Amazon.com
Deborah Layton was, by her own account, a typical rebellious youth, with nothing in her dossier to indicate that she would eventually find herself in Jim Jones's People's Temple in Guyana, looking for a way out of the green hell that had become the People's Temple Agricultural Project. She barely escaped in June 1978. Within months, more than 900 people drank Jones's cyanide punch and committed "revolutionary suicide" in the face of mounting stateside pressure on the cult, some of it prompted by Layton's own testimonials upon her safe return home. Her brother, Larry, also survived, and as one of the few left alive in Guyana became a scapegoat for Jones's crimes; he is now serving a life sentence in federal prison.
There is a simple naiveté at the root of Seductive Poison. Layton's own youthful innocence, foremost, but also the desire to trust another person, the need for belonging and meaning, which led so many perfectly normal Americans to place their faith in a suicidal madman. Far from confirming the simplistically monstrous Jones of the public imagination, Layton paints the man as a dark, twisted shaman, by turns soothing, then suddenly malevolent and petty, with a hugely sadistic streak that belied his perfectly coifed hair, expensive suits, and impressive political connections. The scenes in which she describes her escape and flight to safety are wrenching, her last-minute conversation with Jones and his seductive appeal for her to return home to Jonestown are chilling, and her fear and indecision are still palpable on the printed page. For Layton to recount tales this personal and horrifying must have been tremendously difficult. For her to lift those recollections above the bargain-basement freak-show reputation the People's Temple has achieved in the popular imagination and depict them with the power of great tragedy is nothing but extraordinary. --Tjames Madison
Book Description
Told by a former high-level member of the Peoples Temple and Jonestown survivor,
Seductive Poison is the "truly unforgettable" (Kirkus Review) story of how one woman was seduced by one of the most notorious cults in recent memory and how she found her way back to sanity.
From Waco to Heaven's Gate, the past decade has seen its share of cult tragedies. But none has been quite so dramatic or compelling as the Jonestown massacre of 1978, in which the Reverend Jim Jones and 913 of his disciples perished. Deborah Layton had been a member of the Peoples Temple for seven years when she departed for Jonestown, Guyana, the promised land nestled deep in the South American jungle. When she arrived, however, Layton saw that something was seriously wrong. Jones constantly spoke of a revolutionary mass suicide, and Layton knew only too well that he had enough control over the minds of the Jonestown residents to carry it out. But her pleas for help--and her sworn affidavit to the U.S. government--fell on skeptical ears. In this very personal account, Layton opens up the shadowy world of cults and shows how anyone can fall under their spell.
Seductive Poison is both an unflinching historical document and a riveting story of intrigue, power, and murder.
Customer Reviews:
Haunting.......2007-08-09
This book is horrifying. I could not put it down, and since I have finished it I can't stop thinking about it. I would highly recommend it.
Chilling well-written memoirs.......2007-07-24
This is a detailed account of what really went on in The People's Temple.
It is very upsetting and at the same time not able to put down!
Deborah Layton writes with passion, details and a timeline.
Deborah's personal account on how she was raped, taken from her father, forced into marriage with a man she wasn't allowed to interact with and many many more terrifying accounts.
One is obligated to know of such cruel terrible events, such as the mass-suicide-murder, to be able to prevent similarities in the future.
MUST BUY MUST BUY MUST BUY!
Excellent Book.......2007-07-09
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the Jonestown tragedy. How Deborah Layton escaped with her life is a miracle. What is even more amazing is how she was able to go on with her life and survive; to be able to reclaim one's mind after such an experience is truly a testament to her strength of character.
A very well-written historic account of the Jonestown massacre.......2007-07-08
I was just a kid when the Jonestown tragedy hit the news. Like most kids my age we did not understand how one man could convince 1000 people to kill themselves. I never understood it and so I figured that they must have all been "crazy". I never researched the tragic story and don't recall hearing much about it after the initial story. But then I saw a special a few months ago on public TV and was mortified by what Jim Jones had done to the people who trusted him with their very existence. That was what compelled me to find and read this book. I thought the author did a fantastic job of telling her story. She never once made herself out to be any one special. She was brutally honest about herself and her thoughts and feelings of and for Jim Jones. She was really just a sheep like all the rest of them and completley under his spell. Somehow she started thinking for her self and woke up to the fact that he was crazy and getting crazier everyday. It is sad that her initial accounts and warning of the mass suicide were not taken more seriously. Had the government listened they would not have let a congressman and a news crew - do their job. This story is a very well-written historic account of the Jonestown massacre and I think everyone should read it.
Going off to College? A must Read........2007-06-21
This book should be handed out to high school graduates. Ms. Layton gives a vivid and very moving account of her expriences with The People's Temple and Jim Jones. Those naieve and going off to college would do well to familarize themselves with the way people can disillusion others and the almost silent way cults can sneak into a young person's life. As a survivor of a cult myself, I highly recommend Ms. Layton's book to parents, teens, and also those who have experienced cults first hand, as it helped me come to terms with what had happened to me.
Average customer rating:
- The third outing for the Marcelli's is a charmer!
- The best of the trilogy
- Perfect Love Story
- The Seductive One
- Excellent Trilogy
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The Seductive One (Marcelli Sisters of Pleasure Road)
Susan Mallery
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Mallery, Susan | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | MacOmber, Debbie | Macomber, Debbie | Martin, Kat | Mason, Connie | Michaels, Fern | Miller, Linda Lael
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ASIN: 0743443969 |
Book Description
For the Marcelli sisters of California wine country, the season is ripe for romance!
