Book Description
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney gives you the inside story on how he rescued the Salt Lake City Olympics--and how his own brand of leadership makes him one of the Republican Party's most compelling new stars.
Customer Reviews:
Budget Inversion.......2007-09-04
Amazing what Mitt Romney can do with numbers. If in doubt, do without. He pulled the 2002 winter games off on a no frills budget and turned a scandal into a triumph.
It seems he gets so much grief just because he is a Mormon, but I'm amazed at what he can do and mostly impressed by his get up and go, can do attitude. His wife says he loves emergencies and crisis situations of any kind. He turns the financing of the games from a huge millions of dollars deficit into a millions of dollars profit. Throughout the whole crisis leading up to the games, he made it the mission of the whole team to be honest and forthright with each other and the public. It's blatantly apparent that he always makes an honest million and demands integrity of his team whoever they be. This book was truly inspirational in many ways. If you don't want to read the book or even hate Mitt Romney, at least read the "Prologue" and the first chapter. I love the story of the American flag from the World Trade Center bombing being brought into the Olympic stadium during opening ceremonies. It's really awesome!
There have been other budget inversions in our nation's history. The most remarkable one happened on the eve of this country's founding and was repaired by Alexander Hamilton, our nation's first Treasury Secretary. That tale is best told by Forrest McDonald in his biography of Hamilton.
These are great stories and must reads for government financiers!
Mitt Romney.......2007-09-01
I would never vote for Mitt Romney, and I hope he does not win. He is so full of himself and will lie just to get votes.
Pre-nomination Mitt..........2007-06-27
With a title like "turnaround" I was expecting Mitt to explain why he has reversed all of his positions on abortion, sexuality etc just in time for the Republican nomination.
Unfortunately not.
This book is about a simpler time when Mitt did not have to reverse or hide all of his principles in order to seek higher office. It tells the story of his rescue of the Olympic Games. It is actually quite good (although Mitt takes a LOT of the credit for things that others did). Unfortunately, it also reflects on the "old" Mitt rather than the Mitt 2.0 who is running for the nomination today...
Expect: Mitt Romney to win 2008 presidential election.......2006-12-03
Through this book, I belive in Mitt Romney. He could bring this nation together ...he has the heart and wisdom.
Another good read........2006-10-24
The Olymic Games were a mess. A succesful turnaround required, understanding of the crisis and the ability to lead the Olymics through one its toughest challenges of the second half of the 20th Century. Read about how it was done.
Book Description
An estimated half of all drug molecules used in medicine are administered as salts, and the formation and the selection of a suitable salt for a drug candidate is recognized as an essential step in the preclinical phase of modern drug development. Surprisingly, however, the scientific literature on this topic is rather limited and scattered throughout numerous journals and patents. The majority of medicinal chemists in pharmaceutical industry whose primary focus is the design and synthesis of novel compounds as future drug entities are organic chemists for whom salt formation is often a marginal activity restricted to the short-term objective of obtaining crystalline material. Because a comprehensive resource that addresses the preparation, selection, and use of pharmaceutically active salts has not been available, researchers may forego the opportunities for increased efficacy and improved drug delivery provided by selection of an optimal salt. To fill this gap in the pharmaceutical bibliography, we have gathered an international team of seventeen authors from academia and pharmaceutical industry who, in their contributions to this volume, present the necessary theoretical foundations as well as a wealth of detailed practical experience in the choice of pharmaceutically active salts.
An introductory chapter presents a concise review of the various objectives in the pursuit of pharmaceutically active salts, followed by contributions that present the theoretical background of salt formation: dissociation and ionic equilibria, solubility and dissolution (Chapters 1 and 2), evaluation of solid-state properties (Chapter 3), and safety, biopharmaceutical, and pharmaceutical-technological aspects (Chapters 4 and 5). In Chapters 6, 7, and 8, the practice of salt formation in an industrial research-and-development environment is described, including salt-selection strategies, aspects of large-scale industrial salt production, and the significance of salt formation in industrial processing. Regulatory and patent issues are addressed in Chapters 9 and 10, and Chapter 11 provides practical examples of preparation of salts for the practitioners at the lab bench. The book concludes with a comprehensive annotated compilation of the individual salt-forming acids and bases with their relevant properties (Chapter 12), followed by an Appendix containing tables with the acids and bases sorted alphabetically and by pKa, supplemented with other useful facts and data.
The editors have taken care to address every conceivable aspect of the preparation of pharmaceutical salts. Altogether, the contributions reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the science involved in selection of suitable salt forms for new drug products. This book is destined to be an essential reference resource for students of medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, and an indispensable handbook for research-and-development chemists, analytical chemists, biologists, development pharmacists, regulatory and patent specialists, and medicinal scientists engaged in preclinical development of drugs. This comprehensive up-to-date guide and information source will be an instructive companion for all scientists involved in research and development of drugs and, in particular, of pharmaceutical dosage forms.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book..........2006-09-07
All,
This is a must have book for the Medicinal/Formulation Chemist. It's a bit pricey (or maybe I am just a frugal Scotsman !) but worth it. It gives an incite into the direction chemist should take when making pharmaceutically acceptable salts and things to look for. Wish some sections were expanded upon, but there we go.
