Chocolate Covered Forbidden Fruit

Book Description

Thalia, a 25 yr. old wild girl gone good, moves back to her old neighborhood after a failed engagement and manages to catch the eye of the town's most wanted man… the middle aged, incredibly sexy, single, devoted, and charismatic Reverend of Mount Pleasant. To add insult to injury Rev. Isaac Flack happens to be the father of, Madison, her best friend since Junior High, who isn't trying to deal with her father dating anyone after her mother's death.

Since Thalia was a teenager visiting his house to do math homework with his daughter she was intrigued by him, and now that she is a woman he wants her beyond reason. Thalia asks Isaac to remain her secret, but he wants the world to know. However, when tragedy strikes their love is exposed to her family, his colleagues, his congregation, and her best friend… his daughter. And when the holier than thou older church sisters gets this gossip in the wind, after years of schooling their daughters in Pastor's Wifeolgy, the Holy Ghost just won't move in Mount Pleasant.

The word is out but that's not all they had to overcome, there is still a secret behind door number three. A former lover rears his ugly head and forces their relationship to change for the absolute worst.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-10-08

I really rooted for this couple, did not think I would considering the age gap of 25 year old woman and 45 year old man, thought it would be sleazy but it was a beautiful love story. Good read, sexy, funny and sensual.
Would love to read a sequel about some of the other characters.

Tmoegoody .......2007-10-05

A little discouraging in the beginning because I really did not want to read about another spring break fling, but the only reason I kept reading is because my girl Trista be putting it down and once again it was a great read.

she did it again............2007-09-23

She did it again. Another EXCELLENT book. I loved this book from beginning to end. Only upset about her books is when it ends. You always want more. What i love the most is that each story is different and each story gets better and better. I cannot wait to see what Trista Russell has next. God has bless you with a talent......

"If loving you is wrong ...who cares".......2007-09-12

i really enjoyed the story of Thadia's and her friends and the Rev. Issac. I was completely wrong about this book, when I first read the back cover of this book I thought I was going to be reading a drama filled book about this young girl messing around with the Rev. I was completely wrong!!! This is truly a Romeo & Juliet story about 2 adults who are looking for love and find it in each other, but at the cost of possibly a friendship and a close father & daughter relationship. I have enjoyed all the books that have been written by this author. I am now reading going broke, and really enjoyed Fly on the Wall!!

Thanks Mrs. Russell.......2007-08-20

This book has really given me hope for a better day. If only everyone could find the happiness that Thalia found the world be a better place.

Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers

Average customer rating:

A Little Obvious
Crucial Reading for those Concerned w/Teenagers
This book is a must-read for religious leaders, educators, and parents

Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers
Mark D. Regnerus
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0195320948

Book Description

Americans remain deeply ambivalent about teenage sexuality. Many presume that such uneasiness is rooted in religion. But how exactly does religion contribute to the formation of teenagers' sexual values and actions? What difference, if any, does religion make in adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviors? Are abstinence pledges effective? What does it mean to be "emotionally ready" for sex? Who expresses regrets about their sexual activity and why? Tackling these and other questions, Forbidden Fruit tells the definitive story of the sexual values and practices of American teenagers, paying particular attention to how participating in organized religion shapes sexual decision-making. Merging analyses of three national surveys with stories drawn from interviews with over 250 teenagers across America, Mark Regnerus reviews how young people learn-and what they know-about sex from their parents, schools, peers and other sources. He examines what experiences teens profess to have had, and how they make sense of these experiences in light of their own identities as religious, moral, and responsible persons. Religion can and does matter, Regnerus finds, but religious claims are often swamped by other compelling sexual scripts. Particularly interesting is the emergence of what Regnerus calls a new middle class sexual morality which has little to do with a desire for virginity but nevertheless shuns intercourse in order to avoid risks associated with pregnancy and STDs. And strikingly, evangelical teens aren't less sexually active than their non-evangelical counterparts, they just tend to feel guiltier about it. In fact, Regnerus finds that few religious teens have internalized or are even able to articulate the sexual ethic taught by their denominations. The only-and largely ineffective-sexual message most religious teens are getting is, "Don't do it until you're married." Ultimately, Regnerus concludes, religion may influence adolescent sexual behavior, but it rarely motivates sexual decision making.

