How to Raise an American: 1776 Fun and Easy Tools, Tips, and Activities to Help Your Child Love This Country

How to Raise an American: 1776 Fun and Easy Tools, Tips, and Activities to Help Your Child Love This Country
Average customer rating:

This may be the most important book published in years

refreshing

Silly and Politically Motivated

Gresham's law for intellect.

presumption

How to Raise an American: 1776 Fun and Easy Tools, Tips, and Activities to Help Your Child Love This Country
Myrna Blyth , and Chriss Winston
Manufacturer: Crown Forum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Civics | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Family Activities | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Child Development | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0307339211
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

Do you love America? Are you proud to call this country your home? Now, what about your kids? You want them to love America as much as you do, but when popular culture tells them it’s cooler to bash this country than to love it, how can you teach them to be proud and loyal citizens?

As mothers themselves, bestselling author Myrna Blyth and former presidential speechwriter Chriss Winston have struggled with the same dilemma. Shocked by the growing patriotism gap, they set out to create a real-world resource all parents can use to teach their kids about the greatness of America’s past, the promise of its future, and the important role each of us plays in this democracy. How to Raise an American shows you how to make patriotism a priority without it becoming a chore for you or your kids.

This practical guide offers tips, games, activities, quizzes, and information you can use to make patriotism part of your family’s daily life, including:

- 60-Minute Solutions that easily and seamlessly instill a love of this country
- Dinner Table Debate topics that will have the whole family talking
- Road trip ideas that bring America’s history to life
- Books and movies that exemplify our shared ideals
- Inspiring stories of American courage, honor, and ingenuity
- Fun and educational ways to celebrate American holidays like the Fourth of July and Veterans Day

Blyth and Winston consulted prominent historians, academics, military leaders, politicians, authors, scholars, film critics and parents around the country to bring you a truly useful guide. Part treatise on patriotism, part American history primer, part civics lesson, this book is the antidote to the virulent America bashing our children hear every day.

Inspiring and practical, How to Raise an American is a must for every patriot—parent and child.

Customer Reviews:

This may be the most important book published in years.......2007-09-30

With a son-in-law still serving in the military after his retirement and a grandson having just graduated from West Point and going to Ranger school, imagine my shock to hear our 15-year-old granddaughter telling her brother that America isn't worth fighting for. I could hear her ancestors (who have fought in every war the USA has faced, beginning with the Revolution and French/Indian Wars) rolling in their collective graves. However, I'm smart enough to know not to argue with her. I have, though, been looking for a way to change her mind.

Then I stumbled on this book at the library. THANK YOU, Ms. Blyth and Ms. Winston. This is exactly what I need. Fortunately I love history, especially American history, and can easily take the projects and ideas in the book and develop them to fit our family.

Furthermore, I am relieved and encouraged to see that others have not only recognized the problem but have studied it and have found solutions to offer. It's always nice to know that one isn't fighting alone.

refreshing.......2007-06-11

I just finished reading this book, and I honestly can say I believe that I had been unknowingly temporarily influenced by the media. While I was reading about critics of the U.S. I realized that I have bought into a lot of the hype and negativity, focusing on a lot of bad and not remembering the tremendous good we do and have done as a country. I found myself getting teary eyed throughout the book with the stories of our founding fathers, immigrants, and military. Thank you for the dose of reality it gave me. I think it is hard to find a balance between looking at things through the media and looking at things through rose colored glasses. I loved the part of the book where the author talked about how the United States of America started as an idea, not by people who wanted more power, or wanted to rule, but by men who believed that all people had the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", that we were all created equal. And through this idea, they wanted to form a more perfect government.
Amazing....
This book is full of interesting facts like the reason John Hancock's signature was so big is because he wanted to make sure that King George could read it without his spectacles. I love this country, I feel blessed to have been born here and to raise my three children here. I am determined to help them appreciate this great country, and the freedoms we enjoy. My family and I are going to celebrate Flag day this year for the first time, by reading a small book about the flag, learning how to fold it, and learning about the design and history of it.
Thank you very much for this much needed book!

Silly and Politically Motivated.......2007-06-03

First of all, I love this country and what it stands for. But what I dont understand is how conservatives like Myrna Blyth can label anyone who doesn't agree with her as angry and hateful, while picking right up on her hatred and suspicion of the media and liberals. For example this book is "the perfect antidote for all the liberal bile and anti-American bigotry that the left imposes on public schools, universities, Hollywood morons, and of course the news media"? I haven't heard this much hatred since listening to Bill O'Reilly.

Unfortunately this book is just plain silly and is filled with inaccuracies and politically-motivated content. If you want your kids to learn about this country, take them to a museum or to Washington DC or Philadelphia.

Gresham's law for intellect........2007-05-27

Think tanks most often provide "commissioned" sources for policy makers and ideologues or "hired guns" like attorneys for the rich. Like the Gresham's Law describing how bad adulterated currency drives out the good; these sources generally provide adulterated thinking rather than quality dialog and solid logic. They are a source of intellectual decline. Heritage sponsored promotion of this book. One is reminded of flags on lapels of those who undermine the Constitution while rhetorically exaggerating their defense of American freedoms.

Myrna Blyth's book is an example which also suggests that people, reading less, have lost much of their critical capacity while seeing what they believe and wanting confirmation of their bias rather than a rational challenge. The purpose is to create little patriots with heroes and selective history.

Her methods and examples exemplify, despite pretense, brainwashing more than enlightenment. Too strong? Consider the ironies (lost on the author) that idealizing American democracy should require books to write more about the Moon landing (technology) rather than detailing Iran Contra and similar policies. She also writes that more teaching of history and rational discussion are needed - but then dismisses as unworthy of debate the arguments of the "Communist" Howard Zinn. She also seems to ignore that the decline of teaching history is itself part of the educational policy of creating technicians and worker automatons who lack the desire, habit, and capacity to question authority.

Some of the most incredibly stupid statements and policies have been accepted, against all independent logic, from just such "patriotism". As Lincoln noted, most of the people can be fooled most of the time - especially with this kind of "patriotic" education. One might be reminded that Fascism is built on extreme nationalism and the coaltion of government and the military industrial complex (to use Eisenhower's term).

