Southern Books

Martha Pearl is a spunky wonderful character. More than that, she is a wonderful Southern cook. Her son,James, shares her sense of humor and love of cooking. I adore the way she puts him in his place when he wants to "fuss" with her recipes. I am almost through with the entire cookbook. I have laughed and underlined and referenced. It is a great, wonderful read. Knowing recipes as I do, I can tell you that you can trust this book to give you great food. Don't wait. Don't even put this on your wish list. It's a keeper. Yum

Jim Villas is one of our better cookbook and culinary memoir writers, while remaining a throwback to the likes of James Beard and Craig Claiborne. His affinity to Claiborne is especially strong, as both are unreconstituted Bourbon drinking Southerners who live(d) on Eastern Long Island and wrote for the `Eastern Establishment' publishing powers. Villas' special talent seems to be in recapturing what is most familiar and most comfortable about food for Americans. This is certainly true of his most recent cookbooks `Crazy for Casseroles' and `Biscuit Bliss'. His most recent collection of culinary essays and opinions `Stalking the Green Fairy' brings out this orientation in well written essays, but no book represents his culinary roots and inclinations quite as well as this book, cowritten with his mother.

On the face of it, this book would seem to be a transcription of mother Martha Pearl's little black recipe book into a form which William Morrow can publish and we can read and effectively translate into reproductions of Mrs. Villas favorite dishes. The back story of the book seems to be much more complicated than this, as Mrs. Villas' written recipes were sketchy, poorly handwritten, and done only as an aide d'memoire for someone who cooked almost entirely by experience, and look and feel, just like every other traditional southern cook whose praxis has been memorialized in writing. Thus, Villas had to do anthropology by observing his mother at work and doing his best to estimate amounts from quantities doled out by hand and eye. This too was made difficult by an entirely familiar friendly antagonism between mother and son in the kitchen. A running theme is that Mother Villas and son agree that Jimmy simply could never quite reproduce the quality of his mother's own recipes, in spite of years spent at studying and writing about the world's cuisines. Some of the repartee which documents this antagonism is a little difficult to believe, as when Miss Martha cannot find any `White Lily' or other soft southern flour in Jimmy's East Hampton kitchen with which to make biscuits. I've been cooking regularly for less than three years and I have a regular supply of `White Lily' shipped to the Lehigh Valley from Tennessee like clockwork.

I am glad I am skeptical of Jimmy's inability to reproduce Miss Martha's recipes, as if this were gospel, it would bode ill for your or my ability to make the recipes in this book into something remotely like the jewels which appear on Martha Pearl's North Carolina dinner table. In fact, I think a fairly well practiced cook with average equipment will do quite well with these recipes thank you.

The best things about the collection of recipes in this book are that practically all of the classic southern recipes are represented here and, in spite of the crack about doing anthropology, true practitioners of this cuisine are interpreting the recipes for us. With all due respect to Villas' friend Paula Wolfert, there is no observation and interpretation going on here. This is the real deal, where cook and scribe are part of the culture on which they report.

Just as Italy has it's `oil line' separating the butter from the olive oil cuisines of North and South, I think the Mason-Dixon line could double as the mayonnaise line, as I suspect that beginning in Maryland, sales of Hellmans doubles per capita as you cross each state border from Maryland to the Carolinas. Both Villas are on very safe culinary grounds here, as they typically specify either Hellmans or homemade, AND, the Hellmans brands of mayonnaise are consistent winners in `Cooks Illustrated' taste tests.

Most recipes in this book are fairly easy, although they are typically more picky about some details of method and ingredients than fellow Southerner Paula Deen of Savannah. They are also a lot pickier about the details of method than my own mother whose ideal recipe is Deen's spiral bound church fundraiser cookbook style. Of course, Miss Martha and my mother share a passion for the very freshest corn and tomatoes in season. There are also significant differences between Deen and the Villas in even a basic recipe such as pimento cheese spread. I suspect the Villas' interpretation is more traditional and it is certainly in line with Mother Villas' cardinal rule of not messing around with the taste of the main ingredients by adding a lot of extras. Their recipe for my favorite creamed chipped beef is a good example, as it is almost exactly the same as the recipe from Mississippian Craig Claiborne, but without the addition of Worcestershire sauce.