Customer Reviews:

A Little Obvious.......2007-06-01

This book is for those people who have never been teenagers themselves or are so out of touch with the world that it really will not help them. Alternatively this book could be used by teenagers as a "how to guide" but as such it should be classified in the same section as "the idiot's guide to sex."
While Regnerus puts out some interesting points most of it is well known or obvious. Of course the people who claim to be strongly religious are more likely to do the wrong thing, anyone can see that (this is especially well illustrated in Dante's Inferno).
Regnerus does satisfactorily put forth the notion that the religious parents and priests have failed at their mission of teens not having sex. He does not, however, assess the impact of sexual education in conjunction with religious beliefs as well as he should. Some things are just not satisfactorily explained, though perhaps with the degredation of morality now-a-days those things cannot be explained other than by peer pressure.

Crucial Reading for those Concerned w/Teenagers.......2007-02-21

Regnerus makes a huge contribution in this book to our understanding of religion and sex in the lives of American youth. Forbidden Fruit is built on solid social science research and is highly informative and challenging. I recommend it to anyone who has, works with, or cares about teenagers.

This book is a must-read for religious leaders, educators, and parents.......2007-02-20

Forbidden Fruit asks questions about the connection between religion and sex among American teenagers, and the answers Regnerus finds are neither simple nor straightforward. In fact, the author concludes that simple and straightforward answers to questions about sex (like, avoid sex before you're married) have largely fallen flat among American teens, Christians included. There's new material on emerging sexual norms, masturbation, homosexuality, virginity loss, post-virginity sexual decision-making, etc. For these reasons, I think the book could be considered as a standard in the study of adolescent sexual behavior, independent of its illustrative emphasis on religion.

Forbidden Fruit is broad in its analyses of nationally representative survey data and rich in its conversations with real people. The writing is clear, crisp, and engaging, and should appeal to parents and educators alike. It's also fun to read but avoids a frivolous or overly playful tenor. There are many refreshing turns of phrase in the presentation of arguments that make this book enjoyable. In sum, the author talks about serious matters in a disarming way, one that is respectful to religious traditions, and doesn't lend itself to easy politicization or demonizing. The stories about evangelical youth (who seem sexually "traditional" in word more than in deed) and the emergence of a "conservative" middle class sexual morality that has little to do with religion are fascinating. I think the author is right: most religious groups in America don't know how to address adolescent sexuality; in turn they hold out no compelling vision for their teens in how to be both devout and sexual. In sum, it's an outstanding contribution.

Average customer rating:

I Read It Slowly To Make It Last!
Move Over Joan Crawford!!!
Intriguing, suspenseful, and a great page turner.
Forbbiden fruit a dramatic fast read
Great Book!

Forbidden Fruit
Erica Spindler
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1551667517

Book Description

Only one man can uncover the sins and secrets of three generations of Pierron women. . .

Lily Pierron: In sultry New Orleans any sin can be had for a price. For Lily, a legendary madam, that price is her daugher, Hope.

Hope Pierron St. Germaine: By day, the elegant and pious wife of a healthy hotelier, and devoted mother to Glory. By night, she succumbs to the unholy passions that threaten to destroy her.

Glory St. Germaine: Unaware of her family's shameful secrets, Glory suffers the consequences of a darkness she doesn't even know exists. Headstrong and reckless, Glory finds forbidden love -- with the one man know knows everything about the Pierron women . . .

Customer Reviews:

I Read It Slowly To Make It Last!.......2007-04-01

I so much fun with this book! I read it on vacation beside a pool and tried to pace myself because I did not want the book to end.
I first started reading Erica Spindler when I picked up "Shocking Pink" in the grocery store and loved it. "Forbidden Fruit" is by far her best I think.

PJ Hughes
(wife of Stephen)

Move Over Joan Crawford!!!.......2002-06-24

Boy, this was a great book! Hope St. Germain, didn't compare to Ms. Crawford, she was ten times worse!!!

The book was excellent and the characters were terrific. Boy how you loved to hate, Hope, and heartfelt Lily! The life styles.

I read this very fast and enjoyed it until the very end, would recommend this to everyone!!

Enjoy this book!!

Intriguing, suspenseful, and a great page turner........2001-10-15

This book was somewhat of a surprise. I had never read this author before and the cover synopsis did not do it justice. I found myself almost immediately wrapped into the story. A young girl, raised in a brothel, goes away to school, determined to escape once and for all her scandalous past, create a new identity and lose "the darkness" that seems to live within her family tree. All of the Pierron woman have been hookers, sinners, evil, and Hope Pierron is determined to break the cycle. Hope tosses away her past like a bad dream, and eventually gives birth to her own daughter. More than ever she is determined that the legacy of darkness will not inhabit her daughter, and what follows is a story of terror and suspense, well-written and enjoyable at the same time. The interwoven love story is moving, the plot enticing, and the the whole book a fabulous read.