One might also consider that idealization of heroes is like war memorials - designed to forget all but myths and so ignore the errors and crimes of governments. Reagan is responsible for the terrorism of the School of the Americas, Iran-Contra, assassinations and not by any means the sole reason for Soviet decline. Ford was a nice guy but pardoned a scoundrel, supported the Chilean intervention (installing more like Fascism than democracy), and Timor genocide. Ideas have consequences and our leaders have no fear of judgment for their crimes or mistakes. Phony heroes destroy America and false patriotism is cancerous. Concentrate on reality and things we can legitimately be proud of. Flags can make Nazis as easily as free peoples. As Mark Twain said, one can always love one's country while still only sometimes its government.

presumption.......2007-05-21

It seems overly presumptuous to attempt to instill particular beliefs in your childern. The role of a parent is to foster education and knowledge, teach your childern how to think critically for themselves and not rely on others to form their all important beleifs. Attempting to dictate your childs point of view is extremely detrimental to their intellectual development and if American parents are to do this it will inevitably lead to a far weaker nation in the future. The best way to contribute to your child forming a positive point of view of his country is to contribute in making America a better place.

The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook

Average customer rating:

Not for me....
more than I expected
The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook
Bought for a Gift
A true Southern delight

The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook
Paula H. Deen
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

The Lady & Sons, Too!: A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah
The Lady & Sons Just Desserts: More Than 120 Sweet Temptations from Savannah's Favorite Restaurant
Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!
Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life

ASIN: 0375751114
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Book Description

From one of the most frequently visited restaurants in Savannah, The Lady & Sons, comes this collection of down-home Southern family favorites. Paula H. Deen, the owner and proprieter, has created a friendly cookbook filled with hundreds of quick and easy recipes. Perfect for home entertainment, family picnics, or Sunday dinners, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook completes any kitchen.

"I tell Savannah-bound friends that if they want a short course in the meaning of Southern cooking--the flavors, the ambience, indeed the very heart of Southern cooking--they should drop in at The Lady & Sons."
--from the introduction by JOHN BEHRENDT, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

"The recipes in this book are so wonderful, I almost ate the book!"
--FANNIE FLAGG, author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Customer Reviews:

Not for me...........2007-10-06

I was really disappointed with this cookbook. As much as I enjoy Paula Deen what I've cooked from this book turned out to be slop. The Sunday Morning Casserole was disgusting and bland. Maybe southern cooking just isn't my thing since I'm used to a different kind of palate of european style cooking. God knows I've tried to do the southern cooking thing, but I'll pass on this book and all the rest of her books. I still enjoy Paula's shows and adore her personality. She seems like a real sweetheart.

more than I expected.......2007-09-27

my family and I love the down home food easy prep. that goes into these meals and the thought that we don't have to settle for the same old, same old all the time thank you

The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.......2007-05-13

A great cookbook! Wonderful recipes, presented in an easy to follow format. The recipes taste as good as they sound!

Bought for a Gift.......2007-03-13

Since this was a gift I don't know anything about it.

A true Southern delight.......2007-01-16

This cookbook is the best I've seen yet! It has tons of recipes for foods that Grandma made for us way back when. I am thrilled with the wide variety of recipes that it contains (and most are pretty simple to make).

Average customer rating:

A fine story of a dangerous quest emerges, involving listeners in a delicate, finely honed drama.
I will buy his next book but...
The lyrical prose and powerful sense of place
As Publisher's Weekly said, "a snoozer."
Not the Piano Tuner

A Far Country
Daniel Mason
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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The Piano Tuner: A Novel
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ASIN: 0375414665
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

From the best-selling author of The Piano Tuner, a stunning new novel about a young girl’s journey through a vast, unnamed country in search of her brother.

Raised in a remote village on the edge of a sugarcane plantation, fourteen-year-old Isabel was born with the gift and curse of “seeing farther.” When drought and war grip the backlands, her brother Isaias joins a great exodus to a teeming city in the south. Soon Isabel must follow, forsaking the only home she’s ever known, her sole consolation the thought of being with her brother again. But when she arrives, she discovers that Isaias has disappeared. Weeks and then months pass, until one day, armed only with her unshakable hope, she descends into the chaos of the city to find him.

Told with astonishing empathy, and strikingly visual, the story of Isabel’s quest—her dignity and determination, her deeply spiritual world—is a universal tale about the bonds of family and a sister’s love for her brother, about journeys and longing, survival and true heroism.

A tour de force of great emotional and narrative power.

Customer Reviews:

A fine story of a dangerous quest emerges, involving listeners in a delicate, finely honed drama........2007-09-08

Anne Twomey narrates this vivid story of a young girl's journey through an unnamed country in search of her brother. Isabel has the gift of second sight - when war changes her life and separates her from her brother, it may be the only thing that can help her locate him. A fine story of a dangerous quest emerges, involving listeners in a delicate, finely honed drama.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I will buy his next book but..........2007-09-07

I wanted to love this as much as I loved "The Piano Tuner"...but it just didn't grab me. I spent much of the time trying to figure out if we were in the present day or in the future when global warming has REALLY kicked in. (I kept getting a feeling like I was reading "Friend of the Earth" meets "The Running Man".)

I also thought maybe more would be made of the "sixth sense" of the main character. All of this second guessing means that I didn't appreciate the careful drawing of Isabel and her relationship with her brother. I liked it - but not in a way that will stay with me the way Mason's first book did.

The lyrical prose and powerful sense of place.......2007-05-30

Daniel Mason's haunting THE PIANO TUNER left an indelible imprint on my memory, which helped to launch a never-to-be forgotten visit to Southeast Asia in 2004. Such can be the power of a gifted writer --- that the potency of his words can open doors and windows of the mind to seek further information on the subject, learn more about the circumstances in the book, or even to book passage to lands far away. So it was with great hopes when Mason's newest, A FAR COUNTRY, became available, and I grabbed it without hesitation.