/
Brian
Book Description
Profound content but easy to read, this book represents the definitive statement on the subjects of water and salt.
The book transports readers into the fantastic world of the two essential elements of water and salt and initiates them into the secret powers of nature. It also gives practical tips for increasing ones well being, finding ones physical and emotional balance, raising ones consciousness, and achieving unlimited energy.
The aspects about energies and the information that the original Himalayan crystal salt supplies to our body is especially fascinating. The book also conveys esoteric knowledge about how the basic elements of water and salt can be integrated into ones life.
The book paves the way to a healthy and holistic lifestyle.
Customer Reviews:
Overpriced And Overrated.......2007-09-06
I have a New Age junkie friend who insisted I read "Water and Salt." If you've been awake the past ten years, you probably already know everything included. Yes, we all come from the same primordeal soup. Yes, we're made up of water and salt. Yes, we need tons of water; preferably Artesian well water. And yes, we need (quality) salt; those low-salt studies from decades ago were wrong.
If you already know all of the above and are tired of spending time and money re-reading the same information, you really don't need this book. It's very pretty. It feels good in your hands. It's romantic, in the broadest sense of the word. But if you know where to get "Original Himalayan Crystal Salt," you can order a bag for your salt shaker and read about the other uses at any of the websites that carry the product.
A quick warning: If you decide to make "sole'" (a mixture of Himalayan salt and water that you allow to set for twelve hours) and try ingesting it (one teaspoon to tablespoon in the morning), be aware that salt water is an emetic. I had a long conversation with the people at my local New Age shop last Saturday and all but one had experienced everything from mild nausea to vomiting and diarrhea using sole'. Sole' may be wonderful, and bodies might adapt, but the quasi-disclaimer about "homeopathic-like" side effects in the book doesn't begin to describe the problems some people have had.
I hope this review saves at least one person money and grief.
10 pages of information spread out in a whole book.......2007-01-16
I can't say this book was worthless, so I gave it three stars. However, it is not a whole book's worth of information. Sure, there are lots of pretty pictures and the presentation is beautiful, otherwise they could not justify the price.
As for the content, it is helpful. I learned a little more about the specific qualities of Himalayan salt. If you are to believe this book, however, you need to buy cases of Fiji water and consume it in large quantities if you are going to get anything valueable out of the water and salt regimen. So as much as it gives information, the information they give limits your options for a good outcome.
So you buy a whole book for a little information just to learn that you need to do a lot more to gain any benefit. I just ended up feeling like it was too much trouble.
Expected more.......2006-11-10
After reading this book I felt that all that was said could have been condensed into half the chapters. Not that it wasn't informative but it seemed to rehash all the way through the book.
Only health book you will every need.......2006-07-20
Everyone should have this book, it is simple and affordable for all to use their health giving uses for sole. It will make sure that your teeth stay decay free and it will even eliminate decay and restore your teeth given time, it did for me and my family. It does not stop there either it will do so much for your health all over your body. It deserves 100 stars not just five.
Great information, Logical conclusion.......2005-05-07
I really enjoyed this book. It was recommended by a friend, who had read the book and began using Himalayan salt crystal around the house as well as a double shot of sole each day! She begged me to check it because of the differences it had made almost immediately in how she felt mentally and physically. She seemed "better" too, strangely.
The most poignant part of this book to me was the observation that we all came from the same soup and this salt is an essential ingredient. Table salt is reaped of all benefits and in fact causes numerous health issues. Himalayan salt is absorbed entirely different and contributes to human health and well-being. Plus, Himalayan salt lamps are absolutely gorgeous and soothing. The authors nailed it. Himalayan salt crystal is very special indeed.
Book Description
Nearly 900 kitchen-tested recipes, about three times as many as most cookbooks, offer great taste, good nutrition, and simplicity.Complete, easy-to-read nutrient analysis with each recipe lets you know just how healthy your favorite Cooking Light recipes are.Hundreds of food preparation tips, step-by-step photos, food facts, and menu suggestions, plus three different cross-referenced indexes make finding every recipe a cinch.A companion web site will offer the reader interactive capabilities such as archival searches, rating recipes, and other enhanced features.
Customer Reviews:
Yummy and healthy!.......2004-06-05
I've been a subscriber of Cooking Light for several years now, and I always try to buy the annual cook book at the end of each year. These recipes produce dishes that are delicious, adventurous, and satisfying. I've not only learned alot about eating healthy foods by using these cookbooks, I've become a much better cook! Also, since the magazine has features on different ethnic cuisines, I've tried foods that I never would have made previously, with great success. Some of the recipes are more time-consuming than others, so make those on the weekend rather than during the week.