Forbbiden fruit a dramatic fast read.......2001-06-17

Forbidden fruit is Erica Spindler at her best - a tragedy that spins three generation where Lily Pierron sends her daughter, Hope away from her sordid past but Hope is already incensed with the fact that she is already being consumed by the Darkness - associating herself with illicit sex. Her daughter, Glory is strictly supervised by her pious self, and forbids her to ever see Santos, an orphan picked up by Lily.

Deceptions, sins and emotional rollercoaster, Forbidden Fruit is a melodrama upped by charged emotions and a romance thwarted by the murder of Santo's mother and the demise of Glory's father. Erica Splindler gives a fast read that is zinged with emotions, but not for any particular twist or insight. It is a speedy read for anyone who likes the tale spinned with dramatic characters/

Great Book!.......2001-02-23

Forbidden Fruit by Erica Spindler was a very unique novel. It really showed how sometimes people can be too hypocritical. Hope was supposed to be so pious, but she was the worst of them all! Glory would have probably turned out better, although she didn't turn out bad, if Hope had not been so harsh. Sometimes you go too far and cause the child to want to do the very things you don't want them to do. Lily was a better person than Hope, also. I thought Santos was a great guy, and I'm glad he and Glory ended up together.

Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad

Average customer rating:

Not Just Love Stories but History Too!
The price of love
Forbidden Fruit: love stories from the underground railroad
Adds a Human Dimension to Slavery
wonderful book

Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad
Betty De Ramus
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743482638

Book Description

Forbidden Fruit is a collection of fascinating, largely untold stories of ordinary men and women who took extraor

dinary measures, risking life and limb to be together. It¹s the story of couples who faced mobs, bloodhounds, bounty hunters, and bullets to defy the system that allowed slave masters to breed and sell people like cattle. Some broke the taboo against interracial marriage, putting their lives in the most severe peril.

In one remarkable story, a Georgia couple who fled slavery wearing multiple disguises sailed for England with bounty hunters and federal troops on their trail. A fugitive slave from Virginia spent seventeen arduous years searching for his wife. A Missouri slave fell in love with his white Mormon neighbor and escaped to Canada to be with her, putting pepper in his shoes to throw dogs off the scent at night and hiding in trees by day.

Betty DeRamus gleaned these amazing stories from descendants of runaway slave couples, unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, books, magazines, and dozens of previously untapped sources. Beautifully and compassionately written, this important book reveals a chapter of American history that is shameful but is about triumph as well as torture, achievement as well as degradation, and indomitable love as well as hate.

Download Description

"Forbidden Fruit is a collection of fascinating, largely untold stories of ordinary men and women who took extraor dinary measures, risking life and limb to be together. It's the story of couples who faced mobs, bloodhounds, bounty hunters, and bullets to defy the system that allowed slave masters to breed and sell people like cattle. Some broke the taboo against interracial marriage, putting their lives in the most severe peril. In one remarkable story, a Georgia couple who fled slavery wearing multiple disguises sailed for England with bounty hunters and federal troops on their trail. A fugitive slave from Virginia spent seventeen arduous years searching for his wife. A Missouri slave fell in love with his white Mormon neighbor and escaped to Canada to be with her, putting pepper in his shoes to throw dogs off the scent at night and hiding in trees by day. Betty DeRamus gleaned these amazing stories from descendants of runaway slave couples, unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, books, magazines, and dozens of previously untapped sources. Beautifully and compassionately written, this important book reveals a chapter of American history that is shameful but is about triumph as well as torture, achievement as well as degradation, and indomitable love as well as hate. "

Customer Reviews:

Not Just Love Stories but History Too!.......2007-06-30

This book contains not only love stories, but inspiring stories of faith, strength, endurance and resilience as well as stories of suffering and heartache. The book is written by a jouralist which is evident in the historical details of the unfolding stories. I found it interesting, entertaining , informative and educational. I am a minister and used it in a Bible study on the subject of "eros."

