rodgers is an expert! His best ever turkey and gravy recipes are hands down crowd pleasers. I let my sister borrow the book and now I have to buy a new copy because she "can't find it." Also take a look at his Christmas 101.

This was my 1st Thanksgiving and everything turned out wonderful! The receipes were very easy to follow. My mother in-law was a little worried how I was going to cook the turkey (she thought it would be dry) and it turned out to be PERFECT! What a great cookbook to have, I look foward to trying new receipes next year.

Have assisted Rick in many of his sold out cooking classes. He writes for the home cook. You can be confident when you do any of his tried and true recipes. Thanksgiving 101 is my go to book at the holidays. All dog-eared and Post notes thru-out. Go see him if you can!!! Fabulous

I have been using this book for Thanksgiving for 6 years and love it! I bought one for everyone I know and they all think it's great too. This year I made the Bread Rolls 101 and they were great. My turkey always comes out perfect using the writer's basic method. Everyone should own this book - I use it before and after the holidays and all thru the year!

If you judge a cookbook by how accurate the receipes are, how tasty or even how many times you reach for the book to get you out of a jam--than this is THE book for you. Although I work very hard to be organized during the holidays so I don't go completely bonkers(like keeping 3-hole binders of receipes and shopping lists). Without fail every year I need to go back and consult this book for some tip, technique or something essential I missed. Can't fail as a present to anyone from a newlywed (tucked inside a roaster pan) to a bachelor/bachelorette (attached to a cocktail shaker or hors'doerve plate)--every receipe works and taste great. Plus because they are all bound together, you won't misplace, lose, eat or toss these vital scraps of paper--like I did with that great sweet and savory butter head lettuce receipe....

Engrossing story, likable heroin, written by a man in the viewpoint of a woman! setting on a beach in africa. Great, great read. Not all action either, addresses themes of morality, decadence of mankind, etc.

If someone had given me a basic description of what this novel was about, I probably would not have read it. I don't really have any interest in reading about the life of a scientist studying primates in Africa. But William Gibson is a masterful storyteller and I became enthralled with this book. It's truly moving and exciting and yes, even thrilling and hilarious sometimes. I read this book shortly after it was published and it's with me all these years later. They don't come much better than this.

Since many readers have reviewed this book before me, I will not summarize its plot, or plots. I found both interconnected stories quite interesting. The account of the central character's life among the chimpanzees and in an African civil war was clearly based on first-hand experience as other readers have noted, and the tale of her troubled marriage to a mathematician in the John Nash mould (A BEAUTIFUL MIND) had personal resonance for me as the son and father of mathematicians. Although I found the methods by which these two stories are interlinked to be cumbersome or even pretentious at times, there is an extensive tissue of ideas knitting the book together into a whole. Among these are the values and limitations inherent in the pursuit of knowledge, and the dynamics of comradeship and friendship in closed societies. But the stories are connected most of all in the character of Hope Clearwater, who emerges as a strong but fallible woman, and entirely human.

The book also makes an interesting comparison with Russell Banks' more recent THE DARLING, whose female central character also works with chimps in a country torn by civil war. In that book, too, sections set in Africa are set off against a portrayal of the heroine on her own ground. I happen to prefer the Banks, but this may only be because I read it first.

Is there are trend to construct contemporary novels out of separate stories which are only loosely connected? Within a six-week period, I have also read David Mitchell's CLOUD ATLAS (billed as a novel) and Joan Silber's IDEAS OF HEAVEN (billed as a "ring of stories," but with at least as much interconnectedness as the Mitchell). Also Anne Michaels' FUGITIVE PIECES, which introduces an entirely new life-story in the last quarter of the book in order to cast oblique light on the subject of the first three-quarters; Michael Ondaatje uses a similar technique -- marvelously -- in DIVISADERO. The multiple story is also a favorite technique of W. G. Sebald (THE EMIGRANTS and VERTIGO), whose novels are closer to memoirs anyway. But you also see it in more popular works, such as Jennifer Haigh's MRS KIMBLE and the opening at least of Kate Atkinson's CASE HISTORIES. It is an interesting and potentially powerful trend -- provided only that the various tales ARE connected in significant ways. The test, I think, is whether any one of the stories would lose by being told on its own; in this particular case, I think it would lose something, but not much; hence my reluctant reduction of my vote from 5 stars to only 4.

Man vs chimpanzee: Boyd takes the wonderfully named Hope Clearwater's experience as a chimp-sanctuary research scientist in Africa and interleaves it with her crumbling marriage to a failed mathematical genius/lunatic, John.

Hope suffers from an unerring scientific passion to tell the truth about her empirical observations, a quality not always shared by her colleagues or bosses, whose agendas and motives grow darker as the book progresses.

