Italy Books

Often I have said my gender cannot write. Louisa is an exception. I bought her book because the ancient black madonna interests me very much. The famous gothic cathedral of Chartres in France is dedicated to her. In this book you see the veneration for the black madonna come to life. The author keeps you in suspense as the story line unfolds, and I find her style of developing the characters and plots very charming. She presents wisdom of life and humor, that made me laugh out loud. The reason I read is to be entertained, and I was truly entertained from start to finish. I even learned a thing or two.

My mother grew up in the area where this book takes place. I bought her this book, and she was said it was wonderful and brought back many memories. The sites mentioned are all real, and some of the people remind her of those she grew up with. If anyone is nostalgiac for that area and era, this is a must-read.

What a terrific group of people to "meet" and easily get to know. This story takes place in the row houses in Little Itlay in NY. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like part of the "family" of neighbors and tight-knit family. Reading this book was like sitting on the front stoop with these characters catching up on the neighborhood gossip. There are the old world Italians that are actually from Italy and this particular group stick with old customs and beliefs and don't wander to far from Little Italy. Then there are the young, new Italians born in Little Italy but tend to wander out of the neighborhood and meet new friends not from Little Italy or even Italian. We get to meet the overbearing, Italian mother of a son who has a hard time being independent or even wanting to be independent. This story made me laugh at times. I wouldn't call this a comedy, I'd call this a look at a different ethnic culture but also being able to recognize someone familiar. This was an excellent book and story with a lot of people to enjoy. A fun education of "the old ways".

I loved this book. I read it during a 20-hour bus ride, keeping my above-the-seat light on well into the night. Not so much to see what would happen (although you really don't know that until the last pages); more because I just wasn't ready to say good-night to the characters. This is the best part: Unlike many books I read, the ending was just as good as the beginning. I'll read more of her books.

"The Black Madonna" is loaded with stereotypes -- the overbearing Italian mama, the rich Jewish family; however, this book is so hysterical that political correctness must, thank God, go by the wayside. Filled with scenes of life in tenement housing in "the old neighborhood," Louisa Ermelino has written great atmosphere with colorful, memorable characters. There is no deep plot, just a delightful splash of life, love, religion, friendship, and aging.

I have read many personal accounts of WWII combat and this is one of the best.

It was a bit hard to believe that this book wasn't written in first-person. The author did an excellent job in writing down someone else's words. Usually, retellings are not as vibrant or as engaging. But this was a pleasant surprise.

This is an awesome book! I was originally disappointed because based on the title I thought it was about D-Day. Well it's not. It's about the invasion of Sicily. Let me say it was one of the best mistakes that I have made. I could not put this book down. It is fantastic and easy to read. I read 86 pages the first day and I am usually a slow reader. It was impossible for me to put the book down.

Do yourself a favor - buy this if you have an interest WWII and or paratroopers.

Combat Jump tells the tale of the 82nd Airborne (specifically the 505th Parachute Regiment) as the prepared for and jumped into Sicily in WWII. In the tale, Mr. Ruggero tells of the forming of the 505th, their charismatic young commander (James Gavin), veterans of the unit that made the jump, and the veteran's tales of what happened during their assault on Sicily. Mr. Ruggero gives excellent background information on the different veterans, including their occupations prior to joining the Army, what they did in the Army (including in their time with the 505th), and their remembrances of this event.

The early part of the book is excellently crafted. I was seriously looking at this as being a 4.5 star book, but when the jump was made, several problems occurred with his telling; first, the stories jump all over the map. Mr. Ruggero's following of the invasion of Sicily is as scattered as the 505th was! I really wish he'd followed a little more structure with things. If he had, I'd have found the book much more pleasant to read. Having said that, I really wish he'd had a few maps included so readers were aware of where he was talking about on Sicily. Maps really help with history books (publishers, please pay the extra nickels to have a few maps in the books. It really makes the books more buyable!). Finally, Mr. Ruggero needed to have a nice wrap up of what happened to the 505th after their initial jump. Instead, Mr. Ruggero closes with the unit being relieved...