Of all the Marcelli sisters, the one who dreams of running the family's winery is Brenna -- and she's about to get her chance. But taking the helm at Marcelli Winery is tougher than she bargained for -- especially when she butts heads with her grandfather, whose Old World ways dictate that a male should inherit the business. In need of some fast capital in order to prove her grandfather wrong, Brenna turns to Nic Giovanni, her family's nemesis....Years ago, she ended her secret relationship with Nic, choosing loyalty to her family over the hot passion they shared. But now he's back in her life, he's loaned her a million dollars, and their feelings for each other are stronger than ever. Brenna must find out for herself: is Nic the love of her life? Or the schemer who could topple the Marcelli dynasty -- and break her heart?
Meet three unforgettable sisters in a wonderful trilogy that's vintage Susan Mallery -- warm, witty, and stunningly sensual. Look for The Sparkling One and The Sassy One, available from Pocket Star Books!
Customer Reviews:
The third outing for the Marcelli's is a charmer!.......2007-05-24
Brenna Marcelli has always dreamed of running the Marcelli family vineyard; her family jokes that wine flows through her veins. But family patriarch Grandpa Lorenzo insists that running the winery is a man's job. That's kind of hard to do when the Marcelli's only have four daughters. But a secret from the family's past comes to light that could dash Brenna's dreams. Newly divorced, Brenna returns to the family's Santa Barbara winery/estate and decides to start up a boutique winery, turning to former lover Nic Giovanni for the capital. Making matters difficult is that the Giovanni's and the Marcelli's have had a long-standing feud, not to mention the secret relationship Brenna and Nic had a decade earlier that ended when she chose her family over him. Nic is willing to loan her the money; but at what cost? Sparks fly when the two realize that there are unresolved feelings between the two. Will Nic avenge his family or fight for the woman he has always loved?
Mallery's third in the Marcelli series features a striking couple who are equals. Brenna is no shrinking violet and Nic is her equal in temperament and ambition. The books are best if read in order since key plot points are revealed over the five books. The series (in order) includes: The Sparkling One (****), The Sassy One (***), The Seductive One (****), The Marcelli Bride (****), and the abysmal The Marcelli Princess (**).
The best of the trilogy.......2007-01-07
I read the Marcelli sisters trilogy all at once. I found Mallery's writing for the first two books dull and a bit boring. In the 21st century, I did not understand how someone could write about this all-consuming pressure to marry at 18 and have babies. Yes, I know they all wind up being independent career women and eventually marry their true loves. But two out of the four marry at 18, one almost marries at 18, all with disastrous results.
This last book, Brenna's story, is by far the best of the three. Her long-suppressed desire for Nic drew me in from the first page. Their love story was passionate and delicious and I felt their pull and draw towards one another mature as beautifully as each step of winemaking was described. While I felt ho-hum about Katie and Francesca's stories, this one saved the day for me.
One huge disappointment with the series is this: Throughout THREE books, the entire focus is the wedding -- planning, talking, cooking, making the darn wedding dresses (a very important part of every book) and WE DON'T GET A WEDDING!! Couldn't Mallery have at least concluded with the slam bang, get-the-tissues-out, fabulous Italian triple wedding that they've been talking about the whole time??? For that alone, I dropped this book a star.
Mildly entertaining, but don't expect too much.
Perfect Love Story.......2006-08-18
The Seductive One (Marcelli Sisters of Pleasure Road)by Susan Mallery was another hit for this author. There has been a feud between the Marcelli and Giovanni families for decades. The feud started because of lies and may be fueled by more. A great Romeo and Juliet love story with a nice twist. I am off to read the rest of the beginning of the series - oops.
Check out the whole series; The Sparkling One (1),The Sassy One (2),The Seductive One (3), The Marcelli Bride (4),The Marcelli Princess (5 coming out 2007).
The Seductive One.......2006-07-10
I have just discovered Susan Mallery and am truly enjoying this series.
Excellent Trilogy.......2004-01-20
The Sassy One, The Sparking One, and The Seductive One are a truly excellent trilogy. If you enjoy Lori Foster, Allison Kent, Linda Francis Lee, Deidre Martin, Rachel Gibson, and Susan Andersen you will love Susan Mallery! She tells an exceptional story with rich characters and a hot love story. I read these over one weekend. I could not put them down. Run do not walk to buy your copies! Enjoy.
Book Description
From ornately decorative to excruciatingly stringent, Japanese rope bondage is an art which has developed over centuries of martial and erotic practice. Now, accomplished Japanese-born educator and bondage practitioner, Midori shows step by step how to achieve beautiful and exciting Japanese bondage on a variety of genders and body types.
Each chapter starts with a spectacular, tasteful full-color photo of the finished bondage pose - harnesses, hogties, standing and bent-over poses, and more - then goes back and explains with text and line art how each rope and knot is placed to achieve the final result. Readers can use the detailed instructions to experiment safely and erotically with their own partners - or simply enjoy viewing the pictures of Midori's expertise.
Customer Reviews:
FANTASTIC!.......2007-07-11
This is a FABULOUS book.