The recipe chapters fill all the niches you expect in a traditional southern cuisine, including Breakfast and Brunch; Canapes, Appetizers, and Snacks; Soups and Stews; Salads; Meats; Poultry and Game; Seafood; Casseroles; Vegetables; Breads; Desserts; Cookies and Confections; Pickles, Relishes and Preserves; Sauces and Dressings; and Beverages. With the chapter on preserving, the book covers more than most compendia of Southern cooking.

At every turn of the page in this book, I find myself nodding in agreement over choices of methods and ingredients. The use of torn bread pieces in place of breadcrumbs in meat loaf agrees with all my best sources for this delicacy. Patties for frying and doughs for rising are all chilled in the fridge for the righteous length of times to either firm up or relax. Miss Martha does share with Miss Paula the tendency to use canned soup and store-bought croutons in casseroles and such, but the application is judicious. Note that the coverage of the North Carolina speciality, pork barbecue, is a bit light. Do not depend on this book for much smoke work.

I really liked this book. It was a perfect mix of authentic, doable recipes and stories to make them and the authors come to life. Real home cooking with a good read thrown into the bargain.

Like me, many of you have probably come across stacks of so-called southern cookbooks that are full of non-southern recipes! I was beginning to think that no one had published an accurate accounting of deep south cooking.

Then, I found this book! It is by far the best and most authentic southern cookbook I've ever seen, and I regularly use many of the recipes.

My family and I are from Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas, and like so many other southerners, we're very particular about getting food just right. After moving out west , I longed to have a greater selection of the southern recipes I enjoyed as a child, but unfortunately, the family cookbook that was passed down to me only contained a limited number of recipes. (Like Villa says, it is typical for southerners to not have recipes written down.)

Anyway, this is a highly recommended book. It won't disappoint!!

I have spent hours since this book arrived last week just trying to decide which dishes to make first. I ended up making a "Southern" dinner for my Wisconsin mate using the Calabash Cole Slaw and "Brown Paper Bag" BBQ Chicken (I used a Reynolds Hot Bag, thank you!) from this book and Cheddar Cheese Grits from Martha Phelps Stamps' "New Southern Basics" (ISBN # 1581822413 -- another excellent Southern cookbook). It was a big hit and nothing was wasted (next day: grits with breakfast, cole slaw and chicken for lunch!).

As a bonus you get the story behind many of the recipes and running commentary from Villas' mother on many of the recipes. It is clearly a give-and-take mother and son relationship when he says his mother drives him crazy over this or that ingredient and she implies that his version of the family recipe is a little "uppity". She says Jimmy makes his hush puppies with yellow corn meal, but she prefers white. It is both bitchy and sweet at the same time!

I already have my next meal planned from this wonderful book and can recommend it for the cole slaw and BBQ chicken recipes alone - not to mention the lively stories and commentary. Enjoy.

This is the cookbook I can pull out and count on to produce a wonderful dish every single time. I haven't come across a dud yet. Martha Pearl is delightful (and yes I AM hinting for a dinner invitation) and so are her recipes. The macaroni and cheese is a family favorite that already has stains on the page because I make it so often. The pecan coffee cake is another recipe I have made many times and always get compliments on. I live near Charlotte and keep hoping to run into Jimmy and Martha Pearl picking over the Silver Queen corn at the farmer's market. I would unabashedly tell her what a devoted fan she has made of this transplanted Yankee.

Richard Doster's "Safe at Home" is a wonderful discovery! Set in the last days of segregation in the deep south, it explores the fraying edges of a small town's struggle to resolve its cultural identity when the centerpiece of the community -- its minor league baseball team -- drafts its first black player.

It's a story that artfully captures both sides of the civil rights journey -- set to the sounds of window fans and creaky front porch swings, smells of popcorn and cigar smoke on a ballpark breeze -- a poetically crafted tale of conflict and redemption that totally transports the reader.

Best of all, the real hero is the game of baseball -- an edge-of-your-seat experience of the great American pastime during one of our nation's most turbulent times.

I understand there's a sequel on the way. I can't wait!