Isabel is the 14-year-old daughter of a farm laborer and his wife, living next to a sugar cane plantation in an unnamed equatorial America country, quite likely Brazil. Her older brother Isaias is a talented violinist who chafes at the idea of being forever tied to seasonal work cutting cane or loading river barges, the occupation of villagers for generations. Drought and the increasing attacks by raiders as poverty spreads among the displaced peasants drive Isais to join the growing Diaspora of young people who drift hopefully toward the city in the south. On his infrequent returns home, he talks glowingly of gaining fame as a musician, always going back to the city and sending small amounts of money to help out his impoverished family. His visits stop, replaced by occasional phone calls, and then he simply vanishes.

Isabel yearns for her brother, and when she is needed to babysit for a few weeks for her cousin in the same city that has swallowed Isaias, she is eager to follow him. With little more than a few dollars and a meager lunch, she embarks on a journey via "parrot perch" --- riding in an open flatbed truck on a four-day journey to the South. She arrives, after much travail, in The Settlements. She has directions to her cousin's apartment in a neighborhood called Eden, a name that turns out to be a cruel joke. Eden is nothing more than an endless sprawl of tin-roofed shanties, baking in the tropical heat, indistinguishable from hundreds of other neighborhoods housing millions of displaced camposinos in pursuit of work and shelter. When she finally locates the apartment, she is distraught to find that Isaias, whom she expected to be there to greet her, has not been seen for weeks.

And so begins Isabel's search through the teeming city for her brother, with baby Hugo, her cousin's son, on her hip. Isabel was born with a second sight, an ability that frightened her parents to the degree that they had her exorcized by a holy woman. But she still feels the uncanny, compelling presence of her brother, which drives her to find him. She enters the world of people looking for "the disappeared" --- the tens of thousands who come to the city and are never heard from again. Yet she feels that he is close at hand, watching over her, and cannot abandon her quest.

A FAR COUNTRY is a bittersweet journey of the heart; a story of family love yearning for security and survival. Mason's brilliant lyrical prose carries the reader along in a mixture of fantasy and reality. While the story verges on magical realism, it is not in the mystical realm of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende. Yet the surreal location and Isabel's ability to find lost objects and people whom she loves lend itself to the genre.

While A FAR COUNTRY doesn't quite achieve the magic and panoramic exotica of Mason's first triumph, it still offers the lyrical prose and powerful sense of place, which is quite enough if armchair travel to other places through a good book is your goal.

--- Reviewed by Roz Shea

As Publisher's Weekly said, "a snoozer.".......2007-05-14

Reviews by Amazon readers were very encouraging but I should have read the Publisher's Weekly review at the top of the page. That review gets it exactly right; good descriptive writing, but a bit cliched, and ultimately a snoozer. If I had not been trapped on a 10-hour flight with nothing else to read, I would have put it down half way through when I realized there was very little story, just description.

Not the Piano Tuner.......2007-05-09

As stated in many of the reviews, Mason certainly has a talent for writing truly amazing descriptions of reality; however, that is basically all this novel is. I couldn't get into the story, what there was of it. Mason's earlier novel, Piano Tuner was phenomenal in that it was not only deliciously descriptive, but it also a great story. I just didn't enjoy this story. To be frank, I found it a bit boring. Having said that, I will eagerly await Mason's next novel.

Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!

Average customer rating:

Southern delights
My wife loves it.
Just wonderful with a stick of butter!
Paula is so entertaining....
Great Book

Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!
Paula Deen
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

The Lady & Sons Just Desserts: More Than 120 Sweet Temptations from Savannah's Favorite Restaurant
Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life
The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook
The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook Collection

ASIN: 1400064554
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Book Description

As owner and proprietor of The Lady & Sons restaurant in Savannah, Paula Deen is one of the South’s most celebrated chefs. Now two of her cherished culinary classics–The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!–have been combined into one delicious volume, available in hardcover for the first time.

As a special treat, Paula Deen’s Kitchen Classics includes candid photos from Paula’s recent wedding, as well as scrumptious new dishes from the reception, tasty creations that have never appeared in any of her other books.

Here are hundreds of mouthwatering, easy-to-follow recipes. For appetizers, soups, and salads, whip up some Georgia Spiced Pecans, Mini Onion Quiches, She Crab Soup, and Gingersnap Pear Salad. The delectable main courses will be the hit of any family supper, Sunday picnic, or dinner party. Who can resist Beaufort Shrimp Pie, The Lady’s Oven-Roasted Ribs, Ron’s Grilled Peanut Butter Ham, or Hot Savannah Chicken Salad Casserole?

Enhance any meal with heavenly side dishes like Crunchy New Potatoes, Collard Greens, and, of course, Fried Green Tomatoes. And what meal is complete without sinful desserts–from Mississippi Mud Cake and Cherry Cream Cheese Pie to Sliced Nut Cookies and Butterscotch Delight? Is your stomach growling yet?

Seasoned with Paula’s practical kitchen hints and her friendly, no-nonsense observations, Paula Deen’s Kitchen Classics is the perfect gift for experienced cooks, budding chefs, and anyone who loves comfort food.

Customer Reviews:

Southern delights.......2007-09-20

Paula makes cooking easy and fun. Let's face it folks........this is NOT Cordon Bleu! The recipes are very good and makes use of plenty of 'helper' ingredients like canned cream style soups, cake mixes and self rising flour. Boy, does she ever use lots of butter!! It is a book I'll use often cuz it makes sense in our busy lives. The 'helper' ingredients were a surprise but so sensible. Plus, you get two of her books in one binding.

My wife loves it........2007-09-14

My wife is addicted to the Food Network, and her favorite hostess/chef is Paula Deen. I bought her this book for her birthday, and she proceeded to read it like a novel. She quickly picked out her favorite recipes and made a shopping list right away. She hasn't told me when I get a taste of the new recipes, but I can't wait.