The instructions are clear and very thorough, the pictures are beautiful and illustrate the rope work very well, and Midori goes into detail about scenes and after care and other important things on top of her rope instruction.
I would really recommend this to anyone, regardless of skill level.
Think of it as a beautiful coffee table book, or a valuable instructional tool, no matter how to spin it, it accomplishes its goal with beauty and grace, what else can you expect from Midori?
A learning experiance.......2007-02-09
A good book to help you get started, It's put together well with, good ideas and decent instructions, A little more color photos would of been nice, but the ones that are there are very professional looking. The wife enjoyed reading it, and even more excited when i brought out the rope... I would recommend it.
Amazing help for a photographer.......2006-10-14
Although this book may be more fitting for those with a deep love of bondage, this book is a great help for those interested in photography. Midori is very informative and this is an amazing book for beginners interested in shibari.
A good introduction to rope bondage...........2006-07-15
If you've ever been intrigued by japanese rope bondage, this is the first book that you should buy. It is instructional, not just an "art" book. The photographs are indeed beautiful, and the instructions are clear. I do wish that there were more photographs - just because all of the photography that I've seen that Midori has been involved with has been beautiful.
Whether you are exploring this subject on your own, or with a partner - it's a great book for your collection. If you have a chance to take a class by Midori, or hear her speak - don't miss out.
I have always wanted to take a class from Midori.......2006-06-17
This book has beautiful pictures. I have always wanted to take a class from Midori and I think this is the closest that I am actually going to get. I will read this one again and again.
Average customer rating:
- Book #1 in this series
- Charismatic couple makes this a first rate romantic adventure
- The Seductive Imposter
- adventure and romance
- Secret Rooms and Stolen Treasures
|
The Seductive Impostor
Janet Chapman
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Romantic Suspense | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0743486293 |
Book Description
The first in a dazzling duo of romances featuring two sisters from the ruggedly beautiful Maine coast...and the men who sweep them away.
Rachel Foster wishes Sub Rosa -- the seaside mansion she helped her father build and the scene of a terrible tragedy -- would crumble into the sea. But Keenan Oakes, Sub Rosa's new owner, is moving in and stirring up the dark secrets of the cliff-perched manor....
Now, in the heat of a sizzling attraction, can Rachel clear her family's name while risking her heart on Keenan...and on a
passionate love like nothing she's ever known?
Download Description
"The first in a dazzling duo of romances featuring two sisters from the ruggedly beautiful Maine coast...and the men who sweep them away. Rachel Foster wishes Sub Rosa -- the seaside mansion she helped her father build and the scene of a terrible tragedy -- would crumble into the sea. But Keenan Oakes, Sub Rosa's new owner, is moving in and stirring up the dark secrets of the cliff-perched manor.... Now, in the heat of a sizzling attraction, can Rachel clear her family's name while risking her heart on Keenan...and on a passionate love like nothing she's ever known? "
Customer Reviews:
Book #1 in this series.......2007-08-13
I read this book when it came out and failed to post a review, but did make notes via index card and here goes. Pardon the dust.
This series is about Rachael and Willow Foster. Sisters.
This book is Rachael's story with Keenan Oakes.
I enjoyed this book. Obviously. Two likeable characters. Rachael and her father designed this ultra modern home (run by massive computer system).
Bad things happen in the house and she avoids it. The house is closed for sometime until Keenan and his entourage move in.
Full of twists and a good read.
Charismatic couple makes this a first rate romantic adventure.......2006-12-06
Former architect Rachel has not returned to Sub Rosa, the mansion where her parents died since the fateful night that she found the bodies, and discovered that her mother was unfaithful with the millionaire on the hill. Just as the new heir to Sub Rosa is moving into the mansion, she receives a letter preceding her father's death by two years, where he details his involvement in a smuggling ring, and discovers that many of the cherished items she and her sister have were stolen. She decides to return the loot to Sub Rosa, but gets caught on the way out.
Keenan Oakes is a scavenger/mercenary. His merry band of bruisers will do anything within reason for money - salvaging, rescuing kidnap victims, etc. He and his friends have moved into Sub Rosa and have discovered that the mansion has been looted. When they capture Rachel, Kee wonders if this sexy gal is the one who has been stealing from his estate, and can't help but come under her spell. Already whipped to beguiling pint-sized dictator and daughter Mikaela, Kee finds that his heart is open to allowing another gal in. But he and the guys are keeping some pretty big secrets... And after seeing the damage that passion caused to her parents, Rachel is not sure a happily ever after is in her future.
Chapman's predecessor to "The Dangerous Protector" is just as funny and sensuous - Rachel and Kee make a strong duo - they perfectly play off each other (particularly when he is "interrogating" her), and you really get a sense of where Willow's antagonistic relationship with Duncan began (and thankfully the Scottish brogue is kept to a minimum). Great start to a great series!
The Seductive Imposter.......2006-11-18
Janet Chapman is my new favorite author. This book is wonderful. It grabs you from the start and keeps you going. I couldn't put it down. The characters are so fascinating. Where are all these guys? I am ready to move to Maine.
adventure and romance.......2006-10-04
I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. This story takes place on the coast of Maine. Rachel the main character is still grieving over the deaths of her parents. When she finds out her father an architect had given both her and her sister(Willow) stolen items as gifts. She tries to return the items to the house, where the items were taken. However, she is surprised by the early arrival of the new owner, a man who is rather mysterious with secrets of his own.
