History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Historic Houses of Virginia: Great Mansions, Plantations and Country Homes

Average customer rating:

Excellent pictures of historic houses of Virginia
Very nice coffee table book

Historic Houses of Virginia: Great Mansions, Plantations and Country Homes
Kathryn Masson
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Classic Greenwich Style
Classic English Design and Antiques: Period Styles and Furniture
American Houses: The Architecture of Fairfax & Sammons
Architecture of Democracy
Radical Classicism: The Architecture of Quinlan Terry

ASIN: 0847828611
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Book Description

From the Tidewater region of its Atlantic Shore to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia has some of the most architecturally rich, and perhaps the most historically important, homes in America. The treasures of American heritage showcased in this volume range in time from the seventeenth century to the twentieth, and include such peerless masterpieces as Colonial Williamsburg's Governor's Palace, George Washington's Mt. Vernon, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, Robert E. Lee's Arlington House, and Stratford Hall Plantationâall presented in new photography commissioned for this book, the first to feature in one place the beautiful houses of some of this country's most influential and renowned citizens. Each home shown is either linked to a famous American region or event, or is a National Historic Landmark, a Virginia State Historic Landmark, or listed on the National Register of Historic Places or on other landmark registers.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent pictures of historic houses of Virginia.......2007-07-30

This books presents twenty of the most wellknown historic buildings in Virginia. As always in Rizzoli's books the pictures of exteriors and interiors are beautifully taken and gives a clear understanding of the buildings. The print and paper are of excellent quality.

Very nice coffee table book.......2007-06-28

Beautiful pictures. Book is a tad heavy, but it is a coffee table book after all!

Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945-2000

Average customer rating:

Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945-2000
So what is the answer?
California Al
GREAT BOOK FOR UNIVERSITY COURSES!!!
Bible for our generation

Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945-2000
Martin Torgoff
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Drug Dependency | Recovery | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0743230116

Amazon.com

Martin Torgoff came of age just about the same time as the drug boom, a circumstance that informs his overview of America's "Great Stoned Age." Chronicling the irrepressible onslaught of mind-altering substances from the end of World War II through the close of the century, Torgoff (whose previous publishing efforts have centered around rockers Elvis Presley and John Cougar Mellencamp) intersperses the personal with the historical. Laying the groundwork with his own recollections of indulgence beginning in the late 1960s, the author flashes back to the Beat era, which he asserts opened the door for all that followed. Interviews with the obscure and celebrated add color and detail to the chronicle. Here's Herbert Huncke, the unapologetic hustler and heroin addict who lurked on the periphery of '50s bohemian scene and turned up as a character in William Burroughs' pulp memoir Junkie. Into the 1960s, there's acid guru Timothy Leary, poet Allan Ginsburg, record producer Paul Rothchild, Woodstock MC Wavy Gravy, and others caught up in a wave of revolutionary experimentation and excess. The '70s leads to the cocaine craze (embodied here by party girl Suzie Ryan), which begets drug wars (with plenty of casualties on both sides), Just Say No, the crack epidemic, and rave culture. While Torgoff's tome is too capricious to serve as the final word on America's drug obsession, it's eminently readable and entertaining, thanks to its expansive, pop-culture-informed tone. There's an almost insane momentum to this tale, with dozens of astonishing twists and turns. Imagine Jimmy Carter's drug czar, Dr. Peter Bourne, snorting cocaine at a party thrown the by pot legalization group NORML. Then picture George H.W. Bush's point man on drugs, William Bennett, remarking in an interview that it would be "morally plausible" to behead drug dealers. So much for moderation. --Steven Stolder

Book Description

From the narcotic allure of the bebop and Beat generations to the psychedelic 1960s, Vietnam, the cocaine-fueled disco era, the crack epidemic, and the ecstasy-induced rave culture, illegal drugs have profoundly shaped America's cultural landscape. In Can't Find My Way Home, journalist and filmmaker Martin Torgoff chronicles what a long strange trip it's been as the American Century became the Great Stoned Age.

Weaving together first-person accounts and historical background, Can't Find My Way Home is a narrative vast in scope yet rich in intimate detail. Torgoff tells the stories of those whose lives became synonymous with the drug culture, from Charlie Parker, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, and John Belushi to ordinary people who felt their consciousness "expanded" or who plumbed the depths of addiction. He also examines the broader impact of drugs on society and politics, from the war on drugs to the recovery movement, and the continuing debate over drug policy. A vivid work of cultural history that neither demonizes nor romanticizes its subject, Can't Find My Way Home is a provocative and fascinating look at how drugs have entered the American mainstream.

