N Books

I have been so busy reading. Sorry I didn't rate sooner.

I was diagnosed with diabetes about 2 years ago. I have read a number of books on the subject. What I like about this book is that it talks about real food. The dessert recipes are made with real sugar. They are low sugar of course, but a number of the recipes can be fed to company. The book also confirmed something I had recently noticed. If I eat less fat, I can eat more carbohydrates with less effect on my blood sugar. I believe this book would be a great place to start for the newly diagnosed, but it is also a great review book that includes a lot of the newest ideas and theories. In addition, it has the basic understanding that food is good and good food is even better.

I add my recommendation to the earlier one that you can save yourself lots of time and money by just buying this book. I recommend the hard-back version as your copy will get lots of use around the kitchen.
The explanations of the blood sugar problem and corrective methods are logical, simple and complete. The book is very well written and makes pleasant reading.
With the exception of two or three ingredients which you may have to find in a health food store, all others can be found in any grocery store.
All of the recipes thus far tried are simple and delicious.
The meal plans and recipes work without a pervasive feeling of constant hunger, which can be a problem in many other diabetic meal plans.
Following a diagnosis of pre-diabetic blood sugar level, and fortunately buying this book on a dietician's recommendation, along with half a dozen others which I rarely use, I have lost twenty pounds in the first three weeks of owning and using the book, with more coming off daily, with minimal exercise. Exercise naturally accelerates the weight loss.
A useful supplement is "No-fuss Diabetes Recipes for 1 or 2" by Boucher et al, but "The Other Diabetes" can stand alone.
The well known and documented relationship between obesity and diabetes 2 can be quickly attacked using this book.
One of the delicious breakfast recipes, Peach Almond Smoothie, will banish hunger for at least half a day, and is widely variable by substituting other frozen fruits for the peaches.
The recipes present lots of variety to accomodate different tastes.

This is one of the most practical and informative books I've found. It is easy to understand and has useful menus and recipes for the busy life of most people with diabetes or pre diabetes. I do not believe you will be disappointed with this book. Give it a read, you'll be glad you did.

My father has type II diabetes. I bought this book for him, but ended up reading it myself. I am not diabetic, but am at risk of developing it. This book is an interesting read, and has a wondeful meal plan and recipes. I have decided to start eating the way she describes, The Mediterranean way, just because it's a healthy way to live. It's just a bonus for me that it also helps prevent and control "the other diabetes". Get this book....it's fantastic!

I agree with the critics who claim this book . . . "a delightful, rollicking history, a fun read and well supported by research". Greenfield's account is entertaining as well as informative, not a book to put you to sleep as some histories are. I read it as a library book and decided it is a 'must have' in my library. Although her style is professional, the read is easy - no big words to look up in order to understand the full meaning. Her account of world events is so insightful and complete, you come away with more than an appreciation of how color has changed the world An understanding of world history in general is gained, both political and economical. I especially loved the personal stories that added so much interest for me.

I live in Oaxaca, Mexico and even many people here are not aware of the impact of cochineal on the Spanish Empire and Europe. This book is fascinating! And well written.

This was one of two books a friend traveled across the country to share with me. I am so glad she did. I would never have picked up this book on my own. I have a terrible time finding non-fiction works that are interesting - unless they are recommended. I look at the table of books and decide something looks good. Then when I get it home, I have a hard time getting to my 100 page allowed stopping point.

Greenfield does a wonderful job of describing the importance of the color red throughout history and the different compounds used to create it. With a focus on the cochineal originating in Mexico, this book covers the fortunes of Spain and the industry itself. Weaving the domestication of cochineal with the efforts of other countries to destroy Spain's monopoly, the book moves quickly. there were very few sections of the book where I was willing to put it down. Yes, I could stop at the chapters, but I only once put it down while in the middle of a chapter.

I highly recommend this book - and if I didn't have to send it back to its owner, I would keep it in the library. I will be recommending it to my mother for her book club. With their focus on women authors and a mix of fiction and non-fiction, this book will give them much to discuss.