Boyd jumps seamlessly across time and place to make this an easy one-day read and a very rewarding one. Brazzaville Beach blends a depth of detail, well-juxtaposed mathematical theories and the realisation that chimps can be just as brutal as human beings.

This is an intelligent, quality novel from an intelligent, world-class novelist.

I just read Boyd's latest, "Restless," and went back to re-read Brazzaville Beach which I first discovered 15 years ago. (Whoever recommended that, thanks!) Brazzaville still retains an intriguing set of themes, and somehow sets the scene to the troubles that west and central Africa have suffered in the past decade and today.
I won't go over the plot, but would suggest that Boyd's use of language is something that other reviewers have not stressed. It is very economical, and very rich; sometimes you have to read a sentence over to find the nuances of comedy, despair, cynicisms, and then go back to the purely narrative description that pulls his stories along.
Kudos to Boyd, and Brazzaville remains my favorite of the many novels of his that I've read. Will Hollywood wake up and make a film of this?

If you want a very, very basic introduction to Economics, this book is a good one. However, as an Economics major in college, I was looking more for a reference book to refresh my fading knowledge. This book doesn't have that level of detail.

I gave it five stars, because it's not the book's fault that I wanted something different.

The text is excellent and is suitable for any type of introductary Ecnonomics class. It can be used in a tough course or an easy course, as it provides a great level of organization so that the instructor may choose the material at his discretion depending on his course lay out.

Among all the textbooks I have seen in economics, I have found Mankiw's to be the best. It is clear and concise, addressing all the important intermediate issues in macroeconomics. The description of concepts is simple, and the book benefits from a three pronged approach to teaching - graphical, mathematical, and anecdotal. The student is free to choose whichever one he feels most comfortable learning from.

I'd recommend this along w/ "The Economic Way of Thinking" by Heyne, as the two best Econ textbooks I've read. Mankiw's book is fair and balanced, he is not a frothing at the mouth partisan, and it is a straightforward explanation of basic economic terms. However, he establishes a handful of core truths that anyone who wishes to understand economics must accept, and if not accept, explain as to why these certain truths don't apply. For example, Mankiw establishes that 1.) free markets work better than regulated markets, 2.) private property and incentives are necessary for productivity 3.) trade makes everyone wealthier.

He does not explain these in a polemical way, but he calmly establishes a solid case for these (and other principles), and despite being fairly standard in economic circles, they are fairly contentious in the realm of political economics and discourse (particularly on the collegiete level, where English Major Marxists think they know more about the social order than those who study the social order). This makes the book more persuasive than a fire and brimstone screed from an Ann Coulter type. Books like this need to be read by all to improve the Economical I.Q. of the voting public.

As an instructor of introductory macroeconomics, I often rue the fact that we do not utilize this textbook. I borrow material from it INCESSANTLY and without shame.

It presents the "Keynesian" viewpoint on macroeconomics in an extraordinarily clear and interesting fashion. Frankly, I consider the introductory (read literally - first semester macro books) texts to be a waste of time. There is absolutely no reason this textbook should not be used for a first semester macroeconomics course (assuming one has already taken an introductory microeconomics course).

Suggested plan of study for those interested in a fairly serious study of macroeconomics (without an INSANE amount of mathematical preparation): this book and Barro's book with the same title. Barro's book presents the real business cycle theory approach in a clear manner (though the book is somewhat dull in comparison)...then decide for yourself which 'camp' is making the most sense.

I own/buy a lot of cook books but this is still my number one favorite!

This cookbook is an updated version of and replaces the New York Times Cookbook that I lost in the post-Hurricane Katrina flooding in New Orleans. It feels like a replacement for an old friend with the recipes I most enjoyed still there plus some additional ones.

This is the one greatest cookbook I have ever owned. There is nothing in it that doesn't come out perfectly! I had lost my copy in moving, and purchased it again. Try the Cod Provencal, even you hate anchovies!

Several years ago, I went on a cleaning spree and ditched my falling apart copy of the New York Times Cookbook. What a mistake! It is the most wonderful cookbook I've ever used. Unfortunately, I couldn't recall the title (hard to believe), and have been without this gem for too long. Thanks to the Amazon "Look Inside," I was able to read the index and identify my old friend. I can't wait to try the Madras Chicken Curry and Kung Pao Shrimp with Cashews again. Try this book for yourself - you'll want to hold on to this one!

This book is full of recipes that aren't difficult to make.

I own more than 300 cookbooks, and this one is used all the time by me.

There are NO PHOTOS, which is fine by me. I don't need photos to cook.

Every single thing I have made from this book comes out AMAZINGLY good.

NYT also made an international cookbook. The two together are a lovely gift....such a practical book.