Just wonderful with a stick of butter!.......2007-07-05

I started watching Paula Deen and like so many folks just thought she was wonderful. Her Food Network Chefography was great and showed she had an idea and a need and went for it. I purchased these book for my cooking challenged cousin as I had tried a couple of her recipies and they were fabulous, just no way of messing up. I just recently tried her Red Velvet cake for a cousin and he was thrilled. What really made me look at her books was a friend who baked Paula's sour cream pound cake with caramel topping, this was wonderful!!! As a cake baker, myself, I really don't eat a lot of cake but I'm always willing to have a slice especially if I didn't have to bake it, THIS CAKE WAS WONDERFUL! I had a couple of slices!!! I went to library and got all of her books that I could find and now I am going to buy a couple of them for myself! I unfortunately did not like the format for her friends cookbook and would rather just watch Paula's Party then read it but the recipies are still great. I hope you'll enjoy her TV shows and books too! and keep a stick of butter handy.

Paula is so entertaining...........2007-05-14

Along with those decadent recipies, Paula is so funny and entertaining. Recipies are easy to follow....tasty and an eye pleaser. Enjoy using the book on a regular basis....favorite recipie....Shrimp stuffed wrapped with bacon....Delicious!!!!

Great Book.......2007-05-13

Its a good Book but not what we thought it would be. But worth the money.

Average customer rating:

Vonnegut at the end
Beautiful
A banal book from a great writer
Not Kurt's best
A Few Last Jabs . . .

A Man Without a Country
Kurt Vonnegut
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Reference & Collections | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Essays | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Slaughterhouse-Five
Fates Worse Than Death
Cat's Cradle
Breakfast of Champions
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian

ASIN: 081297736X
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“[This] may be as close as Vonnegut ever comes to a memoir.”
–Los Angeles Times

“Like [that of] his literary ancestor Mark Twain, [Kurt Vonnegut’s] crankiness is good-humored and sharp-witted. . . . [Reading A Man Without a Country is] like sitting down on the couch for a long chat with an old friend.”
–The New York Times Book Review

In a volume that is penetrating, introspective, incisive, and laugh-out-loud funny, one of the great men of letters of this age–or any age–holds forth on life, art, sex, politics, and the state of America’s soul. From his coming of age in America, to his formative war experiences, to his life as an artist, this is Vonnegut doing what he does best: Being himself. Whimsically illustrated by the author, A Man Without a Country is intimate, tender, and brimming with the scope of Kurt Vonnegut’s passions.

“For all those who have lived with Vonnegut in their imaginations . . . this is what he is like in person.”
–USA Today

“Filled with [Vonnegut’s] usual contradictory mix of joy and sorrow, hope and despair, humor and gravity.”
–Chicago Tribune

“Fans will linger on every word . . . as once again [Vonnegut] captures the complexity of the human condition with stunning calligraphic simplicity.”
–The Australian

“Thank God, Kurt Vonnegut has broken his promise that he will never write another book. In this wondrous assemblage of mini-memoirs, we discover his family’s legacy and his obstinate, unfashionable humanism.”
–Studs Terkel

Customer Reviews:

Vonnegut at the end.......2007-09-27

It occurred to me while reading "A Man Without a Country", Kurt Vonnegut's last offering, that we all have it in us to write a comparable book regarding our own lives. However, few of us could write in the style of Vonnegut, and his short but pointed book is well worth the hour or so it takes to read.

"A Man Without a Country" blends humor, fact, sarcasm, wit and a lifetime of observation. It is Andy Rooney, Garrison Keillor and George Carlin wrapped into a small package of good writing, Vonnegut-style, of course. Age brings perspective and with that Vonnegut has plenty on which to comment. As one who survived the bombing of Dresden in 1945, the author has an earned platform to speak about war and he does so quite often in this book. But it's his humor, often black but always funny, that propels things along. Vonnegut, a humanist, addressed a group of fellow humanists upon the death of Isaac Asimov. He told the assemblage, "Isaac is up in heaven now". Vonnegut goes on to say, "it was the funniest thing I could have said to an audience of humanists. I rolled them in the aisles. It was several minutes before order could be restored." Lines like that give a warmth to the book, yet he saves his best line for "W". Vonnegut says, "...do you know why I think George W. Bush is so pissed off at Arabs? They brought us algebra". With that comment I had to take a minute or so away from the book to wipe the tears from my eyes.

I highly recommend "A Man Without a Country" for its appealing nature and visionary comment. Kurt Vonnegut departed this life with just the right things left to say. I could add that "Kurt is up in heaven now", but I wouldn't want to get my fellow humanists going. The book is a pleasure.

Beautiful.......2007-09-06

A conversation with America's greatest writer about the same things everyone in the country had had on their minds that year, this work by the late Kurt Vonnegut was just what I was waiting for and it delivered a kind of comedy and editorial that people all over the country were holding just on the tips of their tongues. Vonnegut is suing PALL MALL cigarettes for keeping him alive in a time when the three most powerful people in the world are named Dick Bush and Colin. He puts himself out there and tells the truth like he always did.

peaCE,

Jacques Paisner, Author of Albuquerque Blues

A banal book from a great writer.......2007-08-14

Another Amazon reviewer, commenting on Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions", wrote (quote) "You know that anything goes once you pick up a work by the zany and terrific Kurt Vonnegut. The man knows how to dish up satire like none other. He'll spew out his complaints about the government, the world, people, etc., and instead of making it sound like a bunch of inane ranting he uses all of that to create a crazy world filled with outrageous characters and situations."

Very nicely said. It is too bad that, at some point, Vonnegut did decide to write up "a bunch of inane ranting", which he then condensed into this booklet. I do love the two books of Vonnegut I have read, and I do think that there is much to be ranted about the government, the world etc etc, but the rants in this book are not mush more valuable than mine or yours, or those of a random guy you hear ranting on your way home on the subway.

It is unfortunate that sometimes great artists feel compelled to stray into areas which are not their own. Even sadder than their beliefs and views end up being listened to just because they come from someone accomplished in something. Unfortunately, being a great writer (and I do think he is), or a great actor or director, does not necessarily make you a very deep political thinker.

To feed any "anti-establishment" feelings, give me any day one of the outstanding investigative reporters out there. There is way too much well documented, well written, honest anti-establishment work out there (Seymour Hersh's "Chain of Command", just to mention one example) to waste time on this sort of booklet. I received it as a gift, and I gave up after a few pages, because I was really getting nothing out of it. Booklets like this one, in my opinion, do more harm than good to the ideas they want to represent.