My rating... as said earlier, I was really hoping for 4.5 stars, however after reading the later parts, I have to rate the book 3.5 stars overall. I rounded it up to 4 stars for Amazon.

Ed Ruggero's "Combat Jump" is a wonderfully written and engaging piece of story-telling! Based mainly upon interviews with veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division (most specifically members of the 505th PIR), Ruggero has crafted a real page turner that takes the reader from the initial theoretical ideals of American Airborne forces to the first major combat - the Sicilian invasion of 1943 - seen by the fruits of the imaginative "fathers of the Airborne". Particularly interesting is the description of how initial concepts of the US Airborne Army were brought to fruition, and how a young West Point Captain, James ("Slim Jim") M. Gavin, played into these early events. Gavin is of course central to the entire story of the 82nd as he was a company commander in the 503rd PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) during training at Fort Benning, later regimental commander of the 505th PIR on its jump into Sicily and combat through Italy, and finally division commander of the 82nd Airborne (promoted to this post in August '44). While initially not of rank and stature to play a significant role in pushing the Airborne concept into reality, "Slim Jim" was certainly a major player in keeping the Airborne on the map - this is exemplified by his leadership of the 505th in the Sicilian campaign, which is so eloquently relayed here in "Combat Jump". It is the strong and steadfast picture of Gavin as a commander leading from the front that comes shinning through in "Combat Jump". It is no wonder that the US Airborne Army succeeded (in spite of many perceived tactical failures and let downs) with man like Gavin at the helm! Ruggero should be commended for bringing to life again the larger than life character that was Jim Gavin.

From the standpoint of precision of presented historical facts "Combat Jump" suffers in a fashion not uncommon in similarly presented second-hand "oral histories", such as works by Stephen Ambrose. Mr. Ruggero has no doubt taken the relayed oral histories of veterans at face value (in fact Ruggero essentially conveys this message in the last paragraph of his Author's Note at the end of the book) as historical inconsistencies are present in the text. One glaring example is the common reference to battles with numerous Tiger tanks during the first 3-4 days of battle in Sicily. No doubt lightly-armed paratroopers fighting as essentially as foot infantry without support of mechanized forces and little by way of supporting artillery would "see" any German tanks as the dreaded Tigers. In reality just 17 Tiger 1 tanks were actually present on Sicily at the time of the invasion on July 10, 1943, and were essentially rendered non-combatant by pressing US Naval Gunfire. Moreover, by D-Day+3 ten of these tanks were destroyed by the Germans themselves to avoid their capture (six of the remaining seven met a similar fate in the days that followed). It therefore seems almost certain that many of the "Tigers" fought by the 82nd on Sicily were in fact Mark IV or Panther tanks. This in no way diminishes the valor and bravery of the paratroopers who took on multi-ton armored vehicles, often with little more than adrenalin and a carbine, it merely points out that soldiers fighting in the field seldom see the events historically, but rather from the real perspective of life or death. To the trooper in the field any tank might as well be a Tiger when he was exposed without shelter and on his own. Neither Ruggero nor the veterans relaying their experiences can be particularly faulted for such errors. It is only pointed out here to illustrate the point from a "purity of history" vantage point.

Despite errors in precision of historical facts, "Combat Jump" is a wonderful read and worthy of attention as a tribute to the men who fought with the US Airborne, not just those of the 82nd Sicilian campaign. A solid read, not quite 5 stars but definitely 4 and three-quarters!!

Both of my parents came from Calabria. I was surprised and delighted to find so many recipes that my parents made. This cookbook is a treasure to me.

I really like this cookbook because my ancestors are from Calabria and it outlines many of my family's favoriate Italian recipes.

This is the 4th time I've bought this book Loved it & makes a great gift. Not only good recipes but interesting facts re: Calabria

This cookbook helps me to reconnect with my father who passed away in 1984, he was from Calabria Italy. He loved every ingredient in this book. I was amazed to see zucchini flowers breaded and fried. My mother and father used to make them and every kid in the neighborhood loved them, I thought my father was crazy to cook those flowers, but now that I saw them in this cookbook it makes me realize how much of his heritage was in them. This cookbook is for anyone who wants a truly authentic cookbook!