There are many enjoyable and even funny parts to this book. One of my favorites is when Willow tries to drive a new/borrowed truck.
If you like romance, adventure or even a good mystery. I think you will like this book.
Secret Rooms and Stolen Treasures.......2006-08-01
An amazing novel from Janet Chapman. The main character, Rachel, grew up apprenticing to be an architect like her father. Together they built a truly "smart" mansion to house a local man's treasures. When her parents and the man die in a murder-suicide/love triangle mess in the house, Rachel abandons the house and her passion for architecture. The book opens with the local man's heir coming to town three year's after the tragedy to claim his fortune. At the same time, Rachel finds out that the local man also brokered in stolen treasures and gave many to her father. He tells Rachel, via a note left with their attorney, that he built secret rooms for the illegal goods in both her house and the smart mansion. Rachel tries to sneak in to put the stolen goods in the mansion's vault for the new heir to deal with, but is caught. Rachel and the heir (Kee) partner to solve the mystery of the stolen goods and some legitimate treasures missing from the mansion, but they both hold back on the other.
Kee resembles a modern day pirate, complete with crew and an adorable five year old daughter. Rachel is in desparate need of an adventure. Together they fall in love, find the bad guys, recover the treasures, and still find time to entertain the town. You won't be able to put this book down, it is a truly enjoyable read.
Book Description
Ronda Rich knows first-hand that good things come to those who wink. Now this authentic Southern belle explains the age-old art of flirting, revealing techniques and secrets for making the most of natural female instinct-at home, in the office, or in any social situation that calls for a little extra honeysuckle. From finding love to making business contacts to snagging hard-to-get restaurant reservations, Rich's tried-and-true formula is delivered with good humor and plenty of know-how.
Customer Reviews:
Learn to be sweet!.......2007-09-11
Congratulations, Ms Rich on a fabulous read... I know now that I just don't wink often enough! I have found some great ideas in here that I plan to practise a lot more of although I may have to tone it down a little as we do not flirt so over the top in Australia! We are definitely more laid back than even in the South!
Regarding Social Firting: Rhonda Rich makes an excellent point about being feminine at work and getting ahead this way as opposed to trying to be "one of the boys". Men, I believe, fight dirtier with these type of women than they would with other men. I have witnessed true examples of this.
Ms. Rich makes excellent points throughout the book that are old-fashioned but certainly timeless and proven. BUT I believe we need to carefully select our flirt targets as we don't want a stalker on our high-heeled, sexy trails! Go ahead: Wink, smile but perhaps be a little wary.
Whoops! I just remembered... better go shopping for that red teddy tomorrow!
More, more, more!.......2007-05-18
Right on, Ronda! Those of us who already practice these techniques know they work. The women who need this most will write it off as offensive and absurd. You will not change men. It's the way men are, the way they've always been; and thank heaven for that. The anecdote about her New York agent is, unfortunately, very telling.
sooo southern!.......2006-12-04
I agree with the previous southern lady. I too am a 150*Per cent* southern lady and find this book to be so cute as well as true!
I think it was probably written in good humor but some females will actually try her ideas to get a man with hopefully good luck [grin]
The other readers will also see how it is obviously intended...for fun only! I have truly enjoyed reading all of Rhonda's books. Highly recommend to every woman from...north to south...east to west!
A Great Humorous Read!.......2006-08-11
I am almost done with the book, and I've laughed at several idiosyncrasies that are so typical! It'll be the first time in awhile that I've actually finished a whole book! It's too bad our generation has swayed away from what she talks about; little did I know, I was already doing some of the things that are suggested, and already got out of a late fee on a credit card statement! It really goes back to the way things "were" - and frankly how they should still be! Rhonda does a great job illustrating that.
"Honeysuckle" is a useful social skill.......2006-07-10
My mama always said, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar," and it's true. I've been making a conscious effort to do the things Ronda Rich talks about (smiling, saying thank you, being friendly) for the past year or so, and it works! I get much better customer service (and discounts and refunds) when I am pleasant and chatty and smile and say please and thank you.
I haven't gotten to the romance chapters yet -- and I may skip them because they look a bit too 1950s to my feminist eyes -- but the larger point of this book is how to successfully interact with people by being engaging and charming and kind. I know I'm much more likely to help people who call my office with problems if they are polite than if they rant and rave and swear.
To the reviewer who found the book overwhelmingly insulting, I see your point, but I'd say just try the smiling part and see how much difference that gesture alone will make in your interactions with other people. Asking nicely and being persistent in both your requests and your politeness usually works better than shouting demands. And most of us naturally gravitate toward pleasant people. It's simply a strategy.
Book Description
Award-winning author and broadcaster Carol Off reveals the fascinating – and often horrifying – stories behind our desire for all things chocolate.
Whether it’s part of a Hallowe’en haul, the contents of a heart-shaped box or just a candy bar stashed in a desk drawer, chocolate is synonymous with pleasures both simple and indulgent. But behind the sweet image is a long history of exploitation. In the eighteenth century the European aristocracy went wild for the Aztec delicacy. In later years, colonial territories were ravaged and slaves imported in droves as native populations died out under the strain of feeding the world’s appetite for chocolate.