Not Kurt's best.......2007-08-08

Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors, and I really wanted to read some new material and get his take on the present. We're at a major crossroads in history where a new paradigm is emerging. And yet, there seems few author's worth reading anymore -- not like the Vonnegut's who gave us new and interesting perspectives on decades' past.

Unfortunately, his views on the present are tired and cliche. I almost wish I didn't read this book as it diminishes my respect for the author.

Example: he wrote something about a child being better off in an enlightened country, not the US, which had universal health care and better schools. He blames conservatives/republicans. I felt like throwing the book away! Forget politics (if possible). This is tripe. I thought aloud... we spend a _fortune_ on education and healthcare. The new perspective I was hoping for? ... Euro-socialism I suppose.

What I'm saying is, I didn't want to read tired old left-right, conservative-liberal gibberish. I was hoping for some FRESH ideas from an original, free thinker. I was looking for a new paradigm -- not liberal-lite, shallowness.

A Few Last Jabs . . . .......2007-07-27

Kurt, Kurt, Kurt . . . A few last jabs before you went down for the count. No, this can't be compared to his earlier novels, or his later novels. It is not meant to be---it is a memoir of sorts---his last parting thoughts on the way things are. A Man Without A Country is a concise, simple little ditty, with a few quick jabs to once again jolt the minds of the choir. Like Mark Twain before him, life just plain got to him. I know the feeling. At 57, I am feeling much the same way. After spending some hard-time on earth, dealing with the workings of this world and man's never changing habits, any thinking, caring person would have to throw their hands in the air and say, "When will we ever learn!" And it seems, from Twain's time on---and from way before---back to the first primates to utter a sound and drop from the trees in search of something to kill, man hasn't changed a spit. A Man Without A Country is a dang good little book, and an enjoyable read from a man who will be sorely missed. Hi Ho! Mr. Vonnegut, Hi Ho!

Bewick Cory

Average customer rating:

little black sambo
Review of book purchase.
Important historically, but not delightful
Rembering the good old days
Noteworthy Because of its historical context

The Story of Little Black Sambo

Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0397300069

Book Description

The jolly and exciting tale of the little boy who lost his red coat and his blue trousers and his purple shoes but who was saved from the tigers to eat 169 pancakes for his supper, has been universally loved by generations of children. First written in 1899, the story has become a childhood classic and the authorized American edition with the original drawings by the author has sold hundreds of thousands of copies.

Little Black Sambo is a book that speaks the common language of all nations, and has added more to the joy of little children than perhaps any other story. They love to hear it again and again; to read it to themselves; to act it out in their play.

Customer Reviews:

little black sambo.......2007-09-16

check book dimensions. I was surprised at the size. My mother read this book as a child and has always wanted a copy. I knew of the controversy but had never seen the book myself. After buying it I was eager to see what the fuss was about. I don't get! Apparently it is the pictures which were not done buy a professional(in 1899). As for the name sambo, it was turned into a slur by some bigot and probably would have happened with any name chosen. I'm sure many will be offended when I say "get over it" you brought more attention to this "offense" than it ever would have gotten otherwise. EVERYONE has had an unflattering portrayal at sometime. Let it go. I thought it was a cute story.

Review of book purchase........2007-09-10

I was very pleased with my purchase - prompt and efficient service, reasonable price. I was a little surprised that the book was "mini" size and wished that had been indicated; but I liked it nevertheless. I would definitely purchase again.

Important historically, but not delightful.......2007-04-26

To me, it is not a matter of being offended or not. But if you can read this without any discomfort you need to review your history. Of course kids can like it, but they like throwing rocks at ducks too. What is disturbing to me is how anyone can be nostalgic for a colonial past. Sambo is very lovable, but that is the point. It paid to maintain that the 'primitive' races were childlike, endearingly innocent. This idea of a paternalistic love actually supported Western dominance. They were the 'white man's burden,' permanently in childlike relation to the West, incapable of self rule or living in a modern world. In exchange for being guided to civilization, their natural resources could be had for the superior races. The childlike, innocent native is cut from the same cloth as the threatening cannibal, or the easily scared servant, or the lazy slave. All of these stories came out of that system of beliefs. This is not an Indian folk tale, however clever and tricky Sambo is. This is not, as one reviewer writes, "A loving attempt to reach across the racial divide." The historical record contradicts this reading. Read just a line or two from the official reports written by colonial administrators like Helen Bannerman's husband. This kind of nostalgia erases the history of colonial rule. Maintaining divisions between a ruling class (British) and a subaltern class (colonial subjects) was the whole point of colonialism, of which this tale is a product.You and your children may find this character cute and cuddly, but stop and think about that. So are puppies. It is quite possible to love your mammy or your servant, just as you love your dog. (The mother in this tale is a direct relation of Aunt Jemima and her pancake mix, introduced at the Chicago World's Fair just two years previously) Exactly WHO is nostalgic for this past? I understand how remembering black slaves and coolies as 'happy darkies' is a lot less painful than actually remembering the truth. This was not a simpler time but one in which brutal subordination of a people was sanctioned by the state. If you miss that 'simpler time' I hope you don't live next door to me. My children would not be safe.

Rembering the good old days.......2007-03-09

My wife and I had this book when we were children. We are now in our late 60s.And often talked about this book. Didn't know we could still buy them. This was a great little book.Think every one should read this book. keep up the good work. Thanks

Noteworthy Because of its historical context.......2007-03-05

I recall Little Black Sambo from my childhood as well. My Aunt worked as a domestic for a Jewish household and they would give her their children's discarded playthings to take to her nephews. Little Black Sambo was among the offerings. I remember reading with fascination the story of this child and I knew nothing at the time of its racist connotations. Unfortunately, despite the denial of some of the prior reviewers, it cannot be ignored that this book might be considered offensive to some. Just like the black lawn jockeys that were so popular at one time, and the Aunt Jemima pancake box before they took the bandana off of her head, these icons represent post cival rights era reality. I supppose some of you see nothing wrong with the Little Rascal character Farina with the rags tied in his head, or Buckweat either. I would not advocate banning any of the aforementioned symbols, because I think they should be cherished as a sign of just how far we've come. I have mammy salt and pepper shakers, cookie jars, etc., because as a Black man in America, I want to remember and cherish the past. If I find the version of this book I had as child in which Sambo was jet black with white eyes and huge red lips, I'd add it to my collection in a heartbeat!