Some of the best stories are the histories of everyday objects that few ever consider. This book is an example of such a story. It traces the history of the color red; specifically, it examines the sources of red dye sought by humans over the past 700 years. Something as simple as a color can actually be quite difficult to obtain without the marvels of modern technology. This book starts of at the Venetian textile guilds of the late Middle Ages and shows the reader the state of the world's textile industry. Of all the colors, bright red is hardest to produce on clothing, and individuals and governments devote a lot of time and effort to procure new sources. Many are found, but the best one is carminic acid found in the insect cochineal, native to the Americas, and cultivated in Mexico specifically to obtain the color red. Starting with the Spanish conquest, red dye from Mexico is exported to the rest of the world, and four centuries of trade wars and political intrigue follow. The book lays all this out in chronological order, citing places, people, governments and institutions. But eventually, man's technology caught up with nature's bounty, and by 1900, synthetic red dyes destroy the cochineal cultivation industry. All the ensuing technical advances, scientific discoveries, and commercial contests are detailed clearly by the author. The book ends with a survey of the dye industry at the end of the 20th century, and a review of how red dye has influenced, and been influenced by fashion tastes throughout the centuries. This book touches many countries, and ties in history, economics, fashion, politics and science into a wonderful tale of man's obsession for a specific color.

This book is one of the very best I have seen in a long time. The author has taken great care to present historically correct and detailed information about the long history of cochineal farming, and sale of this commodity (dried beetles that can be processed to create a brilliant hue of red).
She reveals all of the intrigue of Spain's royalty, as they sought to keep this much prized product of New Spain exclusively for the Spanish empire. Even Perkin's discovery of the color "mauve" is discussed. This book will find broad interest among scholars and the general public. It is certainly a book worth owning, if you love the history of textiles.

Patricia Cummings

This is a well written, helpful, & lovely book. It's great to be able to make super pizzas the way you like 'em right at home. Use better quality ingredients, customize your pizza, & save money, too!!

Get a pizza stone, a pizza peel & you're all set!! Love the book!

We purchased this book with a gift certificate from our wedding and have loved it ever since! Included are recipes for the crust, the sauce, and many different types of pizza (white sauce, red sauce, chicken, veggie, etc.) I am not an advanced pizza dough tosser so creating restaurant style crust is more difficult than I thought it would be. This book is such a great buy that we purchased it as a wedding gift for someone else.

Very good layout and pictures of final product. The book doesn't have thin paper pages like the others, but rather thick semi-gloss paper that you can easily wipe off if you spill something on it.

The item was delivered in a timely manner. It was purchased as a gift, therefore I am unable to give a review on the book itself.

This book is fabulous! A must have for anybody who loves to eat and cook pizza! The recipes are easy to follow and the pictures make your mouth water. There are many unique pizza's that look fun to try as well as your basic pizza. The dough recipes are exceptional.

Very interesting book with many information regarding old musicians. The CD inside is very pleasure with good quality sound.

Knowing the prices that Robert Crumb's work commands (try getting hold of a copy of his illustrated CD "That's What I Call Sweet Music" and you'll see what I mean), when I first saw this advertised I thought that the price must have been entered incorrectly, but no! Just imagine, a 240 page hardback book, illustrated in colour on high quality paper, with an accompanying 21-track CD, for less than you'd expect to pay for either on its own. The book (and CD), falls into three distinct parts, and three different techniques have been used to produce the illustrations.

I'm familiar with the jazz figures, and my comments therefore concentrate on that aspect. The first is that some of these choices are extremely idiosyncratic. Many (Beiderbecke, Armstrong, Morton) are almost obligatory, but scattered amongst them are some quite obscure figures, such as Junie C. Cobb, Roy Palmer, and Ikey Robinson. Fair enough, these are after all Mr. Crumb's heroes, but the accompanying commentary is far too brief and could with advantage have been expanded to fill the space available. Finally, whilst many of the portraits (all of which are based on photographs) are instantly recognisable a few have the look of caricature about them. All of which is to look a gift horse in the mouth, and I would disregard all of those reservations and buy it anyway if I hadn't done so already.

You really can't go wrong here...$13 or $14 for a book with wonderful artwork and brief history lessons and a companion CD with some truly timeless music.

Not a general fan of the genre, but I actually found the country music included on the CD to be the most interesting. But really every song is special.

A must have for any Crumb or roots music fan.

In 20/20 hindsight (or hindsound?) I bought the book intending to learn about music. Taken purely as an introduction to three genres of early American music, the book is a success. The pictures (and introduction to R. Crumb the artist) were a huge bonus. Wow! The CD with it completes the trifecta.

This is a fantastic introduction to multiple artistic elements - perhaps a few that will catch the reader/viewer/listener off guard. Enjoy!