I enjoyed a number of the recipes, and for the most part they keep in the spirit of cucina povera, but I was looking for Calabrian dishes that are strictly from Calabria. For example, parmesan and Parma ham are both Northern creations and a description stating that the latter is a Southern creation seems ill-informed.
Overall I feel a bit guilty having to give this three stars but I felt a bit misled by the other reviews. By all means buy this book for good, authentic modern Italian, but for distinctly Calabrian recipes, I would look elsewhere.

The Italian sugar cookies are neutral tasting and more shortbread in texture than crisp. I wouldn't want to make these again.

I do not pretend to know much about Italian desserts, but I have baked enough cheesecakes to know a good one when I bake one. I am basing my evaluation of this cookbook on one recipe alone, the outrageously good crustless Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake on pages 220-221. You can stir up this light concoction in minutes. You don't need to beat this one, unlike American cheesecakes. It is the easiest cheesecake I've ever made and qualifies for the "quick and easy" category of cooking. The cake is light and airy, almost like a souffle, and probably has fewer calories than the usual ones heavy laden with cream cheese. Your guests can eat this delicious cheesecake without guilt.

There are literally dozens of dessert recipes here in chapters on yeast-risen pastries, fried pastries, puff pastry, cream puff pastry, plain cakes, cakes with fruit, layer cakes, biscotti, ices and frozen desserts, etc.

I have tried many of Mr. Malgieri's dessert recipes from his other cookbooks and have never found one that didn't work. I would therefore try any of these with confidence.

Nick Malgieri is, without a doubt, one of the best dessert chef-teachers in America today. In "Great Italian Desserts" Maligieri adds ethnic passion and the energy of fond memories to his enormous skill, resulting in a magnificient work. Nowhere else have I found such an array of Italian desserts presented with such simplicity. This book is a "must have" for any cook who would like to create an authentic cannoli or discover an array of Italian desserts. The methods presented are straight-forward and presented with a simplicity typical of Malgieri.

Italian desserts are both delicious and artistic. This great contribution would have been even more significant were it better illustrated. With the exception of the book jacket, the work totally lacks color illustrations of these marvelous creations. Though the book is populated with crude preparation sketches, those not familiar with the look of the final products may feel a bit frustrated in bringing these wonderful desserts to life.

I think Malgieri is by far the best book on Italian desserts. Probably its main strength is that it explains carefully which ingredients have to be used. I had gone through many failures preparing Italian recipes here in the States, usually because the American products are different (for instance, ricotta cheese or marzipan). Most books do not adjust for that, and simply translate the Italian recipe, or, even worse, they Americanize it (use of vegetable shortening, or cream cheese instead of ricotta, and other horrors). Malgieri, instead, explains carefully what to use. In addition, the book contains almost all the famous recipes, in their true Italian form.

Enjoyed the desserts when Nick was at World Trade Center, NY. The cookbook helps us recapture the quality without the airfare!!! This is a clear, step-by-step format and produces what it promises. Baking takes more time than does making soup. This book helps make the the use of our time most efficient.

This is a wonderful introduction to Italian Renaissance art, completely accessible and scholarly at the same time. Not to be read in one sitting though. An hour at a time is enough. Good for use as a college text as well. Don't feel you have to read every page. If your interest flags, go on to another section where you find the art more appealing.

Gave it to my husband for Christmas. He likes it very much and he is very fussy about books.

Its a subjective opinion "Good as New" - I would not give this description to the book I received. It was in Good condition, but definitely NOT "Good as New" - The book looked well used but not abused - Oh well, its a great book and will be well used again and again and again.

Frederick Hartt wrote the original book The History of Italian Renaissance Art however, he is now deceased. David Wilkins, Professor Emeritus Art History, University of Pittsburgh and recognized expert on this important period of world art, has authored the recent History of Italian Renaissance Art books.