The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook Collection

Average customer rating:

Paula H. Deen knows how to cook!
Great Country Cooking
Good set of cookbooks.
southern cooking
Paula Deen

The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook Collection
Paula H. Deen
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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Similar Items:

The Lady & Sons Just Desserts: More Than 120 Sweet Temptations from Savannah's Favorite Restaurant
Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life
Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!
The Lady & Sons, Too!: A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah

ASIN: 0812965221
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Book Description

The Lady and Sons Box Set contains Paula Deen’s first two spiral-bound cookbooks, The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady and Sons, Too!, packaged together in one attractive box. Together, the cookbooks contain over 550 of Paula’s classic, down home, Southern recipes and this boxed set makes a tempting addition to any cookbook collection, and a great gift for friends!

Customer Reviews:

Paula H. Deen knows how to cook!.......2007-10-06

Paula Deen can cook, southern style! I have eaten at Lady & Sons in Savannah a couple of times, and enjoyed it.

These recipes, for the most part, are right up my alley! I am from the hill country of eastern Kentucky, and my Mom cooked a lot like this. My wife has used several of these recipes, and most always they are good. She is also a good "southern" cook, or "country" cook, as I call it.

If you like southern cooking--and butter and fried foods--you will like this recipe collection!

Great Country Cooking.......2007-08-23

I love to read cookbooks and am always looking for ones with the kind of cooking I grew up eating--Paula Deen does a good job keeping her recipes simple and easy to follow plus she cooks with real butter and I fiqure anything is good with butter in it or on it. Some of her recipes are more heart friendly but if you are looking for a health food cookbook this isn't it

Good set of cookbooks........2007-08-07

I guess butter and such doesn't bother me! I read the reviews of this cookbook and some complained that it wasn't good for people watching cholesterol, etc.

Here is a real cholesterol raiser that is soooo good...the cheeseburger meatloaf...it is to die for!!! Great recipe! I have also made squash casserole...really good!

These are good cookbooks!

southern cooking.......2007-06-14

This set of cookbooks is great. I have used them almost everyday. They have real down-home southern recipes that I can identify with from my childhood. I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to cook like the Southern grandmothers.

Paula Deen.......2007-05-31

Great recipes...have tried a few some are a little more involved, some are so easy & a lot of things you have on hand. A great add to your collection of recipes.

The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

Average customer rating:

FRIENDLY WARNING!!!!
This is a nice cookbook with beautiful photographs
Calling All Dessert Cookbook Collectors
The Pastry Queen
"a mighty fine book, lil' lady!!"

The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe
Rebecca Rather , and Alison Oresman
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Pastry | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style
More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen
Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook: The Best Recipes from Southampton's Favorite Bakery for Homestyle Cookies, Cakes, Pies, Muffins, and Breads
The Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook: More Than 80 Recipes for Irresistible, Old-Fashioned Treats
Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations

ASIN: 1580085628

Book Description

Texas accent and all-American flavor, even pitching in to help her put a fresh coat of paint on the porch of her Main Street shop. Rather takes the best of the Lone Star State—pecans, peaches, pralines, chiles, dulce de leche, German sausage—and turns out treats that taste like home, only better than anything homemade ever tasted before. There are the Bacon-Cheddar Scones, the Texas High Hairs Tarts (the only big hair Rather has ever had!), Fourth-of-July's Fried Pies, Turbo-Charged Brownies with Praline Topping, pillowy Kolaches (yeasted buns with savory fillings), dulce de leche, German sausage—and turns out treats that taste like home, only better than anything homemade ever tasted before. Self-taught, Rather's 150 utterly original recipes reflect her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and are guaranteed to get everyone fixin' to bake.

Customer Reviews:

FRIENDLY WARNING!!!!.......2007-09-01

Please don't mistake this book for another one of those cute, novelty regional cookbooks and miss out on a true gem to add to your collection. The recipes are simply AWESOME and it's not the same ol' stuff you find in every other baking cookbook. This one strikes a perfect balance...ALL of the recipes are unique enough to peak your interest yet familiar enough to try. You will reach for this book time and time again. A cookbook well done! I love it!!!

This is a nice cookbook with beautiful photographs.......2007-08-29

I just received this book last weekend. I have paged through it several times to decide which recipe to try first. Some of the recipes are unique, some are pure Texas homecooking, but they all sound delicious. The photographs are beautiful. The book contains mostly dessert recipes, but also entrees, drinks, etc. I recommend it to anyone who wants to try a new dessert or add a new book to their collection.

Calling All Dessert Cookbook Collectors.......2007-08-23

I read about Rebecca's bakery and cookbook in a magazine article. I looked it up the cookbook on Amazon so I could read the reviews and decided to order it. I'm so glad I did because I LOVE this cookbook. I've only made the Tropical Carrot Cake so far and it was delicious. Everyone that tasted it at my church raved about it. I look forward to trying the other recipes too. Besides desserts, there a section on lunches and light dinners too. Most of the recipes sound simple, but are very unique. You won't find these recipes in other cookbooks (i.e. Creme Brulee French Toast, Dulce de Leche Macaroons, Peanut Buttercups with Peanut-Penuche Icing, Almond Bliss German Chocolate Cake). Also, another good thing, a lot of these recipes have been tried and proven great with her bakery/cafe customers. The book itself is a beautiful book. The pages are glossy and the color pictures are beautiful. I love looking through the book even if I'm not planning on cooking.

The Pastry Queen.......2007-06-27

The Pastry Queen cookbook has delicious desserts. The Tuxedo cake is our favorite. The recipes are easy to follow, and have great ingredients. I have recommended this book to all my friends. I hope the author will put out another book soon.

"a mighty fine book, lil' lady!!".......2007-06-23

Yahoo!! A Texas-size book with Texas-size desserts, all on account of one powerhouse lady. Reading her story in the Introduction of the book was as sweet as the recipes that she shares with you. A surprise and humble beginning in the baking world turned into a top rate career for Ms. Rather, and you feel the joy along with her, as you delve further into the sweet-laden pages.