Carol Off traces the origins of the cocoa craze and follows chocolate’s evolution under such overseers as Hershey, Cadbury and Mars. In Côte d’Ivoire, the West African nation that produces nearly half of the world’s cocoa beans, she follows a dark and dangerous seam of greed. Against a backdrop of civil war and corruption, desperately poor farmers engage in appalling practices such as the indentured servitude of young boys – children who don’t even know what chocolate tastes like.
Off shows that, with the complicity of Western governments and corporations, unethical practices continue to thrive.
Bitter Chocolate is a social history, a passionate investigative account and an eye-opening exposé of the workings of a multi-billion dollar industry that has institutionalized misery as it served our pleasures.
Customer Reviews:
The hidden costs of treats.......2007-07-09
Most of what you should know about chocolate is the topic of this captivating book. There are serious and hidden costs to this treat we consume nearly every day - sometimes in overwhelming quantities. Canadian journalist and broad caster Carol Off takes you on a journey through the cultural and political history of cocoa, this delicacy so revered since ancient times. Based on her thorough research and personal encounters in the field, she brings to light the controversies and conflicts that have accompanied the production and trade of chocolate for centuries. Of particular interest to her is the exploitation of cocoa farmers, the use of child labour and severe corruption in producing countries in the heart of Africa on the one hand and the connivance of the international marketing bodies on the other. None of what you discover here should stop you from indulging, but it should open your eyes to the complex and often violent context and encourage you to consider your purchasing choices.
The theobroma plant that carries the cocoa producing bean pods originated in Central America and only grows in a narrow environmental band: it needs the right temperatures and the humidity of tropical rain forests. For more than three thousand years farmers have harvested cocoa beans from the gourds of this shrub. Initially processed into a stimulating drink made from the bitter cocoa pulp it was thought to have nutritional and health benefits. In this way it was appreciated by Aztecs, Maya and others in the Americas. It was the drink of the local elites and used in religious rituals as well as a legal tender. Spanish conquerors and European traders introduced cocoa into our world.
Off provides an excellent overview of cocoa's history and its expansion from a luxury treat into an important general commodity, available to everyone in the developed world. (Most cocoa farmers cannot afford to buy or eat it!) Cocoa butter was combined with other ingredients into the familiar chocolate bar. With its rising popularity in the European and North American markets, growing areas had to be expanded and the processing industrialized. To meet the demands, the theobroma plant was introduced in West Africa with Cote d'Ivoire being the major centre. Increasingly, companies like Rowntree, Cadbury, Mars and Hershey and big players in the food business, such as Cargill, took over as the major investors and market controllers.
Complicated colonial and post-colonial politics in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as international market pressures, resulted in a collapse of a sustainable and for the farmers economically viable cocoa economy. Cheap labour was in high demand for the harvest. First, farmers brought their own children and extended families into the process, but more and more young people and children were recruited from neighbouring poor countries, especially from Mali. Farmers suffering extreme poverty feel themselves being victims of big business and corrupt government systems. Off succeeds in interviewing farmers and traders and follows the routes of some of the youngsters to farms where they are kept bonded, in primitive conditions and without pay. "Big Chocolate", Off's term for the international corporations involved in the industry, have played their part in creating and maintaining the devastating conditions for the farmers and the children. Despite pressures from primarily non-governmental groups and promises to stop slave labour in the cocoa production, quietly it is still going on today. Journalists and others investigating the intricate web of exploitation and corruption have been threatened, some have disappeared.
Off writes in a direct and engaging journalistic style, rich in factual detail and description of her personal experience in several countries. Part detective story, part investigative research spiced with some African storytelling, she captivates the reader from beginning to end. The author also has important messages to impart. "Big Chocolate" needs to be held accountable to their promises. They in turn can influence government policies and programs. On the brighter side, she touches on cocoa production in several countries that have managed the business with more fairness and involvement of local farmers, in particular in Belize. She also discusses the appearance and efforts around "fair trade" chocolate, that is of growing interest to consumers in developed countries. [Friederike Knabe]
"When people eat chocolate . . . ".......2007-04-24
Hardly larger than New Mexico, the Côte d'Ivoire doesn't seem an appropriate site for international economic intrigue or the focus of intense labour reform efforts. A glance at a map of Africa suggests it should be a tourist haven. A magnificent coastline, running east-west for over 500 km, faces the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic helping form the Bulge of Africa. Some of that shoreline has protected harbours, and most of the Ivory Coast's neighbours, such as Mali, Guinea and Ghana enjoy a large measure of political stability. The Côte d'Ivoire also enjoys an economic privilege - it produces nearly half of the world's cacao beans. Those beans are the foundation for Valentine's Day confections, cocoa and chocolate Easter bunnies. As Carol Off has shown in this captivating study, thereby hangs a tale.
Cocoa beans grow best in special tropical conditions - high heat, elevated humidity, a lush overstory of trees and supportive soil. Originally from Central America where the aristocrats of the Olmec empire restricted consumption of the rich, dark compound of kakawa to themselves, chocolate is now universally enjoyed. Columbus missed the chance to introduce chocolate to Europe, but when it did arrive, it was taken up enthusiastically. Like coffee, which came from the opposite direction, cocoa became the basis for a wave of new gathering places - coffee houses - which served coffee, hot chocolate and tea. The demand for chocolate rose rapidly, driving producers to expand while cutting costs. In agriculture, the chief method of cost reduction is to slash labour costs. The major effort needed in producing cacao, which grows on tree trunks, is the harvesting - cutting, separating the seeds from pulp and spreading them to dry. Even a child can do it.