I don't give 5-star ratings very often. I reserve them for only the best, and this is indeed the best Italian Renaissance book. I received my undergraduate degree in art history and this was the text used in my Italian Renaissance class. Now, I am completing my master's and we are using the same text, updated edition. It does not read as a textbook for those considering leisure reading. It reads like art history books by Marilyn Stokstad. It is written in easy to understand language, with chapters being grouped by years. There are a TON of pictures! I would say 50% of the book is pictures and 95% of those are in color. There are a few B&W pictures but they are of obscure sculptures or paintings. The book was originally written by Frederick Harrt who was one of the 'Monument Men' in World War II who went around Italy documenting art, missing, damaged, or otherwise. He has passed away but David Wilkins has kept up on the new editions with the current scholarship being done in Renaissance Art. Whether you get this as a textbook for a class, or leisure reading, a coffee table book perhaps, or even a Christmas book for a hard-to-but-for relative, it is well worth the money.

I group this book with Eric Newby's "Love and War in the Appenines" for unsentimental and direct views of the corrupting power of war that use Italy as examples. Liberation seems such a romantic idea that one can hardly resist it, and yet here we can easily read and understand that true liberation takes a lot more than military objectives and shouting in congress.

Lewis's eye was remarkable in one so young. I hope that both these books have found their way to the library at West Point. It is perhaps too much to ask that they should be read anywhere inside the beltway.

Can a foreign military "successfully" occupy another country? Where can we look for historical lessons to our clusterf**k in Iraq. What are our boys reading in West Point? Is there large scale prostitution and venereal disease..Are there markets openly selling stolen U.S. military items.. Where are ordinary Iraqi's getting $ to survive with their economy is shambles? Lots of questions.

Naples 44 is a beautifully crafted account of allied occupation in Naples. Norman Lewis describes, with his usual gentle irony, the unique lifestyle of Neapolitans and how they survive abject poverty.
He has an eye for the absurd whilst retaining his compassionate love of humanity.

When I was younger I knew an Italian-American veteran who spent time in Naples at roughly the time covered by this book. His stories while entertaining always seemed a bit exagerated to me. Now, after reading Norman Lewis' account of those days I owe my long departed friend an apology for having doubted him.
This is a remarkable account from a gifted observer. Lewis as a British intelligence officer assigned to the Area occupied by American forces immediately following the expulsion of the Germans was in a unique position to observe many aspects of the struggles and adaptations of the locals under these extraordianry conditions. The ingenuity and superstition of the Italian people is displayed from a point of view that is neutral in it's judgements while sparing the reader nothing of the darker side of the stuggle to survive at the same time.
As somone who has read extensively about WWII I was surprised this one got by me for so long. I stumbled on it while browsing Amazon and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the War ,Italy or just a good entertaining read.

Lewis left us with a fascinating account of this small but very human part of WWII. And gathered some very interesting details that otherwise would have been lost forever.

I was looking for a complete pasta cookbook and I found it in this one. It has color photos of every recipe and the lay out is user friendly. Much better than I expected.

All recipes are fast and easy. Yet, for pasta, they are the best I have found

This book is one of my favorite cookbooks. The dishes are elaborate, yet easy to follow and always end up tasting delicious. In addition, the book is presented in such a way that each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful picture, allowing you to wet your appetite before you begin cooking. The cookbook not only offers wonderful recipes, but also gives a great general sense on how to cook Italian food.

Truly, if I could only own one cookbook of pasta recipies, this book would be the one I'd want. There are countless books available on the subject and yet none I've seen present pasta cooking in such clarity and with such excellent results.

If you want to know how to make all the basics, and make them right, you'll find the answers here: Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic, with Marinara, Pasta Primavera...they may seem simple but if you follow the directions here, you can't go wrong. Handy details include pasta noodle suggestions as well as alternatives that work well, and variations on recipies depending on what ingredients you have available as well as how you may want to experiment and mix things up. Many recipies in this book have become staples of my cooking, and favorites include the Pasta with Chick Peas and the perfect Putanesca. This cookbook gets my highest recommendation.