Richard Nevins of Rounder Records first came up with the idea for Robert Crumb to illustrate a series of early Blues, Jazz, and Old Time Music and Bluegrass greats along the lines of the baseball cards of his childhood. Crumb went for the idea and produced what became three boxes of cards with illustrations taken from old photos on the front and write-ups about the players on the back (many of them by Nevins).

Now the famous fine arts publisher Abrams Books has designed and published a superb volume that includes the Crumb artwork as never before -- in brilliant color and on a larger scale than the cards -- along with expanded bios and a bonus CD that samples some of this great American roots music. Anyone interested in high-level cartoon art and this powerful expressive music will want to own this book.

The experience one derives from wine is not like any other beverage; it is an adventure of exploring the land and the people from which it comes. It is an expression of the Providential weather, climate and soil as well as the blood sweat and tears of those who pour out their lives into the craft of wine making.

There are many books on wine that provide historical facts about production, viticulture regions, step by step instructions on how to make wine and a lot of "how to" tips on enjoying it. But they tell you little about the soul of the writer and nothing of the adventure of traveling the wine country, meeting the people or what it is like to have first hand experience in the wine making process.

The difference between Natalie MacLean's book "Red, White and Drunk All Over" and so many others is that while many authors can provide a lot of professional wine making technical information for Natalie, "...my real wine education has largely been through the people I've met and the places I've been." Like most wine enthusiasts I have met, Natalie has a story to tell of her discovery of the grandness of wine that sounds almost like a religious conversion experience. It is a moment when the light comes on and the mystery of wine grabs hold of you "that evaporates with the cold touch of analysis." You develop an insatiable appetite to learn more about wine and why it is the perfect catalyst for enjoying food and fellowship with friends. Natalie shares her personal story with her readers and as you travel with her you will find greater inspiration for exploring vineyards and the desire to expand and mature in your appreciation for the culture of wine.

I have also read countless books, journals and magazines about wine but the telling of her personal traveling experiences is where Natalie MacClean sets herself apart as a writer. As a wine-writer and fellow explorer I feel a great kinship with Natalie for I too have a "conversion story" and until recently my own education about wine has come from my interaction with wine growers. In her book Red, White and Drunk All Over she shares her experiences as she takes you along with her on her wine travels to Old World and New World wine regions. She will also invite you into the inner sanctum of fine wine shops as well as into the battlefields of wine critics.

Sound intimidating?

Well, have no fear for along the way you will learn with Natalie all that you need to know about wine. You will gain a knowledge of various wine varietals, soils as well as the enigmatic and allusive concept of "terroir." Along with Natalie you will experience the process of nurturing the nectar of the grapes from vine to wine while gaining an appreciation of the heritage of Old World wineries as well as come to love the visionary souls of those who are pushing the envelope in New World territories. Yet this is no dry textbook for it reads as a Meritage of adventure story, romance novel and an introductory class on enology and viticulture.

If you are looking for a fun, leisurely and yet insightful way to learn about wine then I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of "Red, White and Drunk All Over." Then pour yourself a glass, snuggle up to a cozy fire and read along with Natalie. Or, better yet, buy several copies and get together with your family and friends, open a bottle get ready for a fun time of adventuring the world of wine exploration.


For more wine country and travel related articles, see my "Adventures in Wine Tasting" web site at: http://erikwait.blogspot.com/

Reading the book while I'm in the right environment (France - lovely wheather - Lac Léman - tasting and buying wine - et cetera) gives me lots of pleasure. It's not only informative but also 'funny' (excusez le mot) and - while I'm half way the book - puts me in a situation where I have to choose: read the rest of the book or drive to the next planned stop in Marin (Savoie) for wine to taste again... Just decided to follow my nose... and read on in the book when I return.
Conclusion when I finished the book: can't wait to read the next one!

I have only skimmed through this book but from what I have seen I believe that it will prove informational. Also, from this book I have subscribed to a newsletter from the author and find this very informative also. I would highly recommend this to a beginner or an old hat in appreciating wine.

Reading this book was like listening to a girlfriend talk about a subject near and dear to both of our hearts. While reading this book, I felt like I was experiencing her journeys and education with her- and with quite a bit of a sense of humor. All to often, it seems wine educators take themselves (and wine) too seriously. This book will teach you more about wine production, selection, and food pairing without being snobby and pretentious. It was fun, easy to read, and informative. I hope Natalie will be writing more books!