A Canadian broadcast journalist, Carol Off was tipped off by Save the Children to modern Côte d'Ivoire conditions. This shouldn't have been news for several reasons. As the demand for chocolate rose and the European confectionary firms expanded, growing cacao trees and harvesting their fruit moved from small-holders' plots to extensive plantations. The needed labour was frequently coerced from local villages. The new growing conditions often depleted the plants forcing growers to new sites. Africa, already established in producing coffee, became host to a new bean. Once tainted by the earlier slave trade across the Atlantic, Africa's cacao plantations saw the re-establishment of new forced-labour practices. With political and economic power shifts restructured by European imperialists in Africa during the 19th Century, new forms of "indentured workers" or "contract labourers" arose. In the 20th Century many of those working the cocoa plantations were children of countries bordering on Côte d'Ivoire. Hearing of job opportunities hungry children left their villages to earn money. Many were never seen again.
The 19th Century chocolate industry in Britain came to be dominated by Quakers. This sect, with a long history of campaigning for the abolition of slavery, grew uneasy over stories of forced labour in the plantations supplying the raw materials for such products as Cadbury's. They sent investigators to enquire about conditions. Carol Off describes the late 19th Century efforts of Henry Woodd Nevinson to reveal how workers were treated in producing cocoa beans. His reports where quietly shelved. Post-World War II fluctuations created even worse conditions, with national governments taking a fresh interest in cocoa revenues. New investigations were prompted, leading in one case to a film of child labour conditions. It was the film that immortalised one child's comment: "When people eat chocolate, they eat my flesh".
Other mechanisms are available, however, as Off describes conditions in Belize as a conclusion to her book. "Fair trading", a process slowly being applied to coffee and other products, has made some headway in cocoa's Central American homeland. Although hardly a panacea, fair trade structures in growing and marketing, have helped stablise price levels and given small holders a fresh means of surviving. Small, well-controlled plots, often as family operations may provide hope for growers. However, a fair income for the cocoa farmer may mean an increase in the price of candy bars or Valentine's Day treats. Are you prepared to pay that extra to release children from bondage labour? [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Book Description
Graphic artists who open this scintillating tutorial discover the beauty secrets of cartoon bombshells, then learn how to give them active roles in stories. Step-by-step illustrations show female anatomy and proportion, ways to render poses and body shapes, and methods to exaggerate or simplify female shapes for special effects. Artists learn to create convincing drawings of seductive supergirls, action heroines, sexy cyberpunks, feisty Manga babes, and other types. Instruction includes methods for drawing facial features, head-turning hairstyles, and fantasy wardrobes with eye-popping metal bikinis and skin-tight jumpsuits. A historical overview of females in animation and comics covers styles from Betty Boop to Tank Girl. The author explains the importance of storytelling in art and discusses ways to develop story concepts before starting to draw. Chapters that follow focus on choosing art equipment (pencils, papers, brushes, inks, paints, and pixels), selecting appropriate drawing styles to match characters' personalities, rendering different feminine types, from goddess to the girl next door, and more.The book concludes with a brief survey of the business of commercial art, with advice on how and where to sell finished work, how to draw characters to order, and how artists can protect their rights. More than 200 flamboyant, full-color illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Not Great...Actually, less than great.......2007-09-30
I tend to buy a lot of "How to Draw" books, art books, etc. and, over the years, I've developeda pretty good sense of what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, "How to Draw Fantasy Females" just doesn't work.
This book is basically a look into different kinds of female sci-fi/comic book/fantasy characters. It gives information on archetypes (actually, there is a little character sheet-type list at the beginning of the book that will help you design different character "types") and provides a couple of pseudo-helpful tutorials on Photoshop and other programs, but is mostly a showcase of different kinds of femals genre characters. I was underwhelmed, to tell the truth - there is very little "how to" to this book at all. Unless you are a collector or a completionist, I recommend just staying away from this one and looking elsewhere.
It's alright if you live under a rock.......2007-09-23
this book talks about the type of characters there are in stories and what not. And if you plan on drawing fantasy stuff, chances are you already know about these character types. Theres plenty left out and this doesnt teah you much if you know how to draw and if you dont know how to draw, this doesnt teach you how.
I got this thinking it'd show me how to draw suits and armor and stuff for females, not tell me that i could draw a girl with a gun or a female alien shaped like a uterus (im dead serious), whats up with that?
If i knew what i know now about this book, I wouldnt buy it. I can't really say who this book would be useful for. I guess its for those who want to draw fantasy style, but have no idea what kind of fantasy settings exsist. And with all the movies, cartoons, videogames, and comic books out there, i dont thing such a person walks this earth.
I wouldnt call it a waste, it does have some nice artwork in it, but overall its useless for me. I'm not an expert or draw for a living or anything like that and im not new at it. This would have been useful if it tought you how to draw stuff or at least had more/unheard of archetypes. Another thing is that this book does is assumes you want to make a comic book which gets annoying because it gives story ideas instead telling me what i wanted to learn.
lousy book.......2007-02-06
This book isn't worth the paper it's written on. There's next to nothing useful in it, any other drawing book on the market is far better. I'm amazed a publisher released it.