I picked up this about two months ago and have been making two or three recipes a week ever since. So far every one was been a keeper.

The recipes are clearly written, all ingredients are listed at the beginning (no surprises lurking in the last line of text) the directions are clear and easy to follow. Each recipe is illustrated by a large photograph, and indicates which type of pasta is best suited for that particular dish. In addition many recipes have variations offered.

Besides the recipes there is lots of other information concerning various types of pasta, proper preparation techniques, hints on stocking a pantry and storing ingregients and cooked dishes. Also there are a couple of meal planning charts, one based on ingredients and the other by suitability (summer, cold weather, for children, for parties etc) that come in handy when looking for a particular recipe.

I highly recommend this cookbook, even for a cook experienced with Italian cuisine this one has much to offer.

I became interested in this book after watching the 1950s movie with Tyrone Power. The movie was so-so, but the story got my attention. It is a fantastic tale of the times, pageantry, personalities, and politics of medieval Italy when Europe was in the process of nation forming. The vocabulary and flow of the story are elegant without being the least overdone or tedious. You are transported to a different time, yet find that you may already know some of these people.

Exceptional novel written by a master of the historical-epic genre. The book follows the life and loves of Andrea Orsini, an erstwhile impoverished Italian nobleman, as he strives to find his destiny in the byzantine politics of Renaissance Italy. The Prince of Foxes was one of several Rafael Sabatini novels made into major motion pictures -- all starring Tyrone Power.

A master of deception and disguise, Andea Orsini plays his hand well, rising from the place of a simple peasant blacksmith, first to General and then to Lord! He thwarts the venemous Ceasar Borgia on every turn, befriends a man with the look of Judas, and serves as the protector of a true lady - all the while fighting his own physical and spiritual battles and growing in character along the way.

A clever and decidedly well written story of both heroic deeds and great deceptions, true love and the pride of men. You won't be wasting your time on this book, it's five-star material.

I heartily agree with other readers who have given Prince of Foxes 5 stars. This novel is fast-paced, informative, believeable, beautifully written and a fantastic blend of history and fiction. Mr. Shellabarger manages to educate the reader about the warring Italian city states of the period while holding their attention with a wholly credible depiction of people and places of the time. The characters in these pages are not the stick figure cartoons of so many bodice-rippers, but display actual psychological development and manage to engage the reader into caring about them - a rare occurrence in much of what passes these days as historical fiction. Once I got past about the first two chapters, I couldn't put this one down. There are no contrived coincidences to spoil the plot development, none of the artificial saving of the day that too often destroys believability. This has to rate as one of the most enjoyable reads I have had in a long time, not to mention, has captured my attention to the extent that I now want to learn more about the Borgias and the times they lived in. Highly recommended. (As an aside, I was disappointed to find that the Tyrone Power/ Orson Welles Hollywood film based on the book is not available on any of the DVD sites I checked. Maybe just as welll, as my own mental images of the characters remain unspoiled.)

Set in Renaissance Italy, this classic of American popular fiction is the story of Andrea Orsini, a peasant boy who rises to perform delicate political, military, and romantic missions for Cesare Borgia. Schellabarger tells a sly, cunning story filled with double dealing, plots, seductions, political overthrow, murder, and a cold blooded assassin that still follows a code of honor... what's not to like?

Fred Morton certainly lived up to his reputation in this novel about the waning days of the "Imperial City of Vienna" and all the different personages inhabiting the Empire [Stalin, Hitler, Trotsky] during these turbulent pre WWI years. Excellent for history buffs such as myself or anyone else for that matter who enjoys a good read about the declining days of Empire and the effect of the Great War on European Aristocracy. Also interesting to note that Franz Ferdinand's three surviving children [daughter and two sons] were taken in by a friend after their parents murder by a Serbian Terrorist [not family as they were morgantic children due to their mother's status] and all eventually found themselves sent to a concentration camp [Therienstadt] when Austria was gobbled up by Germany during the Nazi's rise to power..as they did not possess "Imperial Status" Dont hear too much about this in any books. Eventually they were liberated by the Allies and their property restored to them. Sophie outlived both her younger brothers living to the ripe old age of 91. Her desendents live today in Konopiste; the Palace of Arch Duke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie Chotek.