Unlike other reviewers, I enjoy the recipes organized by month, because it helps me eat seasonally. That way, I buy produce that's in season, so it tastes better, and it's usually cheaper than buying products out of season. However, if one is looking for a specific recipe, consulting the index at the back of the cookbook provides a solution.
Lots of wonderful recipes, long prep time.......2004-02-22
I've been a subscriber to Cooking Light magazine for a couple of years and I love it. I decided to get the 2003 book to save some space. The photographs in the book are beautiful and mouth-watering, but there are not enough (I like to see what the final product looks like when I am cooking). I do like that the nutritional information including calories, fat, protein, carb, fiber are listed for each recipe. I do find that many of the recipes have a long prep time and this a deterrent for me at this busy stage in my life. For the "true" chef, though, there will be no problem and the recipes will be wonderful to make. Generally, the ingredients are readily available, but for some of the recipes, there are ingredients that I have no idea where to buy them. The book is organzied by month--like the magazine. Really, overall, a beautiful book.
total confusion.......2004-01-19
While there is a whole years worth of recipes in one book it will probably take a year to find a particular recipe. The index is very confusing. Cooks will just end up frustrated.
Cooking Light needs help.......2003-10-08
This(and other Cooking Light books)definately need a better way to organize the recipes. The book doesn't even follow the order of the monthly magazines recipes. It is severely lacking in photographs. Most of the beautiful photos from the magazines are not used in the cookbook. The photos would be helpful in selecting recipes...especially because the book is not organized by food category. The recipes might be great, but who has 2 hours to search through a cookbook to find something to cook??
Full of good, practical recipies.......2003-03-01
I own a lot of cookbooks... but I've never had one quite like this. This is the first cookbook where I look through the recipies, and think "Hey - I should make that some time" for most of the recipies. Other cookbooks seem to be literally filled with recipies that either don't look any good, or require exotic ingredients only availble to people in major metropolitan centers.
With this cookbook, however, I flip through the pages wishing i had time to make almost all of the 900 recipies. I've made about 20 things out of this book now, and have enjoyed almost all of them a lot.
Pros:
- Contains a good, detailed introduction for the novice cook, including information on herbs, cooking methods, etc.
- Contains almost 900 recipies that you can actually make and enjoy.
- Has recipies from almost every category - breads, meats, desserts, soups, etc.
- I totally disagree with the person who said the layout is lousy . I've never had trouble finding anything in this book.
- The recipies, while not being extremely low fat, *are* from cooking light, and hence are healthier in general than most other cookbooks. Plus, the recipies don't ever seem to sacrifice flavor for a *light* rating.
Cons:
- You'll spend longer in the kitchen trying to make more of these
Sorry - I don't really have a good con for this book :)
If you love too cook - you'll love this book!
Book Description
Donald Gazzaniga, diagnosed with congestive heart failure, was on a waiting list for a heart transplantthe only effective medical treatment. Urged by his doctor to keep his sodium intake down under 1,500-2,000 mg. a day, Don headed for the kitchen and went to work. Aware that cutting table salt from your diet is the barest beginning of a true low-sodium menu, Don devised recipes that were 70% lower in sodium than those in other low-sodium cookbooks. The result? Dons name was removed from the transplant list; his doctors believe that his diet played a significant role. The No-Salt, Lowest-Sodium Cookbook contains: Hundreds of good-tasting, easy-to-make recipesA 28-day low-sodium menu planner Advice on finding low-sodium prepared foods, eating in restaurants, etc. Accurate sodium content of every ingredient and of the total servings Substitutes for high-sodium flavorings, and information on other taste-improving substances.
Customer Reviews:
Low Sodium Cooking Essential.......2007-07-28
This book is a "must have" for those serious about low sodium cooking - an ESSENTIAL, along with "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt". Great recipes, and great advice about minimizing sodium in one's diet. A bargain for all the assistance it provides.
Great resource.......2007-07-13
Since my husband was placed on a low sodium diet, we have purchased 6 of these books to give away to other people. There is even a recipe for tasty dill pickles (without all the salt of course).
Nice and informative.......2007-05-13
This book gave me some good ideas about how to deal with a low-sodium diet! The recipes are creative and give the reader hope.
helps you plan your food.......2007-04-28
Physicians will talk "low sodium" but not really how and this book helps that. My husband was dx with severe CHF with possible transplant looming up within the year. A low sodium diet became my contribution to his treatment. He also needed a biventricular pump and various medications but my guess is that the diet changes helped an additional 10-20% and when your heart function is that poor, all the percentages add up. This book helped educate us both especially during the first few months when we were stunned by the change in our reality. I especially like knowing the sodium content of things; so although we used that book a lot initially, I need it less now. Some recipes suffer from...lack of salt...but one learns to deal with it. I find the more acidic the food (tomato, lemon juice, vinegar) the less likely we notice or care that it is low sodium. My husband (almost a year later) is also a success story. His heart has improved (as viral cardiomyopathies can sometimes do) but I believe all the treatment gave his heart the ability to recover. But, regardless of the cause of one's heart failure, treatments that allow the heart to function better all add up. We are not as strict as Don and keep the sodium to 1600-1800 mg a day but that still requires planning and we combine low sodium cooking, no sodium baking soda and baking powder, no or low sodium commercial products (always check what "low sodium means"), spices instead of salt, and limiting any high sodium foods. We read labels, and have found commercially produced bread with 0 mg of sodium.