The price of love.......2006-05-08

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad by Betty DeRamus is an earth-shaking book of short stories about what African Americans were willing to do to keep their loved ones in their lives. In "The Special Delivery Package," a female slave, Lear Green, was willing to have herself shipped in a sailor's chest to the north to meet her husband-to-be. With no food, water and scant air, she traveled 18 hours to Philadelphia. James Smith, "A Love Worth Waiting For," was beaten bloody on several occasions as he attempted to escape to the wife he'd been sold away from. A black overseer heard him praying for him and the white men who abused him and was so moved that he unchained Smith so that he could finally successfully escape. Isaac Berry, of "Hound Dogs Hate Red Pepper," put red pepper in his shoes to throw the dogs off his scent as he rushed toward the north. There were many people, including those of the Underground Railroad, who helped him in his escape. The Underground Railroad, operating at the peril of the conductors, rushed slaves seeking freedom across the US border into Canada because the Fugitive Slave laws frequently made it dangerous, if not impossible, for them to find peace even in the northern United States.

All of the stories were heart wrenching and it made you wonder if you would have the strength, the persistence, the nerve, that these early Africans had to pursue love at any cost. The tales also brought to the forefront the tragedies that our ancestors survived daily: beatings, being sold from family and friends, early death from abuse, starvation and terror. Ms. DeRamus brings the stories of these brave people alive and puts it in your face where you can't hide. She awakens the sleeping and lost history of the brave people of Africa and what it took for them to survive. It is an excellent read, smooth and enticing, bringing forth not only the history, but the bravery of the displaced Africans of yesteryear. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand what slavery was really all about.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Forbidden Fruit: love stories from the underground railroad.......2005-09-13

I was hooked on this one when I picked it up. I was just going to read a paragraph or two to see how it reads. The next thing I knew the phone was ringing, and when I answered the phone, I realized that I had been reading for a couple of hours. I had to control my urges to pick up the book when I had appointments or other things I needed to do first. It is a really interesting read. And it reads well also.

Adds a Human Dimension to Slavery.......2005-03-03

These are stories of hope that take place in the midst of one of the most terrible times in American history. When some people thought that they could own others based just on skin color, other people lived and even loved.

These stories are based on the tales passed down by descendants, unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, books, magazines and dozens of previously untapped sources. They add an entirely new dimension to what life must have been like in the pre-war South.

More than anything else these stories help you to relate to the people, they add character to the bare statistics. It adds a very human dimension to the people who through no fault of their own were slaves. These people knew love, had feelings, were not just the animals they were considered by their owners.

wonderful book.......2005-02-12

Forbiden Fruit is one of the best history books I've seen in a long time. It tells a largely ignored story and reminds the reader that the slaves were human beings, not symbols and that they weren't passively waiting to be saved. This book is filled with men and women who risked everything for the freedom to be with their beloved.

Average customer rating:

great book, very helpful
Good Christian School Teacher Resource
Entertaining & Thought-Provoking.
Mixed messages in a fascinating compilation
A feel good book of humorous church signs

Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams
Mary Katherine Compton , and David Compton
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451204069
Release Date: 2001-08-08

Book Description

“Forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them more.”

“Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives”

"A sunrise is God's way of saying lighten up."

“Where will you be spending eternity - Smoking or Non-smoking?”

“Don't make me come down there! -- GOD”

Customer Reviews:

great book, very helpful.......2007-03-19

This book is very helpful for anyone interested in putting attention getting signs on their church marquee. Lots of choices.

Good Christian School Teacher Resource.......2006-09-27

I am a Christian school teacher and I use these sayings on a board outside of my classroom for students to read as they are entering class. I change the saying every week. The students (and staff) look forward to seeing the new message each week. Quick way to get interesting Godly messages to students.

Entertaining & Thought-Provoking........2005-03-30

The United States of America has all kinds of unique cultural phenomena. American football is pretty much a solely American sport. Wal-Marts and McDonalds are now spreading around the globe like spores, but those multi-billion dollar business would never have survived past an initial store in any other country in the world. Another uniquely piece of American culture are billboards and road signs. A sub-category of these would be church signs which though contain all the pertinent information about services and such, often include some sort of short message that changes on a weekly basis. Mary Katherine and David Compton enjoyed reading these signs as they traveled through the country and began collecting them in a notebook. This book is the "fruit" of their efforts. In 134 pages the authors include around 300 messages that they have seen on church signs over the years. Some are humorous, some are thought-provoking, and a few are both. Just a few samples include:

"Creation bears God's autograph."

"Turn or Burn"

"Christians never meet for the last time."

"Experts made the Titanic, amateurs made the ark."

The book makes a nice little gift for a Christian friend or family member and is also a nice resource for churches to have incase the usual message writer goes on vacation for a week.