There is an historical theory, or perhaps it is no more than a bon mot, that empires at the end of their power and political influence spend their last energies on a showy efflorescence, like a century plant. The prime examples would be 18th century Venice and early 20th century Vienna.

In "Thunder at Twilight," Frederic Morton presents a gossipy and apparently frothy portrait of such a bloom, told as a tragic love story. Like a good Mozart opera, there is a subsidiary, comic love story as well.

The tragic lovers are Franz Ferdinand, crown price of Austria-Hungary, and his wife, Sophie Chotek. Because Sophie was not royal, merely a countess, the archduke could not marry her as consort but only as a morganatic wife, and their children would not be in line for succession to the throne,

The comic lovers are Emperor Franz Joseph and the Widow Schratt, who also could not marry but who were so proper that they did not even make out.

The villain is Montenuevo, first court chamberlain, epitomizing the sclerotic empire that after rolling along for 800 years had almost seized its gears.

There is a huge supporting cast: Trotsky, Lenin and Stalin; Freud and Jung; the mad general Conrad von Hotzendorf and the crazed Serb Apis, etc. etc.

With an eye on the weather and the changes of seasons and in a flurry of adjectives, Morton leads them all toward a doom. This is one of the few reviews of the period that treats Franz Ferdinand as anything more than a stage prop.

In fact, in Morton's interpretation, the archduke is practically the only sensible man in the empire, full of fierce words masking a desperate attempt to keep Austria out of war with Russia. Sophie plays the calming influence who steadies her hotheaded lover.

Morton rightly calls Franz Ferdinand's policy appeasement of Serbia. It could never have worked. As we know from a further century of bitter experience, the South Slavs can neither govern themselves nor be governed

Conrad, though incompetent, was right. Serbia needed to be crushed. The problem was, Austria could not do it unless Russia stood aside; and Russia, another dying empire, was as full of aristocratic nitwits as Vienna, and had its own ungovernable Slavs (and Germans, like Lenin).

As hardcore history, "Thunder at Twilight" is too light, too consciously melodramatic. But it is great fun to read and seems to get the big picture more exactly right than more ponderous tomes.

A college professor recommended this to me so I read it in about a day. It is very interesting how Morton weaves history into some sort of a novel that's very easy to read. Inspired by the death of his uncle in World War I, Morton writes about the history and the climax leading up to the very moment when the Crown Prince Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Serbian terrorist youth.

Morton explains the nasty relationship with the Hapsburg Empire (that includes Austria) and the lower Slavic nations and the growing animosity between them. This is a great book for history buffs. My only complaints are that there aren't any citations in the book and that the friendship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud don't seem to have anything to do with the story itself.

Something is missing. The book was a fantastic read. I would have given it 5 stars and a "Bravo!" - but some things are not mentioned that are needed. I read, elsewhere, about the "blank check" from the Germans that encouraged the Austrians to start a war with the Serbs. This would lead to something bigger for the Germans, against the French. Also, my previous readings indicated that Tisza and the Hungarians were not interested in war and urged the Austrians to offer, at least, an ultimatum. The Austrians, then came up with the "ultimatum/non-ultimatum". The author gives the appearance that Germany was passive in the whole situation and did not want to get involved. No mention is made of the "blank check". The only mention Tisza gets is that Franz Ferdinand did not like him and that the Hungarians abused the Serbs within their land. Nothing was mentioned, in particular, of the Tri-Monarchy that Franz Ferdinand had thought-up. I feel that the author left out some important things.

Other than these points, I thought the book was a really good read to learn about some really sinister people running around Vienna before the outbreak of war. Great information was presented on Princip and, of course, the relationship between Franz Ferdinand and Franz Joesph.

I will read further for information about the above things not mentioned in this book. 4 3/4 stars.