No-Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook .......2007-04-11
This collection of recipes and helpful hints on avoiding excessive intake of salt is a must have for anyone on a low sodium diet or who wants to minimize the sodium in his/her diet. As you would expect, the book has many recipes for preparing and making dishes and meals without salt and the use of low sodium foods and ingredients in place of those laced with sodium. But, in addition, there are many useful tips on such things as eating out, where it is virtually impossible to know what the nutrient values of foods are or to avoid high-sodium food. The author even has devised a scheme to deal with the fast food places (take your own bun and order the burger without condiments).
The book contains more than just recipes and menus. It includes material on substitutions of food (helpful for devising your own recipes or modifying the author's), and very helpful info on where to purchase some of the food products not commonly found in supermarkets. And, of course, there are discussions of the health benefits of reducing sodium intake and descriptions of various food staples -- including water, which was an eye-opener (yeh, in some places you gotta keep an eye on what is in the water)!
Many of the recipes are fine for those who are well-versed in the arts of the kitchen or who have time to both learn the techniques and prepare the food. But there are plenty of simple recipes that even a neophyte like me can handle. Each recipe includes a nutritional analysis of the finished product, itemizing the biggies like sodium content, cholesterol, fat (saturated and both mono- and poly-unsaturated -- but not trans fat), carbohydratesk, fiber and proteins. It also includes content amounts of calcium, potassium and iron. Sugar content is not listed and that is an unfortunate omission.
For those who have to watch what they eat and must or want to keep the sodium intake down, I think this is one of three books that are must-haves, the others being The Encyclopedia of Food Values by Corrine Netzer and the Joy of Cooking, by Rombauer & Becker. The Encyclopedia (not the paperback version) lists every conceivable nutrient in virtually any food you can think of, which makes it a helpful addition when adapting or devising recipes - but contains very little on cooking or preparation. Joy is indispensible for detailed descriptions of cooking techniques and alternative ingredients - but contains no nutritional analysis of recipes. The No-Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook fills the gap by providing both low sodium recipes, nutritional analyses, and some basic cooking technique information.
Book Description
The largest, most comprehensive and colorful guide to salt and pepper shakers ever published! A companion volume to The Complete Cookie Jar Book, published in 1991. The Complete Salt and Pepper Shaker Book shows more than 1600 sets of figural shakers in full color. The collection includes those by American potteries such as Rosemeade and Ceramic Arts Studio that have never appeared in a book before. Company histories, measurements of shakers, and pictures of marks and paper labels are among the book's innovative features. As some salt and pepper shakers currently attract hundreds of dollars, this book is a must for collectors, dealers, and appraisers. Look inside, even if you have never held an interest in salt and pepper shakers before, and this book will open your eyes to a wonderful collectible. A price guide is included.
Customer Reviews:
Best of the Bunch.......2007-04-04
Probably the best reference book to date on collecting shakers. Chock full of pictures and information cover to cover.
Best S&P book around.......2000-08-11
This book is what I would term user friendly. It is set up in such a way that you can easily access the information you need. In the back of the book is a listing of many importing companies and information on them. This is my favorite of all of the shaker books.
This is the best book available on the subject........1998-12-01
If you are going to own just one book on salt & peppers, this is the one in which to invest. It is quite comprehensive and very well organized.
This book will add spice to your collection!!.......1998-11-26
Mike Schneider keeps raising the bar a little higher--so high that Sergei Bubka couldn't vault over it. When I got the book I showed it to friends and that was the acid test. Over and over I heard, 'My grandma had that pair,' or ' We have those in the basement...they're worth that much?!?' These people were enthralled with the book. Mike Schneider's book runs from routine shakers to really obscure ones to ones that are absolutely unbelievable. The prices are true and the colors are crisp. Mr. Schneider's previous work caused me to be sure I got this volume--and as always I am very pleased with his efforts. Schiffer Publishing has a rising star.
Book Description
The Book of Salt serves up a wholly original take on Paris in the 1930s through the eyes of Binh, the Vietnamese cook employed by Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Viewing his famous mesdames and their entourage from the kitchen of their rue de Fleurus home, Binh observes their domestic entanglements while seeking his own place in the world. In a mesmerizing tale of yearning and betrayal, Monique Truong explores Paris from the salons of its artists to the dark nightlife of its outsiders and exiles. She takes us back to Binh's youthful servitude in Saigon under colonial rule, to his life as a galley hand at sea, to his brief, fateful encounters in Paris with Paul Robeson and the young Ho Chi Minh.