Mixed messages in a fascinating compilation.......2003-07-17

"Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams: Roadside Church Signs Across America" has been assembled by Mary Katherine Compton and David Compton. In the introduction the Comptons describe this compilation of church signs as "a soulful slice of roadside Americana."

The messages include invitations, threats, puns, political comments, satire, and advice. There are musings on God, the devil, the Bible, prayer, and other topics. Along the way are a number of cultural references.

A number of the signs have an unpleasant flavor of arrogance or intolerance. Examples: "God said it, I believe it, that settles it"; "April First: National Atheists Day"; "Turn or burn"; etc. Some of the messages hint at a larger cultural war between Christian fundamentalists and secular society; this aspect of the book is particularly intriguing.

But culture wars aside, there are some delightful and thoughtful entries along the way. A couple of my favorites: "Road rage? How would Jesus drive?"; "Thank God for dirty dishes. At least you have food." Overall, a fascinating look at this cultural phenomenon.

A feel good book of humorous church signs.......2001-08-15

The authors compiled a list of church signs they have seen while on the road. 134 pages of one, two or three clever eye-catching signs per page. It started with the title, on an empty church in North Carolina. Then they kept a notebook with them as they traveled and recorded these "snetence sermons" as they call them, adfter their epiphany in North Carolina. One of the catchiest, "When you meet tempation, turn to the light."

This is an easy read and a very enjoyable one.

Average customer rating:

Losing Weight With the Devil's Diet

Good book, but not what I expected

A mind-opening look at protecting us from ourselves

Excellent Libertarian Travelogue

Great Book
The Devil's Picnic: Around the World in Pursuit of Forbidden Fruit
Taras Grescoe
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
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ASIN: B000MV8HIO
Release Date: 2005-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Losing Weight With the Devil's Diet.......2007-07-26

If it's banned, Grescoe wants it. This means he has to bend rules and break laws. These are risks he's prepared to take, purely in the name of journalism, you understand.

Canadian journalist Taras Grescoe's risks allow us to experience second-hand such exotic and forbidden delicacies as unpasteurized cheese from France and tea made from coca leaves in Bolivia. Actually, those delicacies aren't illegal in the countries where he samples them. So it's a bit odd when he goes to Singapore to eat poppy seed crackers. They're illegal in Singapore but not in Canada or anywhere else. Aside from that out-of-place chapter, The Devils' Picnic is a lot of fun. Grescoe has his hobby horse, which is that none of these forbidden items should be illegal and he makes a good case for that argument. But the best part of The Devil's Picnic is Grescoe hunting down the forbidden items and then sampling them. Sometimes it's worth the trouble, as with the epoisse (stinky cheese), but usually the forbidden fruit is a let-down (absinthe). And sometimes, he doesn't quite find what he's looking for, as when he inadvertently samples pig's testicles rather than the bull's testicles he was searching for.

Along the way, Grescoe tells us the history of the comestible in question and interviews experts and it's all very informative in a magazine article manner. Grescoe tries to keep it light, but he seems inclined toward the dark side of things, so he ends with another slightly out-of-place chapter, in which he visits a clinic in Switzerland where you can end your own life with pentobarbital sodium. So be warned.

Good book, but not what I expected.......2007-01-31

The reviews for this book (including the one on the cover) compare the author to Anthony Bourdain, so I was expecting detailed descriptions of exotic food experiences. Instead, like Michael Pollan, the author uses his own experiences and explorations as a jumping off point for extensive research and discussion of public policies and how they affect our food and drink -- especially drink. The substances discussed are primarily intoxicants; only a few are foods. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating exploration of the effects of prohibitions in many countries.

A mind-opening look at protecting us from ourselves.......2006-09-05

The Devil's Picnic is a fascinating, engaging collection of stories about what we put into our body and why governments try to stop us. It is a joy of a romp, one man's tireless pursuit of the history of prohibitions and their failure around the world. The author looks at the big question of why we must be protected from ourselves, while showing how individual prohibitions reflect the history or society where they are in force--and who can make a buck by keeping something off the shelves.

It's a lively and fun adventure, with more questions than answers in the end. There's the philosophical dilemma of how a banned substance becomes more desirable, except when maybe when you're talking about cigarettes or something else that will obviously kill you. There's the question of why countries like Norway would rather have distillers making their own booze for home use than make it easier to purchase the legal stuff at a reasonable price.

The extensive pure research is presented in a compelling way, but is enlivened by an impressive number of interviews with key players in a variety of countries, from important government figures to people on the street. A strong dose of self-effacement helps also, as the author gamely drinks Norwegian moonshine, gets tanked on absinthe, and starts chain-smoking again to see life from the perspective of a smoker in the city. He ingests plates of offal that would make even the most hungry carnivores retch.