This is the first book that I've read that actually makes it fun to
learn about wine. It's relaxed and realistic for the wine novice.
Natalie teaches about wine to those who want to enjoy it, not just look
impressive ordering or drinking it.
I retained more real world knowledge about wine reading this than I have reading the wine magazines and tomes.

Great book for the at home chefs. Cooking is something my husband and I love to do, so to find something clear and easy to ready was a must.

Received the book quickly from the seller in described condition.

This is an excellent cookbook, containing all the necessary information for preparing the recipes easily. Some of the risotto recipes are unusual, and all are delicious. Surprisingly, none have been difficult to prepare (although I hate to admit this!). "Risotto" is a wonderful introduction to Italian cooking, something unique and delicious to dazzle your family and friends with.

I bought and heavily (!!! see below) used this cookbook soon after it first came out in the late 1980s. It was a breakthrough cookbook for its time, and hugely popular, and is still a wonderful resource that I can recommend today almost without hesitation.

In the late 1980s, I first started seeing risotto offered frequently in Mediterranean or even New American yuppie restaurants in the SF Bay Area when I visited on business--but not yet readily in fine restaurants in Seattle, for instance. Risotto was a clear trend for foodies, but hadn't yet hit mainstream nationally. So it was with impeccable timing that Barrett and Wasserman released "Risotto" in 1987.

I caught the bug early and hard. After I got this cookbok--in one my inspired food specialty frenzies--I wanted to make everything risotto. It was the perfect, versatile one-bowl (though usually 2-3 pots) meal that could fit any flavor or fancy, a base for any vegetables, seafood, meat, fruit, or herbs you wanted to cook with that day. I literally cooked risotto two or three times a week for 8 months, from fall harvest through a Seattle winter and into springtime baby vegetables. And I used this cookbook for all of it.

This cookbook "Risotto" had many virtures. First, it is an exceptionally clear introduction to risotto: its history, varieties of rice, geography, how it is cooked and used, etc. Second, as other reviews state (and you can see in the Search-Inside-The-Book table of contents), it covers many kinds of risotto and has plenty of recipes: cheese, vegetable, meat, fish, fruit, liqueur, leftover.

But the strongest (and non-obvious) feature of this cookbook is how it makes use of its Basic Recipe. Up front, with tips and tools and techniques, it describes a canonical recipe for making risotto: the broth, the oil/butter and minced onion and rice, the first stir of liquid, the stirring and adding broth, the sauteed "soffrito" ingredients, and the final additions of cheese, broth, and sometimes cream to stir in. The cookbook gives ingredient amounts for cooking the basic recipe for different size dinners, with a few additional tips for making more or less than the canonical (serves 4) recipe.

In the rest of the book, recipes all can then say, for instance: Start with the basic recipe, but this time we're going to add the chopped spinach after 10 minutes of stirring in step 3; or Once the rice is coated in the oil, stir in 1/2 cup of white wine (instead of broth); or In the last step, omit the cheese and broth and use 1/2 cup of cream. And of course the soffrito, the usually-sauteed ingredients mixed in, were different for every one.

I usually resist a standardized recipe, feeling like a straitjacket. But this had the opposite effect. Having a single Basic Recipe was a great way to build confidence and proficiency with a new way of cooking. And building 100 recipes off of it--including restrained, classic Italian risottos, together with more creative or adventurous combinations--made it clear how once you'd mastered the Basic Recipe and how to apply it, you could do anything with risotto! And even though I may have made the cookbook sound mechanistic by focusing on the Basic Recipe, it really is one of those cookbooks where all the recipes are a joy to read, with notes about the history of the recipe or about the ingredients, etc.

Now, nearly 20 years later, this cookbook easily stands the test of time. The techniques are clear, straightforward, complete. All of the best-known, classic Italian risottos are present. And there are dozens of variations that are great on their own, and as a guide to what you can create beyond them.

The only small hesitation that I have today with this cookbook is a consequence of its strength. The Basic Recipe is a good learning tool, and is the way that a generation of American home chefs have now been introduced to cooking risotto. But there are actually variations in how risotto is made--what fats to use, how much broth to add and how to stir, using alternative tools like pressure cookers, etc. Once you're an over-the-top risotto fiend like I became, you'll want to explore those as well. Fortunately, one of the co-authors of Risotto (Barrett) went on to publish a follow-on risotto cookbook that is just as delightful--and goes all out with different ways of cooking risotto and more novel and creative recipes. See "Risotto Risotti" at [...]