I generally read only non-fiction, so I approached this book with some hesitation. But this is a fascinating story, quite moving and timely. The combination of history and baseball are so well integrated and the characters shine through all of it. Given the sorry state of baseball today, this story helps us remember what it was like in simpler days. At the same time, on the heels of an African American running for president, we are reminded of how far we have come and of the sacrifices and courage of those who came before. I recommend it highly and look forward to the sequel.

Richard Doster has a wonderful and accessible writing style. The dialogue is natural, intriguing, and compelling. You feel like you're at the warm sunny ball park. This book was just what I needed to satisfy my baseball craving in the Major League Baseball off-season. I can't wait for the sequel!

It's hard to believe this is Doster's first book. He has that rare ability to tell a story so well that it doesn't matter what its about. For example, instead of saying that a preacher is nervous and unsure of what to say, he writes: "...he ventured into the uncomfortable unknown, and had no idea of where he was leading. He cleared his throat, hesitated, looked down at the notes he didn't have..." WOW! There are countless other places throughout the book where Doster crafts the most enjoyable language to describe the events and characters. At one point I thought the only shortcoming of the book was that he had not fully developed the character of Percy Jackson, the black ballplayer. Then I realized that this was intentional as the story revolves around Percy, but is really about the other characters and how they react to an upheaval in the relationship between the races. The ending didn't let me down - no romanticized happily-ever-after or pandering tragedy. I'll buy the sequel the first day its out!

Safe at Home is by far my favorite fiction read of the year. I couldn't put it down!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With fun titles for the chapters, such as:

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

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

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

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

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

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SELECTION OF ELEGANT AND MODERN WEDDINGS. I LIVE IN PUERTO RICO AND WORK WITH A WEDDING PLANNER, THIS BOOK IS FULL OF IDEAS FOR WEDDINGS IN AN ISLAND LIKE OURS.

Such a gorgeous book -- the dress and flower photos, especially. It's full of great ideas for anyone planning a wedding anywhere, from invitations to receptions, tuxedoes to bridesmaids to shoes.

The pictures in this book are beautiful. It's wonderful to read each couple's story. The attention to detail is what makes each of these wedding special. A truly helpful guide to planning your perfect wedding celebration.

My intended and I are engaged to be married next May. Photographer? Hired. Location? Decided. By my future mother-in-law, of course. However, after seeing the photographs in this book, I had to put my foot down. Now, we're getting married in Charleston and praying Liz Banfield isn't booked yet. Liz Banfield's lush photographs capture the essence of what weddings are supposed to be about and what it actually MEANS to get married. Ms. Banfield is a true artist posing as a wedding photgographer.

I was lucky enough to have Tara "do" our wedding in the nearby resort island of Kiawah. It was spectacular! This book captures the wonderful details that only Tara and the girls can do. Unfortunately our wedding was done after this book was published but Every wedding they do is picture perfect. I would highly recommend any advice from this book. It is truly inspirational. I wish I could go back do it all over again!

Must have guide for those who do not want to wade through endless books that are much to technical for the average home gardner--novice or seasoned--helps to take the dreary out of selection.

Rushing's homey, humorous approach is pleasant reading and the advice is sheer gold. I have planted a number of the plants he recommends, and every one of them is flourishing brilliantly. His advice is nicely targeted; by breaking the south into upper, middle, and lower zones and by describing each individual plant's tolerances for sun and water, he allows readers from Virginia to Florida to Texas to all find just what they need in it. It's a great shove in the right direction for novice and experienced gardeners alike, as well: stop pampering fragile unadapted divas you picked up at the garden center and start making the plant's suitability to your area the first step. Look to other gardeners and local growth first, and discover the beauties that lie within it.

Don't panic, though - Rushing really knows his plants! You won't find yourself trapped in a yucca-and-aloe nightmare or confined to a dogmatically barren xeriscape. His book's excellent photos and descriptions present readers with a wide variety of beautiful plants with many different looks and qualities. Thanks to Rushing, I have a delightful little English-style cottage garden in northeast Texas, soft, pretty, and delicate-looking as you could ask, and not a single plant of it requires more care than the automatic sprinklers give the lawn once a week. And did I mention that my lawn looks better too? He's that good!