Customer Reviews:
Boring... But Well Written.......2007-09-08
I was supposed to read this novel for an Asian Literature class as an undergrad at UCLA (over three years ago) but I could never get past the first few pages. Figuring I'd give it another chance I recently set out determined to discover why a university professor would select it for her class. Apparently I was right the first time; the only thing that got me to the end was Truong's exceptionally well written prose- the actual plot itself literally bored me to sleep on several occasions. Bare in mind, though, I am not particularly interested in Vietnamese history or Gertrude Stein, so if those are topics that interest you it may be a worthwhile read.
Low Sodium.......2007-08-02
A rather dreary book, this- thus the 3. Spectacular writing (4). But participating even on the margin of the scrumptious life of Stein and Toklas poor Binh just never gets a bite. If you're too euphoric right now, read this book. Just the right recipe!
If you enjoyed The Hours, you should love this........2007-05-27
This is a hauntingly beautiful story of Binh, an Indochinese world traveler (and world class chef) who ends up in the Paris home of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. This is NOT a story about food or grand cooking anymore than "The Grapes of Wrath" was about picking vegitables.
This is a richly drawn character study. I found the story compelling and colorful and poignant. Binh's interactions with the two ladies is priceless. The scenes between him and his family - especially those envolving his mother - are quite elegantly rendered. The entire tale is told with exquisite attention to detail.
If you love literary novels that use historical figures as characters, you'll not want to miss this one.
Book is over-hyped fraud.......2007-05-02
Anyone who buys this book believing it is about food, feasting, cooking or sitting in on any of Gertrude Stein's parties at a time when her Paris salon was visited by so many influential artists, writers and other creatives is going to be EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED. Book manages to demean both Stein and Toklas's work and lives as only an envious out-sider can. More of a self-pitying romance novel than historical fiction.
I gave it one star but deserves a black spot. Back cover blurb completely misleading.
Plaintive, poetic and delicious.......2007-01-09
What Ernest Kroll said of Washington, D.C., "How shall you act the natural man in this/Invented city, neither Rome nor home?" could be the anthem for the American psyche. Stories of alienation, of strangeness, of the perpetual foreigner in a land and culture inscrutable, or exotic or simply different and unaccommodating, are our story. It is the person repelled by the tribe, the unelect, the different, she who bears the Scarlet Letter, who fascinates us, perhaps because we Americans feel alienated and separated from the ancient, the profound, the old and settled civilizations, and are uneasy, even lonely, in the artifice of our grand New World. In those who are different we see ourselves, outside but yearning for some attachment, pretending solidarity but ambivalent about our roots and place, nostalgic for times and places we've never seen, that never existed.
Monique Troung strikes the chord of alienation and plays it magnificently in this multi-layered story. It is the fictional memoir of Binh, a Vietnamese cook living in France, who enters the service of Gertrude Stein. Binh is a superb chef, whose many unique and exquisite dishes are served to a Stein and Toklas so self-absorbed that, while they find his cooking delicious, they chomp dumbly through their meals without the presence of mind to appreciate the delicacy and sophistication of his work. Stein and Toklas, of course, like Binh, are strangers in France, alienated by their own special work, by their sexuality, and even by their crudeness and unattractiveness. Binh is a puzzle to them, at once a pet and an artist of the palate whose food they enjoy while his being is ignored or diminished. "Too thin Binh," they call him, playing on his name, putting him in the diminutive, while Binh, who has little English, ponders their meaning but senses their disdain.
Binh is gay, but he is quietly so, secretive and limited in his affairs. Troung's interest is in exploring the wounded and exiled, and while Binh's sexuality is there, she avoids any explicit prose. Indeed, sensuality is seen not in Binh's encounter with his "Sunday Man" (an expatriate American rumored to be part black, another layer of alienation). These encounters are told with tenderness and humor without any meander into explicit sex. The book's sensual indulgence is in the glorious, exotic food Binh prepares, delightfully and artfully described by Troung with concupiscent abandon. We taste it as we read.
In Binh, Troung has created a wry and insightful character, sensitive to the emotions and limitations of all those he encounters. He knows his place but he chafes nonetheless, disdainful of arrogant French colonials, and of those Vietnamese who have forced him to flee Vietnam. He is even disdainful of the self-pitying complaints of his one friend in Vietnam, a Medical Doctor, too proud to be employed as a Veterinarian (the dim fate of a Vietnamese doctor laboring for the French), who instead works as a chauffeur for the French. His friend, burdened with self-induced servitude, is hopelessly in love with a gorgeous French-Vietnamese secretary whose whims are the purpose of his life. She, of course, does not reciprocate to a mere chauffeur, but uses him mercilessly, tantalizes him and aggravates his misery.
All of Binh's observations, complaints and stories are told with a rich descriptive prose that keenly relates the substance of his life, the grittiness of his impoverished home, the tenderness of his mother, his implacable father, and the persistent frustration and ambivalence of vibrant, intelligent, and ambitious people who are forced to bend to colonial masters remarkable mostly for their mediocrity, racism and selfishness.