Download Description

"Can't Find My Way Home is a history of illicit drug use in America in the second half of the twentieth century and a personal journey through the drug experience. It's the remarkable story of how America got high, the epic tale of how the American Century transformed into the Great Stoned Age.

Customer Reviews:

Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945-2000.......2006-11-12

An excellent and very detailed history of drugs and its impact on our society. The book is thoroughly researched. It's entertaining and very readable. It's not only a review of the history of drugs in American society but also covers a number of individuals and the effect narcotics had on them. I found it fascinating and scary. Having lived through those turbulent times it brought back many memories.
Pictures and a summary of the cast of characters would have enhanced the book. All in all a good read.

So what is the answer?.......2005-05-29

If you have been there then you know the answer. The question is: Why did we travel there in the first place. Addictions are sneaky. Sometimes we write about them, other times we fight them. Addicted movie stars are just addicts. Hard drugs have no respect for who we are.

California Al.......2004-06-24

I wanted to be interested in this book, but it became pretty boring ater a while. There is an undercurrent of romanticism that pervades the authors purpose. He claims to be neutral, yet his descriptions and conversations with many of the people slant towards idol worship. Although the author claims to be in recovery, I did not get the sense of how drugs and alcohol can ruin peoples lives. I felt that his narrative was self serving, and glorifying the wonders of drugs and experimentation. There is a price to pay. What was good was hearing his father's take on the whole down side of watching his son grow up loaded. That was interesting. I'm getting weary of the proselytizing about how epochal the 1960's, 70's and 80's were. I didn't like his picture either.

GREAT BOOK FOR UNIVERSITY COURSES!!!.......2004-05-26

I'm reading this book a bit at a time. Each part is like a little history lesson - full of specific people, places and things that I've heard a lot of stories about - usually from folks who didn't have a great deal of clarity when they were either living through them OR speaking about them.

Torgoff has that clarity and there's humor in his prose that gives it a certain kind of bop. Yes, it's a long book. Most people who write long books these days write them as if they are "afraid of going to hell" for having done so - there's no ease, things get really claustrophobic in such books. Torgoff sails through this material not so much like a man who's afraid of going to hell...but as a man who's been there.

There's a kind of ease, a kind of compassion and a sense of spaciousness to Torgoff's style in this work. The length of the book doesn't seem that long. Maybe it would SEEM LONGER if Torgoff attempted to adapt his style to the demands of the market...some kind of a weekly reader version of the lifes, legends, loves (and drugs) of the times he's telling us about. Thank GOD he didn't cave into that.

Can't Find My Way Home makes me want to listen to a hell of a lot of music, see some movies again and read more books about the myriad folks who inhabit this book.

I see this book as a definite college text for classes focusing on the the history of jazz, rock and roll, film and literature in the last sixty years of American culture.

The fact that Torgoff weaves his own story into this piece communicates to me that he's not of those people who goes around chanting phrases like "If you remember the 60's you weren't there". Torgoff indicates to the reader that he was "there" and that he managed to extricate himself from the oblivion of those times through either the grace of God, or his own luck, karma or whatever.

Thus, Torgoff's writing in this book is infused with a kind of all pervasive sharpness, like the razor edge of a hatchet, that only comes from the words of those who have lived...and survived. I have a sense that Torgoff has been swinging this blade for some time...I suspect he's cut through a great deal of his own personal reference points in order to find the patience and perseverance to not only deliver this work...but to have the humility to title the work as he has.

Bravo!!

Bible for our generation.......2004-05-25

This is a fantastic book--the history of our time, the author's insights and synthesis. It's wildly affecting and entertaining, and it's bigger than what it seems to be about. Torgoff has a touch of Balzac in him, that's for sure. He gets the joke, but he also captures the loss and pathos. I especially liked his own story--he wove it into the narrative in a really detached way that made it all the more affecting. I stayed up all night reading.

Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook

Average customer rating:

Nonsense
A very comprehensive collection of great recipes ... must own!
An almost perfect cookbook. Buy It NOW!
My new favorite cookbook

Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook
Mitchell Davis
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1400049067
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Amazon.com

General cookbooks like Mitchell Davis's 600-recipes-packed Kitchen Sense can't help but raise a question--in a world with The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything, to name two such tomes, is another such book wanted? On the yes side, Davis has provided a nicely edited selection of homey, easy-to-do recipes--old favorites like baba ghanoush, tuna casserole, frisée aux lardons, and chicken cacciatore, plus more unusual formulas, such as Seared Scallops with Warm Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Chipotle-Rubbed Turkey Breast, and Grilled Lamb Chops with Salsa Verde. Sweets include the likes of Bourbon and Bread and Butter Pudding, Salty Chocolate Sablés, and Peach Galette and Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, as well as old standbys like strawberry shortcake and chocolate chunk cookies. Kitchen Sense's well-written recipes might easily form the backbone of any cook's repertoire. Present also are notes to help readers better understand ingredients and techniques, as well as advice on advance preparation and what to do with leftovers, among similar matters. Davis's approach is both casual and informed, which is exactly right for the kind of book he's aimed to write.

On the no side--well, we've visited many of the book's recipes many times before, and in versions that could be called, to the extent that it's possible, definitive. It remains for the reader to decide which book and author he or she feels most comfortable with--whose recipes jibe most closely with personal liking. For many, Kitchen Sense will offer just the right combination of good taste, technical ease, and recipe soundness to make it a trusted kitchen helper. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Imagine if everything you needed to know to be a great home cook were contained between the covers of a single volume. There’d be new twists on cozy favorites like Macaroni and Cheese with Buttermilk Fried Onions and Crumbled Bacon, classic stews such as Chicken Paprikash, Asian-inspired dishes like Chilled Soba Salad, and all-American staples such as juicy hamburgers hot off the grill. There would be reliable, fundamental recipes for basics, including rice (white, yellow, basmati, jasmine, and brown) and vinaigrette (French, Italian, creamy, and others), along with countless creative variations. There would be boxes packed with time-saving tips and useful information on topics ranging from cleaning leafy greens to putting up jams and pickles. There’d be advice for mailing baked goods and pointers for making pan sauces. Each recipe would include not just a list of ingredients but also accurate cooking times, notes for advance prep, and specifics on how to store (and reheat or recycle) leftovers. In short, there’d be kitchen sense. And now there is.

In Kitchen Sense, renowned food authority Mitchell Davis provides more than 600 of his inviting, foolproof recipes along with the guidance you need to become a terrific home cook. If you already are one, you’ll find plenty of dishes to add to your repertoire. Because so much great American home cooking is inspired by this country’s unprecedented infusion of international ingredients, techniques, and preparations, Davis’s enticing collection takes its cues from far and wide, combining recipes from across the globe to create a true melting pot of flavors.

Written with flair by a true scholar of food who enjoys cooking and eating everything, from the simplest down-home cooking to the most sophisticated international cuisine, and crammed with informed, lively, passionate opinions, Kitchen Sense is like cooking alongside the Italian-Midwestern-Thai-Hungarian-Mexican-Southern-French-Israeli-Yankee-Indian grandmother you never had.

Customer Reviews:

Nonsense.......2007-05-27

The jacket cover for this book begins: "Imagine if everything you needed to know to be a great home cook were contained between the covers of a single volume." Well, stop imagining. This is not that book. The author is apparently not a professional chef, but a Ph.D. student in food. Huh?

Be warned that there is not a single photo or illustration in all the 516 pages, except for the one of the smiling author. Lacking any visual guide to be found, one imagines the author's advice for cutting a raw chicken into 10 pieces to be the perfect premise for a classic Lucile Ball kitchen sketch, with poor Lucy going through the totally inadequate directions, repeating every sentence aloud, whacking away over and over until the poor bird is not just cut into pieces, but autopsied.

I'm sorry to have to disagree with the earlier reviewers here, but I simply have to. This is the first review of any kind that I've posted on the Web, but this book and its pretentiousness justly deserve a rap.

After reading recipe after disappointing recipe, I concentrated on the few interesting bits of knowledge. The most common preservative used on scallops is--did you guess?--tripolyphosphate. Golly. Must be the same stuff Doctors of Philosophy are preserved with.

In sum, the book does not live up to its billing in any way. If you are looking to get started in the kitchen and making good, everyday meals for loved ones, I suggest the bound annual editions of "Cook's Illustrated", "The Gourmet Cookbook" by Ruth Reichl, or, needless to say, "The Joy of Cooking".