Oh, so what was my favorite single risotto of the dozens I made from this book? A simple one, actually. An asparagus risotto made with early-spring skinny shoots. It was the most completely-green risotto I've made, and was brimming, overflowing with that aromatic "grassy" flavor of the best asparagus--the closest I've come to ethereal grazing in a bowl.

We love the book and have used it for years. Besides having excellent recipes, the book often serves as a springboard for our own creativity and we have made some riffs on the recipes that we like a lot.

One caveat: I don't know if it's the book, our rice source, our cooking pot, or us, but we invariably find that we need up to a cup more broth than specified, and that it takes us 10-20 more minutes than the recipes suggest (and we like our risotto al dente, so it's not like we're cooking it to mush). Just an FYI; it certainly hasn't kept us from using the book.

There are just two of us, so we always have leftovers, but the suggestions for using them are excellent. In fact, we sometimes make risotto just so we can make the risotto "fritters" the next day.

I've owned this book for almost ten years. While I use other risotto recipes for inspiration, I use the proportions and instructions in this book exclusively.
While some recipes aren't the greatest, my opinion probably reflects my personal preferences, not the authors' abilities. And, some recipies (like the one for shrimp, truffle oil, and squash) are worth the price of the entire book! (That recipe, I might add, has caused several friends to go out a purchase a copy for themselves.)
Overall an excellent, much-used addition to my cookbook collection.

This novel is one of a kind, unforgettable. It's coming of age, love story, mystery, fantasy and suspense all rolled into one. I love it! I'm a musician and I can't describe this book in words. If it was a song it would be a melody you heard once a long time ago and never forgot, and all of a sudden you open this book and here it is again. The best advice I can give is to read it for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

What a beautiful, sensual, wise novel! It's very short but carries quite a punch. Ruth Setton came to my university to speak and she was simply mesmerizing. She talked about how long it took her to write this novel and for the first time I understood what life is like for a true artist, someone who won't let her vision go, no matter what. She is a true inspiration! Hey Ruth, I love your book and am waiting for your next one. Hope this one doesn't take so long!

An amazing novel, breathtaking in scope and execution. I felt I was in Morocco as I read it, revisitng past haunts, yet I also felt I was in the universal country of the heart. I highly recommend THE ROAD TO FEZ.

This is the kind of book you read as if you're in a dream, and don't want to finish because you know it will be the end of the dream and you don't want to wake up. As soon as I put it down, I wanted to reread it! Then I wished I could enter the world Ruth Knafo Setton created. I felt as if I'd lived in the Morocco of myth and memory that she created, as if I'd taken a voyage through the landscape of the heart. It's the land of passion and desire and wonder, the land we all live in until we enter the grown-up world of walls and barriers and signs that say Keep Out. Every single word in this novel suggests images and themes that are infinite and profound, and yet it's a very short book. Just like a dream, every event leads to mystery and clarity. I wouldn't be surprised if I turn a corner one day and bump into the characters, Brit and Gaby and Suleika. They're definitely alive somewhere!

I didn't know what to expect when a friend gave me this book but I was completely blown away by Ruth Knafo Setton's beautiful, pasionate writing. THE ROAD TO FEZ tells the story of a forbidden love affair between Gaby and Brit, two desperate, lost souls who need each other more than they realize. What the reader comes to understand, along with the lovers, is that love is a miracle that cannot be judged or limited. Gaby and Brit echo other lovers in the novel, all separated by society's rules. But these two take a chance and find a love they never dreamed of. I couldn't put this book down, and ever since I finished it, I've been dreaming of Gaby and Brit!
I was shocked to learn that this is Ruth Knafo Setton's first novel. She writes with so much power, confidence and urgency. I've never read a book like this one that is so erotic, tragic, funny and magical. I'll be on the lookout for her next book!
You've got a new fan, Ms. Setton!

Derbyshire's fine novel is innovative in style and concept. For this reason it requires imho some explanations if it is to be fully understood. Thank goodness for Amazon which makes such explanations easily possible. There are at least two issues which might be helpful for at least some readers to discuss These are firstly the subtedly of Chinese culture and secondly the mysterious meeting between the protagonist and Calvin Coolidge which accounts for the book's title.