One might think a novel that layers alienation upon alienation would be grim, but Troung is too good a writer for that. Binh never welters in his own sense of persecution and loneliness. He rides above all that, a tough and compelling character, confident in his own culinary artistry, endowed by Troung with a sardonic humor that propels his story onward.
"The Book of Salt" is a delicious novel by an author with a brilliant future. Don't just read it, savor it. Every word is a confection, every sentence a meal.
Book Description
Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
Customer Reviews:
A Whirlwind Tour of One of Mankind's Most Important Products!.......2007-09-23
This is a whirlwind historial tour of one of civilizations most important products!
A sustance so valuable, salt has served as currency, influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions.
The United States is both the largest producer of salt in the world and the largest consumer. It produceds more than 40 million metric tons, earning more than $1 billion in sales revenues.
Author Mark Kurlansky writes that fashionable people are divided into two camps. The first is passionate about staying healthy and eating less salt. The second is pasionate about salt.
Like all his books, Kurlansky's "Salt" is endlessly interesting and informative.
Exceptional non-fiction.......2007-09-09
I read very little non-fiction, but this book was so full of interesting facts that it was almost impossible to put down. Kurlansky's account of mankind's quest for salt and the commerce it created is indeed a mini-history of civilization. The book is well written, easy to read, and holds the reader's interest from first page to last. I found myself reaching for it again and again to find out what happens next. Who would have dreamed that a common every-day product that we take for granted could have such a rich, varied history? Kurlansky did a wonderful job!
Throw It Over Your Left Shoulder!.......2007-08-28
Salt is a great subject for a book. Everyone is familiar with salt. It complements the flavor of food (as with French fries). It can be used to preserve foods (salted fish for example). It can be used to process foods (such as cheeses). It can be found in salt mines and in the evaporation of salt water. It is a commodity that can be bought and sold. It can be taxed by the government. And it can be exaggerated.
I'll give just one example. Midway through the book, the author states, "The history of the Americas is one of constant warfare over salt. Whoever controlled salt was in power." Think about that! The Declaration of Independence? -- Salt. The American Revolution? -- Salt. The Whiskey Rebellion? -- Salt. The War of 1812? -- Salt. The Mexican War? -- Salt. At least he did not say, "Give me liberty or give me salt!" Nonetheless, continued overreaching and exaggeration render the author's opinions unreliable and completely undercut the appearance of meticulous research. It is not long before the reader hears a voice in the back of his/her mind repeatedly saying, "I wonder if that is true?"
The book recites many interesting stories and presents novel perspectives of the role of salt in human society. However, as noted by many prior reviewers, the deficiencies of lack of organization, statements that are scientifically suspect and lack of historical reliability greatly detract from the potential of the subject matter. It is not a waste of time but there are better books out there.
An extraordinary read..........2007-08-15
Among the most thought-provoking books I have read...the impact of salt upon history is extraordinary.
A must-read for foodies and non-academic history buffs.......2007-08-11
I bought this book after it was recommended to me by a professor in a food-writing course. It sat on the shelf for more than a semester, as I had a full stack of books to get through for class. Then this summer a chef friend of mine finished it in about a day and started raving to me about it, so I figured it was time to crack it open.
It is one of the few books in the last year that I could not put down. I normally read several books at a time, skipping from one to another as my interest waxes and wanes. I finished this book in three days, and would have done so much faster if not for classes. Kurlansky's style is attention grabbing and well structured, and he kept me wondering where his narrative history of salt was headed next.
This book is an epicurean's history of the world, and as the title of my review states, I would recommend it to just about any fan of good food. It may not match up to the exhaustive standards of the work of strictly academic historians: but if it did, it would not be nearly as fun a read.
Kurlansky's research into Chinese salt practices was especially fascinating to me, and I have the feeling that with his skill he could devote an entire volume to that topic. I look forward to reading his book 'Cod', and anything else he writes.
Average customer rating:
- Nothing Unnatural About It; It's Sacred
- This verse unlocks the heart.
- If you have been affected by cancer it is worth reading!!!
- Suprising turn of events
- Disappointed
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Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place
Terry Tempest Williams
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Similar Items:
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The Open Space of Democracy (New Patriotism)
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Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert
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Desert Solitaire
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An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field
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Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (Harper Perrennial Modern Classics)
ASIN: 0679740244
Release Date: 1992-09-01 |
Amazon.com
The only constants in nature are change and death. Terry Tempest Williams, a naturalist and writer from northern Utah, has seen her share of both. The pages of Refuge resound with the deaths of her mother and grandmother and other women from cancer, the result of the American government's ongoing nuclear-weapons tests in the nearby Nevada desert. You won't find the episode in the standard history textbooks; the Feds wouldn't admit to conducting the tests until women and men in Utah, Nevada, and northwestern Arizona took the matter to court in the mid-1980s, and by then thousands of Americans had fallen victim to official technology. Parallel to her account of this devastation, Williams describes changes in bird life at the sanctuaries dotting the shores of the Great Salt Lake as water levels rose during the unusually wet early 1980s and threatened the nesting grounds of dozens of species. In this world of shattered eggs and drowned shorebirds, Williams reckons with the meaning of life, alternating despair and joy.