Along the way he touches on nearly every prohibition and its consequences throughout the ages, from the Opium Wars to the banning of absinthe to the current debate over assisted suicide. The issues are always a bit gray of course. "As a species, Homo sapiens has always been in need of some restraint," he notes and in modern-day New York City, "maintaining a pack-a-day habit would cost a New Yorker the same as a round-the-world plane ticket." But then again, "What a society ends up stigmatizing is often more revealing of its own phobias and prejudices than the inherent nefariousness of the substance in question." In other words, we ban what we're afraid of--and often we're just afraid of each other.

Excellent Libertarian Travelogue.......2006-04-26

The unapologetic underlying message in this travelogue of forbidden fruits is a resounding libertarian one: don't ban stuff, instead, let intelligent adults make up their own minds about what they put in their bodies. And it has to be said that the book makes a fairly convincing case for the notion that free will should trump governmental decree (at least when it comes to what we ingest). Each of the nine chapters takes Canadian journalist Grescoe to a foreign land in search of a forbidden experience (only some of which are food-based), and his wonderfully assured writing takes the reader along for the ride.

First we visit Norway in search of hjemmebrent, which is essentially moonshine. There he finds a government willing to let junkies literally die in the streets while filling state coffers with massive liquor taxes. Naturally, this means there's a booming smuggling industry and as a corollary, many people who indulge in distilling their own spirits. It's a very curious dichotomy, the country has the world's 2nd highest GNP per capita and the most restrictive alcohol laws outside the Islamic world. This affords Grescoe the license to examine the history of prohibitionist movements and alcohol consumption trends around the world. Next up is Singapore, where he tests the prohibition on poppy seeds, chewing gum, being naked with his window open, downloading porn, and other such activities. This chapter doesn't really fit so well into the book's framework, as he's not actually seeking any particular item out, so much as he is testing the concept of prohibition in general. It's also rather irksome because although his behavior is essentially "research" for the book, he is fulfilling the stereotype of the Western tourist who ignores local laws and customs because he feels like it. Fortunately, we are soon whisked back to the world of gourmandry in the next chapter, which visits small French villages in search of "Epoisse"s cheese, a raw milk cheese banned for import into the U.S. by the FDA. Grescoe's investigation pretty much demolishes any scientific basis for this ban, and provides a wonderful example of how perception can trump fact in policymaking.

Madrid is the next venue, where Grescoe tramps from tapas bar to tapas bar in an attempt to scare up a plate of bull testicles. This provides the chance to delve into the politics of meat safety and the European Union, not to mention sampling other Spanish oddities of fare such as baby eels (at $10 a forkful). Then it's back to North America, where he hits San Francisco and New York in an examination of public smoking bans. While I'm a huge fan of smoking bans in general, it's hard to argue with his proposition that bars could choose to choose to be non-smoking or not, and letting the market decide. The notorious liquor absinthe is next on the list, and Grescoe's historical review of the drink is somewhat surprising. Around the start of WWI an alliance of wine merchants and temperance advocates combined to ban the drink in most European countries based on little more than hype. The symptoms of the "madness" it supposedly induced can more readily be attributed to high alcohol consumption than any active agent in absinthe. Here, his quest for "authentic" absinthe takes him through into small towns along the French/Swiss border where arguments rage over what "true" absinthe is.

The subsequent chapter opens with a history of caffeine and discussion of what constitutes addiction before ending up in the Basque town of Bayonne. Here Grescoe briefly samples the town's famous chocolate and points out how the chocolate trade was hijacked by the town elders from the Jews who had made it famous. In Bolivia, Grescoe checks out the coca leaf, in both its brewed and chewable forms. This allows for a scathing discussion of America's so-called "War on Drugs", highlighting its simultaneous futility and hypocrisy. The globe-trotting ends with the ultimate nightcap, a trip to Switzerland to meet with a firm which offers assisted suicide services to those living in other countries where this is not permitted (aka suicide tourists).

The topics are covered in Grecoe's trademark engaging blend of personal experience, reportage, interviews with social science researchers, scientists, and government officials, all well-laced with statistics from authoritative sources such as the World Health Organization. He's a very good writer, able to switch smoothly from travel magazine style descriptions of place and customs to interviews with stuffed shirts, all spiced with bursts of indignation, bemusement, and wit. While armchair travels and gourmands will find much to enjoy, libertarians will love the message that governmental restrictions are usually based on either bad data, hypocritical morals, money, or a combination of all three. A fun and thoughtful book.