There cannot be many novels in which a Caucasian author writes in the first person as a Chinese. To do that successfully requires a deep understanding of Chinese culture which while certainly not "inscrutable" is very different and often more subtle than ours. Derbyshire has this understanding because he has lived in China for many years, speaks several of the languages and last but not least is happily married to a Chinese wife. So as you read the book you will come across many references to classical Chinese novels and poems as well as expressions common in Chinese speech. Pay careful attention to these quotations, they are not there for decoration but they are Derbyshire's pleasant way of showing you some things about Chinese culture and how it differs from ours.

The book's title comes from Chapter 18 in which the protagonist "sees" Calvin Coolidge or perhaps his ghost. It is clear from the previous reviews that many readers have not understood what is going on here, which is understandable since Derbyshire has been perhaps a bit too subtle in developing this part of his plot. At any rate, I figured it out but thought it necessary to e-mail Derb asking him to confirm my theory. Here is what I wrote;

Derb,

I have just finished reading your book and enjoyed it very much. I am thinking of writing a review for Amazon which is needed perhaps because no one seems to have understood your rather mysterious Chapter 18.

Here's my theory of what is going on here. Ding has found out about Chai's attempt to restart his old affair with Selina and makes a plan to prevent this and so save her marriage. She does this with the help of Mr. Chan hence the several long unexplained phone calls. The plan involves the Coolidge impersonator Mr. Ruggles who is actually the man that Chai meets in room 1010. So no dream at all, just a sophisticated plot that you only hint at.

Please tell me if I am on the right track, because if so readers who do not seem to have understood should be informed.

Here is Derb's courteous reply:

That is exactly right, Wolfgang. It is a story about clever women
outwitting a man who isn't as smart as he thinks. Hey, it worked for
Shakespeare (at least four times...)

So there you are. Derbyshire has written a great novel, stylish and well-informed but subtle and nuanced. Buy it, read it carefully, and you will be well-rewarded.

There are other unusual characters in literature, but surely the protagonist of this book is right up there for dynamic range of experiences and interests. He is a former Red Guard Chinese American banker whose also an amateur etymologist and American history lover. When he's drawn toward a tryst with a long lost love only his determined wife can save him and only Silent Cal (in a dream) can possibly advise him.

I was disappointed when my aquaintance with this interesting man came to an end.

I was telling a friend who was once my English professor at Cal Berkeley that Seeing was the best novel I'd read in a long time. (Unfortunately, there is currently little time for novel reading.) She asked, "Good book or good read?" I sort of went "Huh," but have been mulling over the question ever since. The answer: good read, emphatically. Swift, short and constantly entertaining in its transitions of place and time, and overlay of memory, Seeing is a true page-turner. Good book? I think the answer here is also yes. Derbyshire, who I presume from his name to be a Caucasian, does a pretty convincing job as an Asian narrator, even capturing Chai's reflexive smugness toward women, particularly his wife Ding. The pitch for the rehabilitation of Calvin Coolidge does not convince me; he still seems a simple man for simpler times whose values are of a more limited guidance than the author implicitly argues. At the same time, the observations on China, particularly the excesses of the Red Guard, and on a self-absorbed and often frivolous America as seen through a recent, successful immigrant's eyes ring very true. And you can't help but enjoy Ding's wiles as she brings Chai to live Coolidge's maxims.

My husband and I bought this book simply because we happen to live in one of Calvin Coolidge's old homes. We didn't really expect all that much. Boy were we surprised. I immediately recommended the book to my book club.

Let me say something about my book club: we've been together for almost ten years and we're made up for thirteen stong-minded women ranging in age from 30-something to 80-something. This is one of the few books we have unanimously loved. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we wrote the author a letter inviting him to return to Northampton. He did and it was a joy to meet him.

Rita Bleiman
author "Dirty Tricks"

Until recently, my only acquaintance with Mr. Derbyshire was in his role as a somewhat disagreeable controversialist in "National Review" magazine. Then, I noticed his most recent book (as of this posting), "Prime Obsession", a non-fiction account of the work of 19th century German mathematician Bernhard Riemann, whose prime number theorum remains one of the biggest unsolved problems in mathematics. Through the capsule biography of the author, I found out the existance of this book and consulted the reviews here.

Having read "Seeing Calvin Coolidge in a Dream", I can say that it fully lives up to the sometimes-extravagant praise posted here. The book has a quirky charm all its own, not least because of the first-person voice of its hero, Chai, a winning and fascinating personality. Since the plot has been fully discussed in other reviews here, I will limit myself to a few random observations.