Book Description
In the spring of 1983 Terry Tempest Williams learned that her mother was dying of cancer. That same season, The Great Salt Lake began to rise to record heights, threatening the herons, owls, and snowy egrets that Williams, a poet and naturalist, had come to gauge her life by. One event was nature at its most random, the other a by-product of rogue technology: Terry's mother, and Terry herself, had been exposed to the fallout of atomic bomb tests in the 1950s. As it interweaves these narratives of dying and accommodation,
Refuge transforms tragedy into a document of renewal and spiritual grace, resulting in a work that has become a classic.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing Unnatural About It; It's Sacred.......2006-10-28
The first time I went to Utah, I read Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire" and loved it. This time, at a bookstore in Moab, I picked up Williams' "Red" for a contemporary view of the ecological issues around this gorgeous desert landscape, which is unlike any place I have been. Although I liked "Red," people told me "Refuge" was even better.
This is a very special book. I'm no birdwatcher, but it made me want to be. I'm no scientist, but I wished I were. I'm no Mormon, but it gave me respect for a religion I have never been able to fathom. Terry Tempest Williams has profound insights into the natural world. Her observations of the Great Salt Lake and the many migratory birds that visit it are as moving as her account of the death by cancer of her mother and grandmothers. Not surprisingly, they taught Williams awe of birds and sunsets and their own bodies. All of them are brave and spiritual women, and we would be wise to learn from them.
I think what I most admire about Williams as a writer is her emotional courage. Time and time again, she strikes out where more conventional writers would hesitate. She finds redeeming passages from the Book of Mormon. She follows her mother through her long and circuitous spiritual journey with cancer. She follows her grandmother as she moves into Eastern thought and modern physics. She dips respectfully into ancient Indian and Mexican culture. She walks in the desert at some peril to her well-being. She speaks of the intimacy of her marriage and about her decision not to bear children.
Yet his is not a book "about" the desert or cancer or birds or Mormonism, but about life and how it can be richly observed, experienced. shared and redeemed. It's one brave woman's answer to "Desert Solitaire."
This verse unlocks the heart........2006-10-16
Terry Tempest Williams is a national treasure. Her unvarnished verse carries one deep into the mystery of the Earth and sends us helplessly into the depths of our own hearts. The landscape of wildness breaths a spectacular wisdom under the watchful eyes of this keen observer of wind, rock, desert, sky, sage, along with the birds who soar and dance and play in a benediction to non-sentient life.
When I need to recapture my own mortality along with my own humility, I always return to the verse of this elder of silence and truth. Williams stands alone in the power to convey both outer and inner wildness. Her verse is poetic and healing. One does not read these words but are instead initiated into the heart beat of wild nature. Savor its beauty as you might a calming sunset or a wind swept sea shore calling you ever deeper into your own soul.
Read everything she writes and find peace deep within.
If you have been affected by cancer it is worth reading!!!.......2006-06-26
I loved and hated this book. It is beatifully written. I found the author frustrating at times. Some parts got a little long winded about the birds. It takes you on a emotional rollercoaster but the pay off of finishing this book is worth it. Any one who has been affected by cancer will find this book very inciteful to the process of going through treatment and also the death process. Terry Tempest gives the most authentic and honest account of what life is like living through cancer I have every read. She put into words thought and feelings I could never express fully.
The research of the history of the Great Salt Lake was very fun to read about. I have lived in Utah all my life, but I have never been to the Lake I now am very curious to see it and the bird refuge. I think I will find the trip much more interesting now than if I had gone before reading this book.
Suprising turn of events.......2006-03-02
Terry Tempest Williams is a naturalist living in Utah who has the history of cancer in her family. Cancer in this novel is paralleled with the flooding of the neighboring Great Salt Lake. Overall this book goes to show that cancer goes deeper than the person who it is diagnosed to. I would suggest this book on limited circumstances: One-if you can get past the strong feminine presence and domination of this novel. Two-do not read the last 60 or so pages. I approved of this book up until that point. If the book ended at that point, leaving out the harassment of the government it would be ten times better. To anyone who is in the process of reading Refuge, you won't want to read past around page 230. Enough said.
My rating(first 230 or so pages): 7.5/10
My rating(after page 230 or so) 2.5/10
Disappointed.......2006-02-03
Although I found the passages about Ms. Williams relationships with her mother and grandmother and their struggles with cancer to be well-written and moving, I am surprised that she and many other reviewers imply that the cancers were the consequences of nuclear testing. I think of myself as an environmentalist, and I believe that such testing is likely to have been harmful to human health; however, the striking family history of breast and ovarian cancer in this case strongly suggests that there is a genetic disorder (mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene) that was responsible for the cancer in these women. I was living in Salt Lake City during the spring of 1983, and the flooding was indeed dramatic, but I was bored by the rather repetitious descriptions of the refuge and the birds.