You begin to think that you could just pick up and move on over to Fredericks, Texas and feel like you've been there all along. The casual and comfortable style of writing of both Rebecca Rather, and writer, Alison Oresman, as well as the incredibly delicious recipes, make you want to get started on any page in this heavy, welcoming, and beautifully photographed cookbook. At the same time, Ms. Rather encourages you to play with and modify anything that would suit your tastebuds. There is nothing pretentious or difficult to accomplish in her directions; she pretty much makes you feel at ease, and more importantly, that she is next to you, sharing her knowledge.

There are 8 sections in this tome of Southern baking and each chapter introduction has a little insight as to how everything was chosen for the section:

BREAKFAST EATS, MUFFINS, and SCONES:
Jailhouse Potato-Cinnamon Rolls (great little story to these)
Fresh Ginger-Pear Quick Bread
Eddie's Autumn Pumpkin Bread w/ Pecan Streusel Topping
Jonnie's Breakfast Granola
Kolaches
Mother's Day Pancakes (and her mom seemed to be a great lady too)
Individual Baked Omelets
Creme Brulee French Toast
Banana Bran Muffins
Peach Jam Scones
Chocolate Chip Scones
Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones
Essence of Orange Muffins
Whole Lemon Muffins

PIES and TARTS:
Texas Big Hairs Lemon-Lime Meringue Tarts (the name and recipe is great!)
Texas Big Hairs Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringue Tarts
Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Struesel Topping
Fredericksburg Peach Cream Cheese tart
Frangelico-Hazelnut Fruit Tart
Black and White Cranberry Tarts
Buttermilk Pecan Pie
Fourth of July Fried Pies
Aunt Mollie's Coconut Cream Pie
Chef M:ark's Southern Comfort Apple Pie
Silken Chocolate-Walnut Tart
Grasshopper Pie

EVERYDAY DESSERTS and CANDIES:
Emergency Fruit Crostatas
Petite Pavlovas with Lemon Cream and Fresh Fruit
Hill Country Peach Cobbler
Individual Pear-Maple Cobblers
Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake
Mahogony Cake
Orange-Date Bundt Cake
Totally Rummy Pound Cake
Glazed Lemon-Cranberry Leaf Cake
Oatmeal Crisps
Cappuccino Cheesecakes
Mrs. Chisholm's Divinity
Coconut Cream Flan
Texas Pralines

DESSERTS for SPECIAL OCCASIONS and HOLIDAYS:
American Beauty Cake
Tuxedo Cake
Larger-Than-Life Praline Cheesecake
Bananas Foster Shortcakes
Strawberry Ricotta Cake
Peach Queen Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting
Cream-Filled Pumpkin Roll
Mini Apple-Cinnamon Loaves with Calvados Glaze
Espresso Creme Burlee
Toffee Bar Brownie Torte
Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers
Dulce de Leche-Arborio Rice Pudding
Muchas Leches Cake with Sugared Almonds
Almond Bliss German Chocolate Cake
7th Heaven Chocolate Truffle Cake
White Chocolate-Snickers Mousse
White on White Buttermilk Cake w/ Jack Daniel's Buttercream
Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

COOKIES, BROWNIES, and BARS
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Triple Threat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Saucers
Chock Full of Nuts Cookies
Cafe Chocoalte Cherry Bites
Caramel Filled Brownies
Turbo Charged Brownies with Praline Topping
Double Ginger Chews
Ruby Flecked Florentines
Dulce de Leche Macaroons
Snow Tipped Sand Tarts
Texas Pecan Pie Bars
Blackberry Pie Bars
Lemon Champagne Bars with Strawberry Brulee Topping
Bunches of Biscotti

LUNCHES and LIGHT DINNERS:
Beer Bread
Rocket Rolls
Nuevo Texas Waldorf Salad
Rather Rich Corn Muffins
Apple Almond Chicken Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise
Field Greens w/ Spiced Beans, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Chicken Satay with Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce
Caesar Salad Pizzas
Wild Rice and Chickpea Salad
Wild Mushroom Soup
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Texas Tortilla Soup
Gulf Coast Shrimp Quesadillas
Brie and Brisket Quesadillas
Rather Sweet Bread and Cheese Board
Green Chile Crab Caes with Tomatillo Slasa
All Sold Out Chicken Pot Pie
Prosciutto Tostadas with Shrimp and parsley
King Ranch Casserole
Ground Beef Gorditas
Savory Crab and Shrimp Cheesecake

TREATS KIDS LOVE:
Sticky Fingers Bars
Ginger People
Franny's Fave Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Hot Fudge Sauce
Peanut Buttercups with Peanut Penuche Icing
PB&J Cookies with Honey Roasted Peanuts
Mars Pies
Pretty in Pin Shortbread Pigs
Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies
Jubilation Granola Chews
Pumpkin Yumkins

DRINKS:
Watermelon Lemonade
Frothy Vanilla Milk
Tommye Wood's Milk "Sure Packs a Punch" Punch
Rather Sweet Sagria
Hill Country Guanabana argarita's
No Bull Bloody Marys

INDEX

My only criticism would be in the Introduction portion, where she talks about some of the recipes. It seems that the pages she gives, in which the recipes are supposedly located, are wrong. But since those errors are only in the intro, yet correctly paged in the index, I don't know how much that might matter.

The Pastry Queen Cookbook is one of those volumes of baking and cooking that celebrates the charm and warmth of the South. They are, respectfully speaking, very simple for anyone to make, yet fancy enough to serve at even the most "proper" events. Thanks Rebecca!! Much obliged.

Average customer rating:

"You are a stubborn devil, aren't you?"
Cynical Digging Pays Off
Donna Leon
Fast, Fun Mystery
Interesting in Venice

Death in a Strange Country
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dressed for Death (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries)
Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery
Acqua Alta
A Noble Radiance
Death and Judgment (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries)

ASIN: 0143034820

Book Description

In Death in a Strange Country Commissario Guido Brunetti confronts a grisly sight when the body of a young American is fished out of a fetid Venetian canal. Though all the signs point to a violent mugging, something incriminating turns up in the victimÂ's apartment that suggests the existence of a high level conspiracyÂ—and Brunetti becomes convinced that somebody is taking great pains to provide a ready-made solution to the crime. As dark and riveting as its predecessors, Death in a Strange Country will provide LeonÂ's growing fan base with another chilling read.