A very comprehensive collection of great recipes ... must own!.......2007-01-21

I bought this based on the great reviews here. I was looking for a one-stop shopping type of cookbook and I hit the jackpot here. When it arrived I sat down and began highlighting recipes I wanted to try first and an hour later I still wasn't done. Everything I've cooked thus far has come out fabulously.

An almost perfect cookbook. Buy It NOW!.......2006-09-19

`Kitchen Sense' by James Beard Foundation Vice President, Mitchell Davis comes closer to my ideal cookbook than any other book I have reviewed. It is not perfect, and it is certainly not the only cookbook you will want, but it attains that happy medium of just enough of the right information for an excellent selection of both classic and interesting recipes to make it the first cookbook you reach for when trying to decide on what to make for dinner.

If you have this book, you will still need an encyclopedic book such as `The Joy of Cooking' and a good reference such as the `Larousse Gastronomique'. If you are especially fond of ethnic cuisines, you will also still need Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', Marcella Hazan's `Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking', Rick Bayless' `Authentic Mexican' and David Thompson's `Thai Food'. If you like baking bread or cakes or pies, you will still need good books from Rose Levy Beranbaum, Nick Malgieri, or Maida Heatter. And, you will probably want to hang on to your specialized books on cooking fish, vegetables, meats, poultry, and eggs. Last but not least, you will still want your copy of Jacques Pepin's `Complete Techniques'. But, these are for reading when you want to plan ahead. On the day of..., you will always be able to rely on Davis book to come through with something interesting, presented in a way which is superior to almost every other general, non-professional cookbook I have seen including the tomes from `Gourmet', `Bon Appetit', Mark Bittman and `The New York Times' / Craig Claiborne.

One way in which Davis seems to almost everything right is in the amount of detail he includes with each recipe. I always avoid even the thought of compiling my own cookbook because I'm sure I would include too much. Davis does not, for example, include nutritional analyses or wine selections. I think nutritional analyses in cookbooks are largely a gimmick, unless it is a cookbook for diabetics. And, I think that if wine selection is that important to you, you will bone up on what you need to know to make that decision for yourself. Like the famous early line in `The Hustler', I paraphrase `... this is the kitchen man. No gambling, no booze, and no billiards. We just cook.'

Not only does Mitchell Davis include what seems like all the right stuff, and nothing extra, he even goes so far as to explain what you are to get from the various parts of a recipe. This is something I have never seen anywhere else, including from that supernerd of the kitchen, Alton Brown. This attention to detail does not stop with Davis' talking about his recipes. It extends to how each recipe is lovingly written, to a level of detail that may not have been seen since Julia Child's better recipes.

Davis covers makeahead suggestions, which are done by many other cookbooks, but I think that combined with everything else he does well, his `makeahead' instructions are doubly valuable. He especially does not give any false hopes about holding dishes in advance of serving them, as when he chides us to serve guacamole immediately upon preparation, as it simply does not keep. This brings us to leftovers, something practically no other cookbook author treats in a systematic manner. And, he brings up a major truth about leftovers. They generally simply do not taste the same the next day. Now for lots of dishes, such as soups and stews, this is a very good thing. But, for thinks such as steamed or boiled rice, gratins, or salads, what you find the next day may range from unappetizing to simply inedible. One of my major lessons in cooking for only two people is in teaching myself how to perk up leftovers, such as in making day-old macaroni and cheese as creamy delish as it was 10 minutes after it came out of the oven. Davis covers this skill for many, many recipes.

One of my greatest pleasures in reading through this book is in the number of classic dishes presented here. And, they are presented in a way that is equal to or superior to any other treatment. One prime example is his recipe for the famous Spanish tapas dish, `Tortilla Espagnole'. I have read whole books on Tapas with up to 10 recipes for this potato `frittata', and none of the recipes are quite as well written as Davis presentation. That is not to say these other recipes will produce poorer quality dishes. In fact, part of my admiration for Davis treatment of the recipe is the way in which he remains true to the classic Spanish dish, without trying to `improve' it or make it more interesting. The same is true of many other classics. I was especially pleased in Davis' headnote to my favorite dish, Potato Gratin, when warns about undercooking the dish.

Yet another symptom of the book's quality is the fact that I agree with virtually every book the author cites in his bibliography. His four restaurant cookbooks by Thomas Keller, Judy Rodgers, Tom Colicchio, and Alfred Portale are among my top 10. His citations for ethnic cuisines are also excellent.