His advice on how to prepare plants and soil for transplant is golden as well. As I read, I recognized so many of my own worst mistakes in the past, and I learned how to give my new plants a much better introduction to my garden. Rushing always aims to balance effort and results, and offers a tantalizing new perspective on gardening: the more you pamper, the more you teach the plant to require pampering. Pick tough plants, do less to them, and teach them to fend for themselves. They do!

There are one or two things I wish I could add to this book. An index by light/water requirements would be one; the book is arranged by types of plants (shrub, tree, vine, etc.), and that is very good at communicating the necessity for planning a garden's structure in layers, but not very quick for finding, say, what plant would grow best in a specific location. Rushing is pretty good at identifying potentially invasive plants, but he recommends at least one - "air potato" vine - that I believe is illegal to plant in Florida. The other thing I did have to watch was the question of toxicity. He doesn't address this with most plants, and so I did end up tearing the sweet peas out when I learned that one of the symptoms of ingestion was permanent paralysis. If you've got pets or small children using the yard, do Google up some of the many excellent plant toxicity guides out there and check carefully to avoid a tragedy. And do buy this excellent book, because it's a gem!

I saw this book at a local bookstore but waited for the savings at Amazon. It has wonderful photos and discriptions. In fact I can't keep it at home much because my friends keep borrowing it! It contains tried and true southern garden plants my mom and grandmother had plus some surprises I never thought of before. I would highly recommend this book!

I moved from a shady lot in the bitter-cold North to a new house with full sun in the South. I had to re-learn nearly everthing I knew about gardening, and this book got me through. It gave me a wonderful roadmap of where to start.

The book is filled with tips on specific plants. Some of these plants are things you see in everyone's garden, but quite a few are unusual beauties. The author tries to keep things simple, such as the confounding (to me) subject of pruning roses. Information is presented in a surprisingly humorous way. Even my husband--who has zero interest in gardening--was reading it and laughing out loud.

Also, with a new baby sitting on my hip most of the day, I need low care plants. Maybe I will become a master gardener someday, but I don't foresee it happening for about eighteen years! In the meantime, I can still have a beautiful garden, with the help of this book.

Tough Plants for Southern Gardens Having this book around the Southern Home is kind of like having a neighbor that knows a lot about plants. A neighbor who has a beautiful yard with beautiful plants, but they don't seem to do a lot of yard work. When you ask them, they have lots of neat ideas and helpful little hints. They always know the common names for plants and when to plant them.

The book, of course, covers the South. Those of us who live here know that there's a big difference between even northern Mississippi and Alabama and southern Mississippi and Alabama. Plants that are tough sometimes need to be tough against heat, humidity, and sand, or tough against cold, dry winds. This book will tell you which plant is which and it's a good field manual to take to the nursery with you.

Best of Dr. Reed's books I have read. One can't put it down. If you love the South or hate it you must read this masterpiece.

Slowing down along all those back roads of the world that is the South is the only way to appreciate the unique outlook of the southern spirit where life and events are often taken with a grain of salt due to the fact that the important things were the same yesterday, and the day before, and all the days before that. Emotional health is probably the most valued commodity, and perhaps the most scrutinized quality of southern communities. In many cases, it is the most important development to watch and gauge since much of the south is far from the pyramids of power that are often created in locations like New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago or Los Angeles. It is eons away from foreign influences of Paris, London, Asia or Japan. The living is easy and the sun is hot requiring local dynamics to be the most valuable in terms of acceptance. It gives a new meaning to the idea of majority and minority but not necessarily confined to color. To know the south, time spent there is a must. Southerners appreciate the meaning of home grown and honor their own perspective on life, which sometimes isn't the same as it is in other parts of the country. Rebel yells have a different meaning than up north and don't always reflect the civil war years. It helps to understand Hank Williams, Jr. and some of the other country singers who have it in their blood. 1,0001 facts about the south can only help people appreciate this unique part of the country where life is meant to be savored, not swift. It is greatly aided by a partner of commensurable sentiments.

I had to buy this for a class I'm taking on "The Southern Identity." It was very entertaining and informative. I would recommend it.