This is a favorite of mine, all the info about the Fin du siecle, Rudolph, and why we went into World War 1, and why some young people don't make it somehow!

Amazing and amazingly entertaining book, very very higly recommended. I dont have anything to add to the info of the book itself, go for the editorial reviews.

The best book on vegetable cooking I have ever owned, am on to my third copy.All dishes are easy and delicious, her relaxed
approach to food is one we should all embrace.

I am a huge fan of Viana La Place, I have several of her books...Verdura is another fantastic addition to the foodie's library. I have prepared a number of the recipes in this book and they have all been winners. Her descriptions are spot on, and her cooking advice is always appreciated. I'm a little annoyed to see people complaining about this not being a "true vegetarian" cookbook. Guess what, folks, it's not supposed to be!

After having the eggplant torta from this book at a friends house, I immediately went home and ordered the book. I'm working my way through it slowly since I'm not a consistent maker of dinner, but I have used several recipes repeatedly for home and entertaining. The praise has been universal. Having experimented with lots of recipes, it is such a thrill to make something that people rave about and tastes as good as it "sounded." The pasta with fennel (a fresh sauce perfect for summer) is gourmet in quality and my husband raves! The ricotta torta is another delicious treat. You have to have time to slice and dice, of course, but when the results are this good, I don't mind. I highly recommend this book for amateur cooks like myself who will suprise themselves and increase their confidence through the splendid results!

I received this book as a gift from my father because I kept checking it out from the library. This past weekend I used the Risotto with Swiss Chard and Winter Herbs as a stuffing for winter squash and Rapini with Garlic Bread Crumbs as the main course for a fund-raising dinner for 60 at my daughter's high school. The diners absolutely raved about it! The recipes are simple and straightforward and sooooooooooo good. It's one of my favorite cookbooks.

There's some of everything in this cookbook but if you're vegetarian or vegan be prepared to alter the recipes here and there. There's a recipe for chicken broth and another for beef broth and they're used in a bunch of the recipes -not a big deal - I just substitite a nice vegetable broth and all is well. Anchovies are used here and there too. For the vegan - you'll need to do your own substititues where cheeses are called for and there are a few egg recipes.

Anyway, that said, there are lots of great recipes in here. Here's a quick view of the table of contents and a few of my favorites:

- Antipasti (vegetables, fruits, cheeses, marinated vegetables, hot antipasti) - Artichokes Griti Style is really tasty - it has olive oil and parm. cheese; also some really easy recipes for things like raw vegetables with olive oil, marinated eggplant, spicy carrots, etc

- Salads (leafy, little, and salads as main courses) -lots of nice, mostly simple salads. I made the one called Warm Cannellini Bean and Herb Salad and served it at our Christmas dinner alongside raviolis etc and it was a hit

- Grilled bread and sandwiches - haven't tried any of these but they look tasty

- Soups for every season (minnestrone soup with rice was excellent - I did it in the slow cooker - yum! There's also an escarole soup similar to what my grandmother used to make - it was good but not as good as hers :)

- Pasta Sauces (excellent, fresh ideas straight from the garden. pasta with 10 herbs was great. I haven't tried it yet but there's a recipe that uses tomoatoes and avocados that sounds really good. These sauces are pretty much all things you can whip up fast, no cooking for hours on the stove - its focus is fresh and almost raw - really good - and good for you :)

- Rice and Polenta dishes (I haven't tried any of the polenta dishes - had some bad experiences with that so far)

- A sampler of Main Dishes (many interesting recipes here like zucchini stuffed wit mushrooms, gnocchi, ftittatas.)

- Side vegetables (I love side dishes and there are some good ones in here that I've tried and were great. The ones I've tried are: artichokes w. sundried tomatoes, artichokes braised with thyme, broccoli w. garlic and red chili pepper, etc. There are some tasty sounding bean dishes that I haven't tried yet but plan to)

Overall great cookbook - I've tried a sampling of recipes and they've all been good, just need to modify ever so slightly to make them vegetarian.

I'd buy it again!