There are only three minor aspects of the book to which I would suggest the author address. First, Davis stresses that one of his objects is to make you want to cook, or at least to make you hungry. In spite of the superb recipes, there is not quite as much `joie de vivre' in the writing you find from the Brits such as Jamie Oliver. Second, I think the author's definitions of knife cuts are not standard, so his `chop' and `dice' and `mince' instructions may be a bit confusing Third, these general cooking instructions are in the back of the book, and not in the front, so you read them before you get to the recipes!

My new favorite cookbook.......2006-07-15

Kitchen Sense is an amazingly comprehensive book that offers an excellent combination of tips and recipes. The recipes themselves are extremely clearly written, detailed and informational without being pedantic, and complemented by Davis' often witty observations and suggestions. And the dishes they describe are far more interesting and sophisticated than the Joy of Cooking or any other general cookbook, covering a full range of ethnic cuisines as well as American classics with a modern twist. It's such a cliche to say that this is the only book you'd need to take to a deserted island (one with a full kitchen...), but in this case it's really true!

The Main Line: Country Houses of Philadelphia's Storied Suburb (Suburban Domestic Architecture, Vol. 1) (Great American Suburbs) (Great American Suburbs) (Great American Suburbs)

Average customer rating:

Could have and should have been better
Stellar launch to a great series.

The Main Line: Country Houses of Philadelphia's Storied Suburb (Suburban Domestic Architecture, Vol. 1) (Great American Suburbs) (Great American Suburbs) (Great American Suburbs)
William Alan Morrison
Manufacturer: Acanthus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 092649421X
Release Date: 2004-04-15

Product Description

This volume chronicles the magnificent country estates and remarkable individuals who made this legendary but intensely private suburban enclave the most beautiful and desirable residential section in Americ

Customer Reviews:

Could have and should have been better.......2005-01-11

I had been waiting for a book on this subject for some time so you can imagine my excitement when this book came out. I am sorry to say that it's somewhat of a disappointment, I expected a better researched book and also one that including some current color pictures of the surviving estates. The authors of the book on architects Delano and Aldrich did a wonderful job of combining great archival B&W photos with rich currect color pictures. The archival photos in this book are wonderful, but you finish the book wondering what the surviving estates look like today and in color, I really do hope the authors take this criticism to heart and make vol. II a five star book, they are not that far from it with this book and quite frankly the subject deserves it.

Stellar launch to a great series........2004-12-27

I bought this book two years ago when it came out and I had to reply to the simple comments of another critic on this page. The author put together an incredible group of old photographs from around the time the houses were built, showing exteriors, interiors, and gardens. He talked about the architects and the clients and about the designs of the houses, as well as giving a detailed history of the Main Line and how it came to be. Color photographs would have ruined the old-time feel of the book, which is beautiful in design and execution. Any educated eye will appreciate this book and the series that it is a part of. Congratulations to the author and the publisher.

Additions: Design Ideas for Great American Houses (Great Houses)

Average customer rating:

Design Idea for Great American Homes: Additions
The Art of the Seamless Addition

Additions: Design Ideas for Great American Houses (Great Houses)

Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

House Plans | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Planning Your Addition
Architectural Plans for Adding On or Remodeling
Additions Planner (Better Homes & Gardens)
Additions: Your Guide to Planning and Remodeling (Better Homes and Gardens)
House Transformed: Getting the Home You Want with the House You Have

ASIN: 1561586552
Release Date: 2003-06-01

Book Description

House additions come in all sizes and levels of complexity. This book contains dozens of ideas for additions, everything from adding a sunroom to expanding a half-Cape into a full-blown house. Candid accounts of design and construction from the architects, builders, and homeowners are included, giving the home do-it-yourselfer or armchair architect the chance to learn firsthand the kinds of challenges that arise and how to overcome them. 180 color photos and 85 color illustrations add to this book of creative inspiration and expert advice for anyone considering a home remodel.

Customer Reviews:

Design Idea for Great American Homes: Additions.......2004-05-03

Beautiful book, beautiful photos, wonderful ideas IF you either have a two-story home or would like to add a second story addition to your one-story home. For me, however, the book served no particular purpose and was a great disappointment as my intent is to increase the size of our home by going outward, not upward.

The Art of the Seamless Addition.......2003-10-25

As the owner of a small architectural practice that does many additions, I see this book as an excellent (and very affordable) sourcebook for residential additions. This book brings together twenty-five projects that have been featured in Fine Homebuilding magazine over the past five years. The additions range in scale form major complete home makeovers to small additions/remodelings such as adding a portico to a Georgian Colonial home. The projects are classified in terms of "Adding Up, Adding on the Side, Adding On, and Adding Out.