Nice intro and useful catalog of techniques.......2007-01-15
Overall, besides the 'cheesecake' appeal, the breakdown of styles and techniques justify buying this book. I haven't yet, but I might.
I reccomend anyone using this as a learning tool also get a DVD/Digital cable and once in a while use the 'pause' feature, to sketch what they see on the TV. Have a sketchbook devoted to 'life drawing' from this source, seperate from the 'fantasy' stuff. Also, "Drawing and painting fantasy figures" should be purchased first, as more versatile, along with its companion on "Fantasy Worlds".
Poser, mentioned heavily in this book, is also a very good tool. Ever see a movie called "Fire and Ice"? It was done with a "Rotoscope" where artists drew over still frames from a movie that used actors approximating what the animation would be. Today, with Poser and some decent software, such as flash and painter, such a movie could be made far more easily. One of my projects once I think of a good "Thud and Blunder" plot to tribute to Heroic fantasy;-)
I use TrueSpace for more ambitious 3D, but for general figure position experiments, Poser works good. Got a copy of Poser 5 here, and it works great. Previously, I'd used Poser 3, which I got for free in a magazine, but when I got a computer with more than a Gig of Ram, Poser 3 couldn't recognize it.
Not what you think.......2006-12-31
Drop the How to Draw from the title and you will get what you are paying for. This book covers software and tools used in the profession but lacks any step by steps useful to beginners and contains info already known by anyone with basic knowledge of character design. This book is more of a gallery of created characters.
Book Description
"Marvels! Rompecabezas! And cartoons that bite into the mind appear throughout this long-awaited book that promises to reshape and refocus how we see Mexicans in the Americas and how we are taught and seduced to mis/understand our human potentials for solidarity. This is the closest Latin@ studies has come to a revolutionary vision of how American culture
works through its image machines, a vision that cuts through to the roots of the U.S. propaganda archive on Mexican, Tex-Mex, Latino, Chicano/a humanity. Nericcio exposes, deciphers, historicizes, and 'cuts-up' the postcards, movies, captions, poems, and adverts that plaster dehumanization (he calls them 'miscegenated semantic oddities') through our brains. For him, understanding the sweet and sour hallucinations is not enough. He wants the flashing waters of our critical education to become instruments of restoration. In this book, Walter Benjamin meets Italo Calvino and they morph into Nericcio. Orale!
—Davíd Carrasco, Harvard University
A rogues' gallery of Mexican bandits, bombshells, lotharios, and thieves saturates American popular culture. Remember Speedy Gonzalez? "Mexican Spitfire" Lupe Vélez? The Frito Bandito? Familiar and reassuring—at least to Anglos—these Mexican stereotypes are not a people but a text, a carefully woven, articulated, and consumer-ready commodity. In this original, provocative, and highly entertaining book, William Anthony Nericcio deconstructs Tex[t]-Mexicans in films, television, advertising, comic books, toys, literature, and even critical theory, revealing them to be less flesh-and-blood than "seductive hallucinations," less reality than consumer products, a kind of "digital crack."
Nericcio engages in close readings of rogue/icons Rita Hayworth, Speedy Gonzalez, Lupe Vélez, and Frida Kahlo, as well as Orson Welles' film
Touch of Evil and the comic artistry of Gilbert Hernandez. He playfully yet devastatingly discloses how American cultural creators have invented and used these and other Tex[t]-Mexicans since the Mexican Revolution of 1910, thereby exposing the stereotypes, agendas, phobias, and intellectual deceits that drive American popular culture. This sophisticated, innovative history of celebrity Latina/o mannequins in the American marketplace takes a quantum leap toward a constructive and deconstructive next-generation figuration/adoration of Latinos in America.
Customer Reviews:
Tex[t] Mex and the Latino Body.......2007-04-13
Every once in a while a book or cultural artifact comes along that renders it futures differently, and from that moment on it becomes a point of reference for what is to come. William Anthony Nericcio's Tex[t] Mex is just such an artifact. The Mexican and Chicana/o bodies that populate it are imagined beyond their use value, or the pleasures taken from them, in order to see how vision and the state work hand in hand with the politics of national discrimination in the subtlest, and thereby most insidious ways. From a children's cartoon like speedy González, I mean, Gonzales, to scopophilic desires in the shape of Lupe Velez, or the Rita Hayworth we think we know, this is a special book.
Tex[t]-Mex Is Just . . ........2007-03-06
Fabulous . . . Read in three sittings. I don't know where to place this in my tidy, categorized Pier 1 book shelf. Latino/Chicano Studies? Cultural studies? Post-poststructrualist critique? Hollywood, Media, Entertainment? This is probably due to the fact that the author is everywhere (film, image/photography, literature/text, theory, criticism, etc. etc.) without for a second losing sight of the reader, or, more importantly: the mission. Nericcio skewers and sears, elucidates and enlights with the charm, acuity, and elegance of a master writer. Gorgeously laid out, tons of photos (and lengthy captions). More, please!
Text-Mex is FUN STUFF.......2007-02-21
Bill Nericcio is a really really funny writer. This is good because his subject matter is serious, even academic. He goes after the stereotypes of our movies, cartoons and dreams with a gusto that's pretty spectacular. Read this book, and you will never look at Selma Hayek, Speedy Gonzalez or the great Rita Hayworth in the same way again. But know that he loves these stereotypes, even as he skewers them again and again. Latinos --academics, artists, and civilians -- should read this book. And everybody else too.