It's about time someone compiled this valuable data concerning one of the country's most interesting areas. This book is great for Yankees AND Southerners alike. The most wonderful thing about this book is that you'll find out what some of those expressions, terms, and shibboleths mean--the ones you always heard but were afraid to ask about for fear of being labeled ignorant of your own culture! A must-have for anyone interested in the culture of America and especially the South. Highly recommend this book along with McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD--a fascinating read about Southern culture and what it means to be from the South.

This boook includes, well, a thousand interesting facts about the South. Being Southern myself, I never knew what was in a mint julep (along with 90% of the rest of the South). This is a book that you can pick up, flip to any page and just read. Everything is interesting, and you might learn something, too. Recommended!

This book is about the South and northern places in the mid 60's-80's. To be sure it is about a gifted black athlete having to survive a white society that wants somehow to be with him in his quest for greatness. Much more than that, this book is about racism at its core, promise, insecurity, and reluctant goodness, and we should hope that Morris's honest and understandable "sorta" autobiographical dissertation on his homeland Mississippi will compel us to take another look at where we are as a society. We should not let Pete, Willie's mid-life dog, be the best of what we can be.

This is a must read-especially for the young athletes of today. This man was a legend! Hands down the best running back in the country during his era!
Having met him, he's a modest, humble man who loves football and loves his hometown. Would love to see this made into a movie!
Get it, you won't be disappointed!

I recently read "The Courting of Marcus Dupree" and found it to be exciting and spell binding. My entire family was caught up in it. The book is an excellent tale of the birth of a young Black male in a troubling time for the South. The way Willie Morris related Marcus' birth and powerful strength to the struggle of his town and state was awesome, he should be the Mayor of Philadelphia or the Governor of Mississippi. I expected the book to be totally about football but it proved to be much more. It made you laugh and cry at times because of the tremendous pressure on Marcus Dupree, the 17 year old athlete that was blessed with such miraculous skills. The book made you feel like you were at the games when he made some of the beautiful plays. It was so intense that you wanted to get to the next page, but never wanted the book to end. I wish it was reprinted.

I read this book again recently and it was better than I remembered. It was so interesting to see how one 17 year old boy could dominate one small town's conversations. I expected this book to be a tale of a high school football star and his recruitment, but I got more, much more. Willie Morris examines the importance of football in Mississippi and how Marcus brought blacks and whites together with his play. He had insight in to Marcus that nobody outside of his family and high school coach could have had. Overall, a great read.

As an OU fan and a person who remember Marcus Dupree light up Norman during his brief time, I was very excited to have a little bit more background on this fascinating person.

The book hits several different topics. Obviously his recruitment of many football schools at times take center stage. But much of the book also discusses the effect of a black athlete becoming a state hero in Mississippi and gaining fans of all races. The foil of Dupree's time to that of two decades earlier when three cival rights activists were brutally murdered by the Klan. And the author, Willie Morris, contrasting and comparing his life with what he sees around him while following Dupree.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great personal account that takes you back to 1981 Mississippi, civil rights, and the power of football.

I have owned this cookbook for over 10 years and it is my favorite and most used. Well written and easy to follow, the Texas Border Cookbook demonstrates many of the classic Texas recipes including salsas, guacamole, chili (5 different variations), enchiladas and chicken fried steak. If you enjoy southwestern food this cookbook should be in your collection.

There are a lot of cookbooks out there purporting to be "Tex-Mex". Most of them are charlatans. This is the Real Deal. When I was a kid, my mom even made "Texas Trash" for when company was coming over. She would always tell me, "Just don't tell them what it's called". Of course, the company loved it, as did I. She also made just about everything else in this book. This is what I grew up on. About the only thing she wouldn't make were Tamales, they are a "PITA" to make without help, a point mentioned in this book, she would buy them pre-made. If you like or want to learn Tex-Mex, "This is the one !". Authentic Tex-Mex !

This is an outstanding cookbood and easy to use. Every recipe I've made has turned out great and wow's my family and friends. I put it in my top three most frequently used cookbooks.

This is a great cookbook that is more New Mexican/ Border in flavor than Tex-Mex. The red enchiladas are so good. I usually make them twice a month for my family. I have made almost every recipe in this book and every one has been a winner.

One of my most used cookbooks - since I am in "the land of bland" I have to rely on this more than ever. Of special note is the grits recipe - a real winner for any brunch.