These projects are mostly what I term "Seamless" additions, meaning that the addition/makeover/remodeling is done in a manner to create a seamless (oftentimes altogether new) building. Most of the projects featured are architect designed and all display a fine level of craftsmanship and inginuity that one expects from Fine Homebuilding Magazine. It is interesting to compare this book with James Grayson Truelove's book "New American Additions and Remodelings". Truelove's book, which I also highly recommend, features more avante garde, object-like projects, many by noted young architects.

This is a paperback book and the articles are have been very nicely repackaged. Whether you are an architect, contractor, or homeowner, I highly recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Farthing worth-less

Built me up and let me down

England for the English

A very disturbing Alternate history

Not quite Cliveden, but very good.

Farthing
Jo Walton
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Alternate History | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Ha'penny

Eifelheim

The Privilege of the Sword

Halting State

Blindsight

ASIN: 0765314215
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Book Description

Over a summers weekend in 1949 -- but not our 1949 -- the upper-crust "Farthing set," the group that overthrew Churchill and negotiated peace with Hitler eight years before, enjoys a country retreat. Lucy is a minor daughter of two politicians in the group; since her marriage to a London Jew, relations have been strained. So shes surprised when she and husband David are invited for the weekend. Then, overnight, a different member of the set is found murdered, with abundant signs that the killing was ritualistic. As the authorities begin to investigate, it becomes clear to Lucy and David that they were invited in order to pin the murder on David. But whoever devised this conspiracy didnt reckon on the man from Scotland Yard being someone with his own private reasons for sympathizing with outcastsand looking beyond the obvious. As the trap slowly shuts on Lucy and David, they begin to see a way out -- a way fraught with peril in a darkening world. More than an alternate-history story, more than a drawing-room mystery, Farthing is a compelling story of encroaching darkness and the people who ultimately decide to resist it.

Customer Reviews:

Farthing worth-less.......2007-10-01

The dialogue is so badly written I couldn't force myself to get past page 10.

Built me up and let me down.......2007-09-24

I won't summarize the plot as this has been done by a number of reviewers.

I found this book very intriguing at first. As a devotee of the English drawing room mystery genre and the WWII alternate history thriller genre, I was thrilled to see these two genres combined. But as the book wore on, the mystery did not seem to go anywhere. The detective wasn't doing much detecting that I could see. Of course you like the two main characters and root for them to get away but by the time they go on the run the book is practically over, so you don't get much "thriller" either.
When the book ended, I felt very let down and dissatisfied.

I also got tired of all the gay characters. It didn't add anything to the story and probably would have been much better if only the Inspector were gay, instead of David and Hugh and the murderer and Mummy and Suky, et. al

England for the English.......2007-09-06

Farthing is an alternate history novel of England, similar in timeframe to SS-GB but with one big difference: the English and Germans had come to terms in 1941; the Continent had been left to Hitler and England to the English. In this novel, it's not easy to see which landmass got the better bargain.

At first it seems that England was the natural winner. Since the Peace, England has had a smooth course. The Farthing Set -- the group that took Hess's overture for peace and ran with it -- are comfortably ensconced as the saviours of England. While things do not always go their way politically, they've become a permanent force to be reckoned with.

As the story opens James Thirkie, the official leader of the Farthing Set, is visiting Farthing, the childhood home of Lucy Kahn. Lucy herself is not happy being there. She married a Jewish man and was never forgiven by her mother, although her father gave his blessing. Her mother has insisted on their coming, however, and Lucy's husband David hopes that it signals a change in her mother's coolness toward him. The visit has not been a success and Lucy is as confused as to why they were invited as she is happy to be going home to London that Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately for her and David, James Thirkie has been killed overnight. He was found with a yellow star pinned to his chest with a dagger, and suspicion naturally turns to David. It seems to Inspector Carmichael from Scotland Yard a clumsy attempt to influence the direction of his investigation, and he perseveres in ignoring the bait dangling so tantalizingly close.

This is a marvelous political murder mystery in which religion, station, political stance, and even sexual orientation all play a part in how the mystery is unfolded. That England would have refused to fight and instead accommodated Hitler in his conquest of Europe seems implausible at first but every detail fits neatly into a mosaic of accommodation and the birth of England's own version of fascism seems the natural result of actions taken over the Peace years.