Great Book.......2005-10-25

This is a very informative and interesting book about prohibited substances. I was really surprised by how much this book captivated me. The facts, history and current status of these substances are cleverly woven together with wonderful writing, colorful interviews and great travels. Well done, Taras!

Life is Short, Pray Hard: Forbidden Fruit II:: More Church Signs from Across America (Forbidden Fruit)

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WITTY AND CUTE. AMEN

Life is Short, Pray Hard: Forbidden Fruit II:: More Church Signs from Across America (Forbidden Fruit)
Mary Katherine Compton , and David Compton
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451207831
Release Date: 2003-03-04

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WITTY AND CUTE. AMEN.......2003-04-04

Holy hosannas! Praise the word of the Lord ... and have a few hearty chuckles at the same time. Mary and David Compton's teeny tome is a sequel to their first compendium of roadsign church signs cross America. In this pocket-sized pal, they have gathered more sources of unexpected wisdom; witty, thought-provoking marquee messages that inspire and amuse. Consider it a most "soulful" slice of Americana. There are close to 400 messages. Our top 3 faves: "THOSE WHO THROW DIRT, LOSE GROUND;" "BODY PIERCING SAVED MY LIFE" and "LIFE IS MORE FUN IF YOU DON'T KEEP SCORE." Our biggest problem is that the Comptons don't attribute the messages ... which makes us pray that these phrases were actually found in their travels --- and are not acts of sales-inspired sin.

Art and Forbidden Fruit: Hidden Passion in the Life of William Morris

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Art and Forbidden Fruit: Hidden Passion in the Life of William Morris
John Y Le Bourgeois
Manufacturer: Lutterworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0718830598

Book Description

William Morris is one of the most admired figures of the Victorian era. Studies of his Art and his life fill the shelves of libraries. Yet, for all this accessibility, an air of uncertainty has always clouded his image. Since Morris's death, biographers and scholars have portrayed the artist as a victim, bound to an adulterous wife. In Art and Forbidden Fruit, John Le Bourgeois lifts the veil of appearances, and shows the truth about Morris's life. In a close analysis of Morris's poetry and biography, the Author asserts the early existence of an emotional attachment between William Morris and his sister Emma, and how she became the principal source of his inspiration. Le Bourgeois follows the paths of Morris the artist and Morris the man, and points out the links between the poet's love for his sister and his evolution as an artist.

Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film

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Exploitation Films from the 30ties to the 60ties

Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film
Bret Wood , and Felicia Feaster
Manufacturer: Midnight Marquee PR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1887664246

Book Description

Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film offers the first thorough examination of the exploitation cinema while capturing the devious spirit of this renegade film movement. Abounding with anecdotes, character sketches and insights, Forbidden Fruit offers vivid depictions of exploitation kings and con-men, detailed readings of the films themselves and the unique stretch of American history that inspired them.

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Exploitation Films from the 30ties to the 60ties.......2000-01-16

Interesting Work about Exploitation Films vom 1930 to 1965. The Book treats mainly older and very old "Educational-films" like "Sex Maniac", "Cocaine" "Marihuana", "Delinquent Daughters" .... Unfortunately the "Nudies"-Exploitations films of the 70ties or the "Blackploitation"-Films (Sweet Sweetback'S Baadassss Song)are not covered at all.

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Another failed attempt at a secular ethic
Yes, humanists can moralize, too
Good, But Not His Best.
Everyone Should Read this
This is not about ethics...

Forbidden Fruit: The Ethics of Humanism
Paul W. Kurtz
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0879754559

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Another failed attempt at a secular ethic.......2007-07-01