--Chai's account of his participation in the Red Guards as a teenager reads like a chiller out of Chen Jo-Hsi's book, "The Execution of Mayor Yin, and Other Tales of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" His witnessing of a gang-rape (which he feigns participation in) shames him and destroys at a stroke any loyalty to the Party he may have had. This starts him on his long road to America.

--Like Joseph Conrad in England, Chai masters the intricacies of English while in America. His ironic and insightful observations of the United States, China, and Hong Kong (before the PRC took over) are fun to read and dead-on.

--The long-dead Calvin Coolidge appears to give some dry and intelligent advice. Mr. Derbyshire manages to squash the old legend of "Silent Cal" as unintelligent and indolent. While the author perhaps spreads it a mite too thick, it is still a useful and entertaining corrective. (I hold with the political scientist who believes that Mr. Coolidge's apparent indolence was the result of a deep--perhaps clinical--depression at the death of his 16-year old son, Calvin Jr. from septicemia caused by an infected blister on his foot that had been raised playing tennis on the White House lawn.)

All of this is just by-the-by, however. The book was simply a delight and I urge anyone whose interest has been piqued by these comments to read it just as I did.

With several shelves full of cookbooks to choose from, this is the one that I pull down when I need some inspiration for good, hearty, tasty, basic foods that are easy to prepare. This is my most used cookbook, and everything I've made from it has turned out well. Pop culture cookbooks come and go but this classic stands the test of time. Highly recommended.

This is my favorite go-to cookbook for a weekend meal when I am not craving any particular cuisine and just want to try something new. The chatter is lively, and the recipes fun to cook, both reducing well and expanding to suit a bigger crowd. While the dishes do not reflect a "pure" ethnic sensibility, the blending of flavors and seasonings lead to delicious results sometimes even exciting. I return to many of these recipes again and again. My (spoiled) husband who sometimes doesn't know what he is eating but certainly knows if he likes it, is a big fan of this cookbook.

I love cookbooks and this is one of the best I have ever read or used. It is both a good cookbook and a good read, and most recipes are ones you will use. I am so impressed that I am giving it to several good cooks as a Christmas present.

This is the cookbook I have been waiting for for many years. It is supberb, down to earth cooking and it is so well set out that even an occasional cook can follow it and get wonderful results. I would recommend this to any one who likes excellent eating. Every time I look at it I want to go back to Chantarelle for another great eating experience

When we moved last year, it was one of 5 cookbooks I packed in my suitcase to use in our temporary apartment. It's chock full of great recipes for American classics, but done in a way that appeals to people who've gone beyond Campbell's soup casseroles. A number of easy ethnic recipes rounds out the mix.

I bought the book because I have to return my library copy and there's so much I want to highlight! I don't know about you, but the real information you need from the doctor to start basal and bolus injections or pumping insulin is minimal or sketchy at best. There are so many factors influencing just where to start and where to go from there that a physician just can't spend that kind of time with you. Maybe it's very inconvenient or impossible to get to an endocrinologist or go to classes. This book will give you the information you need to avoid doing more harm than good! Formulas are there for titrating your bolus/bolus/pump insulin based on weight, based on your personal rate of absorption, what to do when things go wrong, all the what, where, whens and hows you need to know to get your blood sugars under control. There are also plenty of websites mentioned to follow up on any further research. It really is a MUST HAVE book!

Great book for someone beginning insulin injections. Gives all the details that you need to know to control your glucose levels.

I was diagnosed with type one this year and in order to help me, my doctor gave me some of his medical book's to read however, this was quite challenging for me putting all the medical terminology together in order to understand my diabetes. This book takes the medical language and translates it into everyday practical advice. I am on my second reading of this book and every time I read it I learn something new. This is a good book to mark up or highlight because of the information that is present. I would recommend this book for any body with type 1 who wants to improve there control or who have just been diagnosed.

This book is a very practical guide to insulin use that is a must-read for anybody trying to maximize their blood sugar control. We got it from the library first, but then realized we'd be coming back to it repeatedly and needed to have our own copy. Highly recommended!

I ordered this book after reading the good reviews on it and I found it to be an excellent read. My 5 year old daughter is Type 1 diagnosed a year ago. I read as much as I can on diabetes and found this book answered those little nagging questions I have always had. We have a great endo but they can only give you so much information at each appointment. I think alot of learning about handling ones diabetes is trial and error and Gary Scheiner brought that up in the book along with ways to try to figure out what works for you. I highly recommend this book!