This book doesn't read at all like Science Fiction, which is where I found it. I'm torn as to whether it should be shelved in General Fiction, however, because I could easily see someone reading this and believing it to be a true history of England's war, it's that detailed and believable. I think this is the first Jo Walton book I've read and it certainly won't be the last.

A very disturbing Alternate history.......2007-07-15

This book shows what made have happened and how the world would be different if Rudolf Hess's Peace Mission had succeeded. It is frightening to think how much potential both the United States and Great Britain had for fascism during World War Two and how much similar potential both countries have for fascism today.

Not quite Cliveden, but very good........2007-05-06

A murder mystery set in an alternative history in which World War II was brought to an end in 1941 (as a result of Rudolf Hess's harebrained 'mission'). Britain is moving towards fascism under the influence of the 'Farthing' set (based on the Cliveden set in actual history) of conservative aristocrats. A story of frightening possibilities, and one relevant to us today.

Two small quibbles: a knighthood does not disqualify from membership in the House of Commons, as the author suggests; and the bird on the farthing was, as far as I can recall, a wren rather than a robin.

Great American Houses and Gardens: A Pop-up Book

Average customer rating:

Great American Houses and Gardens
Fantastic glimpse into a variety of houses and gardens
A STUNNING BOOK!!

Great American Houses and Gardens: A Pop-up Book
Chuck Fischer
Manufacturer: Universe Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Reference | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The White House Pop-Up Book
Frank Lloyd Wright in Pop-up
Christmas in New York: A Pop-Up Book
Architecture Pop Up Book
The California Pop-Up Book

ASIN: 0789307987
Release Date: 2002-10-25

Book Description

Filled with an array of surprises, the book features historically accurate artwork exclusively drawn by artist Chuck Fischer, who combines real photography with his own painting to create a masterpiece in each double-page spread. The spread includes pops of both house and garden, and informative booklets about each estate's house, gardens, and history.

Among the fabulous pop-ups are elaborate full-scale replicas of Biltmore and Monticello, as well as a moveable carousel showing each season in the famed Winterthur gardens. A concertina allows a see-through of the Governor's Palace at Colonial Williamsburg.

Customer Reviews:

Great American Houses and Gardens.......2003-01-10

This could have been a fantastic pop-up and when I first examined it, I thought it was. Unfortunately, the pop-ups don't 'pop'; you literally have to open them. My first reaction was that the book was stiff because of the newness but it has not gotten better. My second disappointment is the lack of gardens; this is essentially the houses. If anyone wants a pop-up for the gardens, get the one about Monet's Garden; it is great.

Fantastic glimpse into a variety of houses and gardens.......2002-10-23

This was one of the more creative books I have delved into in ages. There is a wide variety of properties chosen with beautiful illustrations by Byfield that put you there for a moment. The book also has on each page a couple of little attached booklets for futher interesting facts to be had. This is a fantastic gift for yourself or someone else who enjoys traveling, art and miscellaneous facts, amongst other things.

A STUNNING BOOK!!.......2002-10-23

This is a gorgeous and inventive book...The mixture of paintings and photographs is flawless and the choice of homes is exquisite. I've already bought 3 more copies as Christmas gifts!

Celebrating the American Home: 50 Great Houses from 50 American Architects

Average customer rating:

50 Carefully Selected Houses
An impressively produced and organized contribution

Celebrating the American Home: 50 Great Houses from 50 American Architects
Joanne Kellar Bouknight
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Design & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Creating the Inspired House: Discovering Your Place Called Home
The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design (American Institute Architects)
A House on the Water
The House You Build: Making Real-World Choices to Get the Home You Want (American Institute Architects)
The Face of Home: A New Way to Look at the Outside of Your House

ASIN: 1561587613
Release Date: 2005-05-01

Book Description

Celebrating the American Home brings together the best 50 houses featured in books from the Taunton Press in the past five years. These houses, which range from the irresistibly cozy to the magisterial to the daringly innovative, were selected by a panel of distinguished residential architects who are members of the American Institute of Architects including Jeremiah Eck, Duo Dickinson, and John Connell, who chose the houses based on how well they reflected the core qualities of great home design.

Each house is showcased in four to six pages and shown from a variety of views, with a brief introductory text explaining what makes the house unique and color photographs illustrating the key design features. Sidebars elaborate on why the architects selected each house, while an introductory chapter provides a detailed explanation of those core qualities that distinguish a great home: human-size scale, livability, quality of craft, connection to site, and distinctive design.