I think this book is terrific, however, I have ME AND Fibromyalgia. (chronic fatigue with chronic pain everywhere). Does anyone know of a great book on this subject?

Thank you, Cyn

I suffer from CFS and I find this book has helped me quite a lot. It's clearly and well written, gatherig all the main facts about this complex illness.

I was diagnosed with post-viral CFS in 1988. This book is an excellent description of living with CFS except for one thing: 3/4 of marriages affected by chronic illness break up, which means that most of us don't have the live-in support system she had.

Some disbelieving doctors like to attribute CFS to "secondary gain" or enablers who allow the patient to "enjoy the sick role". Unfortunately, for many CFS patients, there's no enabler and the only thing you gain is the stress of trying to make ends meet with no income.

Wall tells of having someone run her bath, gently wash her, dress her, and help her back to bed. That's a luxury most of us don't enjoy. If I'm not well enough to cook, I don't get dinner; if I cannot safely get in and out of the tub by myself, I don't bathe (on a cold winter day when I needed a bath to warm up, I got stuck in the tub for over an hour because I lacked the strength to boost myself up and out, and there was no one to call for help).

Wall's live-in support structure allowed her to do what those of us who live alone can't: use all her energy to write a book to explain to the rest of the world what it's like to be trapped in a body and brain that don't function.

I recommend this not only to patients, but to their friends and family as one of the best patient-written books I've read.

I found this to be an excellent book on CFIDS. I too suffer from it and feel sometimes I am the only one in my corner of the world that has it. It is helpful to read about someone else who has the same symptoms so I realize I am not " losing it" and it is real. The author also provides comphrensive data relating to medical, historical, and social aspects of this troubling illness. I would highly suggest this to people who have CFIDS and those who want to learn more about it. It is a a very readable book that is packed with information and is not boring or dry.

I have suffered from CFS since the late 70's although I was able to "push" through the majority of those years. I am now back in an accute phase and found Dorothy Wall's book fascinating , beautifully written and helpful. It helped make my illness real for me since I have never "looked" ill and have learned to doubt that what I have is real. I found it a story of the truth, which was most refreshing and inspiring.

This book has provided so many wonderful adventures and opportunities for our family! We have been able to take our kids to amazing, educational, fun and sometimes unheard-of places here in SoCal. And, the information Susan Peterson gives about each place is so valuable: prices, deals, appropriate ages, which season is best for them, and even little known facts or insights that will help you enjoy it more. We were thrilled to find this book, and always recommend it to friends, and loan it to visiting relatives and friends.

I plan activities for our MOPS group, and this book is all I will ever need! It is so well-organized and thorough. After meeting the author, I know she was not "bought" by any of these places and means every word she says. A great gift!

This is the most impressive book of this type I have ever seen. The comprehesiveness (almost 800 pages) and organization are unparalleled. It lists locations by county that are indexed by city. Each county is divided by general themes like MUSEUMS and THE GREAT OUTDOORS that are then indexed into more specific categories like military, mission, music, etc ) It even contains a calendar at the end, which lists all the annual special events that take place each year. This really is the work of a genius. As a parent, teacher, and daytripper, I will probably open this book as frequently as any in the next several years. It makes me feel even more excited about my future with two very young children! Thank you Susan Peterson!!!

I never realized how many kid-friendly places there are in SoCal! Peterson's entries give valuable information on the location, age range, price, time spent, and highlights of each place, as well as her insightful personal opinions. The entries are enjoyable to read and informative. She covers well-known places and places I've never heard of, as well as gives tips for a fun-filled outing. A great book for moms or anyone who wants to go on an enjoyable outing with kids. Never spend a dull day at home again!

This book is amazing. The lady who wrote it must have been such an adventurer! She took her kids all over the place! You can tell that she really went to the places because she describes the best things to do there and she's always correct! I have found so many wonderful new places thanks to this book. I've been to about 50 of the places recommended and I plan to go to more. The best thing about the book is that it leads you to unknown parks and beach areas and museums that are free. It's not just a touristy book promoting all the expensive glitzy things to do in each city. Instead you find wonderful "real" places that families from the area know are the loveliest spots.