Average customer rating:
- Takes time getting accustomed to!
- Lowering Sodium Without Lowering Taste!
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American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition: A Complete Guide to Reducing Sodium and Fat in Your Diet
American Heart Association
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1400097614
Release Date: 2006-05-09 |
Book Description
This revised and expanded third edition of the American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook is an indispensable resource for sodium-watchers.
The statistics are in—65 million Americans have high blood pressure, and nearly 5 million suffer from congestive heart failure. Whether you have these health problems now or want to avoid having them in the future, keeping your sodium intake low is one of the best ways to help your heart.
The human body requires sodium to function properly, but if you are like most other Americans, you consume about ten times more than you need. If that’s because you think low-sodium food means low flavor, think again! The American Heart Association shows here that a low-salt diet is not only good for you but delicious, too.
Encompassing everything from appetizers and soups to entrées and desserts, the American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition, is a wonderful collection of more than 200 scrumptious low-sodium recipes—50 of them brand-new to this edition. Whether you’re in the mood for a beloved classic dish or an up-to-the-minute future favorite, you’ll find just the thing to please your palate—and you’ll learn that shaking the salt habit is easier than ever before.
The American Heart Association knows that food is one of life’s great pleasures and that no one should have to sacrifice tasty meals for a healthful lifestyle. This new edition of one of its classic cookbooks is the perfect guide to making flavorful, satisfying low-sodium food. With the latest dietary information and tips on substituting ingredients, avoiding hidden sodium, and dining out, the American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition, will help you follow a low-sodium diet—and thoroughly enjoy it.
More than 200 low-sodium recipes, including:
Appetizers such as Hot and Smoky Chipotle-Garlic Dip; Spinach-Artichoke Hummus
Soups such as Onion Soup with Cheesy Pita Crisps; Corn and Green Chile Soup
Meats such as Caribbean Jerk Pork; Sirloin with Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce
Seafood such as Cajun Snapper; Halibut with Cilantro Pesto
Vegetarian Entrées such as Fettuccine Alfredo; Cheese-Topped Stuffed
Eggplant
Salads such as Balsamic-Marinated Vegetables; Tomato-Artichoke Toss
Poultry such as Tarragon Turkey Medallions; Cumin-Lime Chicken
Breads and Breakfast Dishes such as Rosemary Rye Bread; Oatmeal-Banana Waffles with Strawberry Sauce
Desserts such as Denver Chocolate Pudding Cake; Lemon Cream with Raspberries and Gingersnap Topping
Side Dishes such as Scalloped Potatoes; Parmesan-Lemon Spinach
The American Heart Association is the nation’s most trusted authority on cardiovascular health. Its bestselling library of books includes:
•American Heart Association No-Fad Diet
•The New American Heart Association Cookbook, 7th Edition
•American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 3rd Edition
•American Heart Association Low-Calorie Cookbook
•American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook
•American Heart Association Meals in Minutes Cookbook
•American Heart Association One-Dish Meals
Customer Reviews:
Takes time getting accustomed to!.......2007-01-15
I have tried a few of the recipes and enjoyed them. My hubby wasn't too thrilled.
I am voluntarily trying to reduce my sodium intake as my blood pressure has steadily crept up over the last few years, as has my weight! It isn't easy for me because I like salty foods but this cookbook has helped and will continue to help.
Lowering Sodium Without Lowering Taste!.......2006-05-28
Most Americans could benefit from lowering the sodium in their diets. Canned foods, processed foods, and fast food all contribute to the high fat, high salt diets that many of us eat. When faced with getting older or health issues, many people turn to their doctors for help with this American epidemic. But why not start now? If you have high blood pressure, are obese, or are just looking to improve your diet, this cookbook is a must for you!
Filled with tons of great recipes (and an additional 50 from the last addition), this book includes categories such as Appetizers & Snacks, Seafood, Meats, Soups, Vegetarian Entrees, and even Desserts. All of the recipes include complete nutrient information and include calories, fat (including saturated, polyunsaturated, and monosaturated), cholesterol, sodium, carbs, protein, calcium, potassium, and dietary exchanges. The only things missing from this addition are a spiral binding (to help it lay flat) and full color photos of each recipe.
Some of my family's favorites include: Blackberry & Balsamic Chicken, Grilled Sesame Chicken, Cowboy Steak with Portobello Mushrooms, Slow Cooker Beef and Red Beans, Baked Pork Chops with Apple Dressing, Braised Lentil and Vegetable Medley, Strawberry Orange Sauce, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Flan Caramel, Potato Skin Nachos, and Vegetable Beef Soup.
Enjoy!
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