Customer Reviews:

50 Carefully Selected Houses.......2005-08-13

The publisher of this book, The Taunton Press, has published a series of outstanding book on homes in America. Unlike many publishers, they have not concentrated on the giant mansions that few of us can afford. This book is a compilation of houses selected from about ten years of hous books. It features fifty homes, perhaps ten percent of the homes featured in all of their books, that have been selected by a panel of distinguished residential architects using a number of criteria based on both attractive design and things like livability.

I'm thinking of building a new house. I live alone, kids are gone, I don't like house cleaning so want a small easy maintenance house. That's not to say that some distinctive architecture would hurt. There are some houses here that really have me thinking. One in Kansas was built to a $50,000 budget using a lot of salvaged commercial building pieces such as trusses.

Then at the end of the book, three of the architects who helped select the 50 houses have short essays on residential artechitecture. This is a splendid coffee table book, but beyond that, if you've any thought of building, this is a marvelous book.

An impressively produced and organized contribution .......2005-06-07

Celebrating The American Home: 50 Great Houses From 50 American Architects by licensed architect Joanne Kellar Bouknight showcases the architectural plans for fifty homes selected by a panel of distinguished residential architects (John Connell, Duo Dickinson, Jeremiah Eck, Richard Hayes, Kerry Dietz) based on how well these houses reflect core qualities of great residential design. Profusely illustrated with 350 color photos, Celebrating The American Home is an impressively produced and organized contribution to professional, academic, and community library Architectural Studies collections.

Great All-American Wooden Toybook (Reader's Digest Woodworking)

Average customer rating:

Thorough with step by step instruction
A Great Toy Book!
Great book for the skilled woodworker with good tools
The Second Best Book Ever Written for Toymakers
Great Book

Great All-American Wooden Toybook (Reader's Digest Woodworking)
Norm Marshall
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Toys | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Wood Toys | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Making Heirloom Toys
Making Toys That Teach: With Step-by-Step Instructions and Plans
Making Wooden Toys: 12 Easy-to-Do Projects with Full-Size Templates
30 Toy Vehicles of Wood
Tremendous Toy Trucks: With Step-by-Step Instructions and Plans for Building 12 Trucks

ASIN: 0762101725

Book Description

Build any one of 50 top-quality toys with the help of exploded diagrams, photos, material lists and detailed step-by-step instructions.

Customer Reviews:

Thorough with step by step instruction.......2005-04-24

I echo what the other reviewers have already said. Excellent intro to wood toy making provided you have or can get access to tools. Good step by step instructions. This book is a good way to develop your woodworking skills without being overwhelmed.

A Great Toy Book!.......2002-11-28

This book is great for making fun, easy projects that make great gifts. I have made a total of four trucks from this book. This book is a great way to introduce woodworking to kids. I would reccomend this book to anyone.

Great book for the skilled woodworker with good tools.......2002-07-13

Since I purchased this book I have madea Model T Ford and am now making a Stearman biplane.
The instructions are generally clear with good illustrations. Most of the projects are not for beginners and most require a table or radial arm saw, a band saw and a power drum/belt sander. The author's suggestion to use knotty pine is economical but most of this wood in my local home improvement stores is warped, bowed and generally a pain to work with. Spend a little more and use clear pine or better yet, poplar which in my area is available in many different sizes and thicknesses. Also, the author may love resawing wood to get the sizes that he recommends but it would be a lot easier to scale the projects so that they require standard thicknesses.

The Second Best Book Ever Written for Toymakers.......2001-10-10

I bought this book a few years ago when I started making wooden toys.
I loved the designs in this book. They ranged from simple to more complext to suit differing levels of skill. Of course as your own level of skill increases, you can confidently tackle some of the tougher projects, although even the toughest of them was not overly difficult.
I began selling the toys I was making from these plans at craft shows. They went like hot cakes! I could not make enough of them. Seems I wasn't the only one who thought these toys were neat.
But for the Toymaker, whether you are a hobbyist, or looking to make a living with them, these toys are easy to make, great looking, and popular!

Great Book.......2001-07-08

The author has a very nice approach to toy making, putting every step in the perspective of the main objective of a toy: making children happy. It has a nice hands-on approach and even when it lacks some detail, the projects look very nice when finished. Making some of the toys as been very challenging because of the limited tools I own, still you can get around most parts with a scroll saw, a hand drill and a belt sander.

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