Customer Reviews:
Worthy addition to any film lover's library!.......2001-01-26
In "Seductive Cinema," the late author James Card provides an intriguing glimpse into the silent film era. Card, a film historian, professor, and preservationist, saw many of these films in his youth, and he dedicated his entire life to preserving silent films and introducing them to new generations. The book provides insight into the careers of several specific actors and directors. "Seductive Cinema" is not as much a history of silent films as it is a perspective. Card picks and chooses his subjects, and he doesn't refrain from disputing opinions that do not agree with his own experience and/or insights. The book begins slowly, but the pace rapidly increases. Several wonderful photographs accompany the text. For those already immersed in the fascinating world of silent film, this is a great companion book written by someone from the era who personally knew many of the subjects in his book. For others not as well versed in silent films, this book will hopefully instill a lasting desire to learn more, and seek out other books as well as the specific films Card discusses.
Book Description
Whether he’s setting the scene at his acclaimed restaurant Table 8 in Los Angeles, entertaining the audience on Food Network’s Iron Chef America, or designing the menus for Hollywood hot-spots RokBar and L’Scorpion, chef Govind Armstrong knows how to create spectacular menus for occasions of all sizes. As Govind says, small plates encourage people to be more adventurous, to share food, and to enjoy the mélange of flavors and textures. In his first cookbook, Small Bites, Big Nights, he shows you how to put together a menu of small, sophisticated, sexy dishes and pair them with the perfect cocktail. The result? Guests get to enjoy a feast of flavors, and as the host, you’ll be able to relax and have fun, instead of spending the whole night in the kitchen.
Wow a crowd with hors d’oeuvres like Arugula, Dates, and Parmesan (a salad that’s finger food; Rare Tuna Crostini with White Bean Puree and Tapenade; or Seared Kobe Beef on Mini Yorkshire Pudding. To drink: Black Martinis. Barbecue sizzling treats like Grilled Endive with Serrano Ham; New Zealand Scampi with Heirloom Tomatoes and Summer Truffle Vinaigrette; or Grilled Chicken Thighs with Wood-Roasted Gazpacho and Avocado Salsa.
Make dinner for 8 unforgettable with Tender Bean Salad and Prosciutto; a deceptively simple Foie Gras–Stuffed Quail; and luscious Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis.
Warm up a cool night with bite-size comfort foods: Mini Onion Soup; Braised Chicken Oysters Piccata; and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mousse.
Customer Reviews:
Mostly for the semi pro.......2007-05-14
Govind's approach to couisine is remarkable and (unconsciously) deceptive. The book's layout is completed with great quality and brilliant colors. However, not enough effort was spent for the neo-beginner, like me, to understand more about individual plates with directions including pictures of stages and completed servings. I'm not an accomplished cook by any stretch of the mind, but I do know my way around my kitchen. It's easier for me to paint by the numbers and see a finished product, then to imagine how completion may appear.
Delicious and Different.......2007-05-14
Our gourmet group used this cookbook for last nights feast (and it was a feast!) We were four couples, each making two recipes. The flavors were outstanding. There was not a bad recipe in the bunch. However, for one person to make the meal that we did, would take a week of preparation. Though not dificult individually, the recipes were very time consuming. Non of us attempted the challanging recipes. The medium ones were quite difficult enough. You will not be disappointed in the results of these delicous recipes. But I highly recommend this book with the reservation that you share the responsibilities with a group of people who enjoy cooking and are adventurous.
Finally a cookbook with something different.......2007-04-24
I think this cookbook warrants 5 stars. I think Govind Armstrong has a new take on cooking. He is a real chef as opposed to Martha Stewart (whose recipes are often terrible) and Rachel Ray - (everything tastes the same). The recipes are so flavorful--some of them take many steps, but they're not difficult. Any dish that tastes this good is worth doing. I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who likes to cook.
Mixed Emotions About This One.......2007-04-19
I have large cookbook collection and have reviewed many of them here on amazon. On most of the reviews, the number of stars comes pretty quickly to me, but this one came with some deliberation. I was in between whether three to five stars.
Five stars on the drinks especially! They are just outstanding and fun! Table 8 Creamsickle is so smooth with its tangerine or clementine vodka based delight! Five stars also on the exceptionally fine photos and paper stock and layout. Typical fine offering of Clarkson Potter.
Three stars however is my conclusion on food offerings, as they mostly don't inspire me to cook them. Lots of challenging ones involving many steps and ingredients, neither of which I'm not into, but need lots of inspiration to attempt. Most of these don't meet that level, e.g. Grilled Cheese with Short Ribs.
Some might be into this food more than me, so let each have his cookbook and eat it too. This is nice, but doubt if it will get much usage at my table.
Books:
- Shadow of the Dragon: Dragon's Fire (Book 2)
- Spell of the Highlander
- Springwater Seasons
- Springwater Seasons
- The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby
- The Blood Books, Vol. 2 (Blood Lines / Blood Pact)
- The Blue Edge of Midnight
- The Bromeliad Trilogy: Truckers, Diggers, and Wings
- The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell (Cat Who...)
- The Conqueror
Books Index
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![Tex[t]-Mex: Seductive Hallucinations of the "Mexican" in America](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21QSBX4AYCL.jpg)