As the old saw goes: It's easier to toss grenades than it is to catch them. In other words, it's easier to attack something than it is to posit a defensible alternative. Kurtz is on stronger grounds critiquing theistic ethics and theism in general than he is in providing some rational, secular basis for ethics. For the last few centuries, philosophy has been rife with failed attempts to find some nontheistic, rational foundation for morality. But if there's any consensus in moral philosophy today, both theistic and nontheistic moral philosophy, it's that no attempt to generate such a rational defense or "proof" has of yet been successful. There's simply no rational secular reason why someone should always morally care for another human being, particularly when there's no particular reason why caring about another serves any particular personal interests. What the religious folks have going for them is that they have shared bases for moral appeal. Go to a church, mosque, temple or synagogue, and everyone can point to some shared agreement in a religious text that tells them why they ought to care for one another and for strangers. Atheists and agnostics have no such shared basis, and whatever basis any particular nontheist might personally appeal to provides no rational reason for any other nontheist (unless they just choose to believe - i.e. faith), since there's no objective, secular, rational grounds for morally caring about others when it's not in one's interest. Any assumption that it's always in one's interests to morally care about everyone else in every case is just naive and unrealistic. Certainly there are cases when the expected personal gains from, say, stealing from someone else, outweigh any personal costs, at least for some people. Appeals to evolutionary ethics begs the question, since just because evolution has generated a moral impulse gives nobody any reason to follow that impulse (should we follow all impulses all the time? - and why should one in the short term care about the ultimate survival of one's genes or even species?). What's good for society is not always what's best for the individual, so merely appealing to the best interests of society in general doesn't provide the individual any rational reason to do something that may not be in his or her bests interests. And so on. Perhaps this is why we see moral and charitable movements generated by religious movements but not many by way of atheistic groups. Religious folks can rally around some shared sacred text to motivate them en masse. What do nontheists have?

In the end, the ethics one chooses just ends up being articles of faith, the same kind of rationally unproveable faith that notheists criticize religious folks for embracing.

Yes, humanists can moralize, too.......2007-04-01

This book is solid evidence that atheists do consider issues of "right and wrong" to be real, and important; that they have strong opinions about them; and that they can argue well, and at length, for their opinions.

As eloquent and insightful as Paul Kurtz can sometimes be, however, he seems to regard his own moral reasoning as THE "reasoned" morality. The evidence of history is that there are multiple opinions on moral issues, among those who base their opinions on "fact and reason" as well as among those who base their opinions on "faith and scripture."

Before reading, I already agreed that there is a rational basis for morality that does not depend on the existence of, or instructions from, a supernatural God. I was hoping to find new arguments for that, and found myself disappointed. This book isn't going to prove anything to religionists who insist that God is the foundation of all morality, because evidence does not affect basic assumptions. Basic assumptions affect how evidence is perceived. The most dogmatic religionists are more likely to avoid this book altogether, or to be immediately alienated by it (as demonstated by an earlier one-star review).

So far, I like Kurtz better as an editor than as an essayist. The case he attempts to make here seems to me to be made better in his compilation of other people's essays, Moral Problems in Contemporary Society. Moral Problems in Contemporary Society: Essays in Humanistic Ethics,

For a rational examination of the actual basis for the human moral sense, I recommend The Moral Sense by James Q. Wilson. It not only has more of science in it than Paul Kurtz's book of opinion, it is also not framed as a head-on conflict with religion. It is easier to appeal to reason when you do not gratuitously arouse emotional issues. The MORAL SENSE

Good, But Not His Best........2003-12-17

I would like to say that I have enormous respect for Paul Kurtz and that I essentially agree with everything he espouses. I am an agnostic who believes that religion is a force mainly for ill. But he has written better books than this one.

Unlike The Transcendental Temptation, where Mr. Kurtz masterfully strips religion & pseudo-science of their pretensions & delusions of grandeur with damning evidence, Forbidden Fruit comes up a bit short & a little inconsequential in comparison. As a general introduction to Humanist ethics, it's fine. To be sure, Kurtz does spend a lot of time aptly demonstrating the ills & immorality of religious thought. He also capably describes how ethics are human inventions & obviously not ordained from high. I completely agree with these observations.

Unfortunately, some of his observations are as ill-considered as those of any mystic or creationist.

Aside from quibbles like these, this is an excellent book written by a giant of Humanist thought. I definitely recommend it to those considering abandoning outmoded religious thinking and fanaticism. Speaking of these, I would humbly request that the reviewer from "stationed overseas" remain stationed overseas. We have enough close-minded religious fanatics in the US as it is.

Everyone Should Read this.......2002-05-03

As in his other book 'In Defense of Secular Humanism', Paul Kurtz explains that one need not be tied to religion to be ethical (or even moral). I agree with the previous reviewer who stated that the wirting can get a bit technical at times, but I don't think that it slows the pace at all. The technicality of some of the arguments is necessary, as Kurtz is using reason and logic to explain issues that are usually debated with emotional rhetoric or repititious dogma. You may have some friends who are teetering in their lockstep devotion to religion... so buy this book and give 'em a shove. They'll thank you.

This is not about ethics..........2002-03-03

It's just another "I hate religion" book. This book is seething with "I feel guilty and I refuse to believe its my conscience given to me by God"...

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