Customer Reviews:

"You are a stubborn devil, aren't you?".......2007-09-23

Donna Leon definitely caught my attention with the first book in this series, and now she has made me a fan of her wonderful work. Leon's excellence is based on three main concepts: a complex main character, an enchanting environment, and of course a well-crafted mystery. Commissario Guido Brunetti is one of the most interesting detectives I have encountered in quite some time. His personality and family life make him a character with which we can relate fairly quickly, and his uncompromising attitude towards delivering justice for those that have been wronged is one to admire. Venice is the perfect setting for this character, and allows Leon to use its canals and rich history to add mystique to the plot. And then there is the murder case, which is complex without being contrived, and keeps us interested until we find out the truth.

This novel starts at full speed, catching our interest right away, with a body floating in a canal on a quiet morning. Brunetti is soon placed in charge of the investigation and finds out that the victim is an American and that the killer was either very skilled or very lucky, since death came after a perfect stroke with a blade. When the victim is identified as a Sergeant in an army post in Vicenza, the case becomes much more complicated and Brunetti has to deal with people trying to mislead him and cover up the truth. On top of this, there is a second case, involving a robbery, which adds variety to the story and allows for the introduction of some really colorful characters.

Last time, Leon's work incorporated many aspects related to the world of Opera and classical music, and this time the canals and the way in which their currents work take center stage. As happened in the first book of this series, we get to see a fair amount of what transpires in Brunetti's family life. Leon uses the food proficiently to convey how important meals are in the Italian culture, and how this family time results in captivating interactions. We also get to witness situations in which the culture plays an important role, like fights within the police department with the subsequent grudges, or higher-ups in the department sucking up to powerful people.

I believe that there is not much more to say. This novel is definitely a winner and I recommend it without reservations! I am already looking forward to reading the next Brunetti mystery.

Cynical Digging Pays Off.......2007-09-01

If you liked Death at La Fenice, the debut of this series, you'll probably like the first 80 percent of Death in a Strange Country even better. Seldom have I experienced the joy of seeing most of the second novel in a series far exceed the debut. Unfortunately, the last 20 percent isn't nearly as good as the ending of Death at La Fenice so you will conclude on a down note.

A body floats facedown in a Venetian canal, bumping against the steps of the embankment in front of the Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo. No one notices the corpse until an early rising woman peeks out to see if her husband's boat needs to be bailed out. I'm sure you can feel the rich setting that Donna Leon has wonderfully described for the beginning of the investigation. When no one can be roused on the night shift, Commissario Guido Brunetti is called at home and grumpily heads to the scene. Finding American coins in the deceased's pockets, Brunetti immediately knows he has a hot potato on his hands. Vice-Questore Patta, his superior officer, makes that point even more obvious by poking his nose into the case soon after the beginning.

When the autopsy reveals someone with expert knife skills has dispatched the young man with the American coins in his pocket, Brunetti realizes that this may not be a simple murder. The dead man's teeth show American dental work, and the police begin calling hotels but find no one missing. By analyzing some papers in the corpse's pockets, it looks like the man has come from the American base in Vicenza, near Venice. Could terrorism be involved?

Contacting the base, the MPs don't seem very interested that one of their own might be dead. Eventually, they do find that Sergeant Michael Foster, the base's public health inspector, is missing and send his superior officer, Captain Terry Peters, a female pediatrician. Captain Peters identifies Foster and seems unusually upset and inquisitive. What does she know that she's not sharing?

Traveling to the American base, Brunetti is astonished to see the lengths that Americans go to in recreating their home country on foreign soil. He's even more certain that he's being frozen out of the investigation by the Americans. A surprise find at the dead man's apartment seals that impression and makes him wonder when the attractive Captain Peters will spill the beans to him.

Although I am making this sound like this novel is all about the investigation, that's a false impression. Interspaced with the investigation, Brunetti tends to his family, and we learn a lot about their relationships and family culture. I think you'll be charmed by the Brunettis, especially the parents. They get along well and make room for one another. As with Death at La Fenice, Brunetti also has a social evening with his patrician in-laws. You'll have fun watching how Brunetti has a hard time enjoying himself in a casino.

The case seems at a dead end with key witnesses become unavailable. But a surprise resurrects the opportunity. Brunetti rapidly makes progress. The faster he unravels the mystery, the stronger the forces are that he arouses to put pressure on him to stop investigating.

The first 80 percent of the book has everything you might like in a mystery: a troubling case, unclear motives, a lack of suspects, slender clues, an amusing detective, good character development involving the detective and his family, and a delightful setting to contemplate . . . Venice.

If you don't expect much from the book's conclusion, you won't be as disappointed as I was. The quality of the first 80 percent and the excellent ending of death at La Fenice had led me to expect something brilliant. Instead, I found a cynical ending.

Donna Leon.......2007-08-31

Donna Leon has written over a dozen Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries, all set in the lovely city of Venice which she knows better than most guidebook writers. Brunetti is a warmhearted detctive, in love with his wife and family, his city and justice. Once started in a Donna Leon mystery one has to go on to the next and the next and so as one becomes immersed in her world. I have read ten so far, started m eleventh, and worry that I have only the twelth in reserve. Her books are addictive, fascinating in their depiction of the Venetian state of mine and its many layers io corruption. Her characters are fully realized, her plots intricate, her writing silken.

Fast, Fun Mystery.......2007-07-03

Another mystery in the Comissario Brunetti mystery series! Comissario Brunetti is called in on the case of a murdered John Doe found in a Venice canal, who turns out to be on the public health staff at the local American military base in Vicenza. As he's working on the case, his supervisor pulls him off of it to work on a local robbery of a well to do Milanese who has just finished renovating a palazzo in Venice. As more people are found "murdered" Brunetti gets deeper and deeper into both cases - will he be able to solve the case before someone else is found murdered?

Donna Leon's strength is her impeccable description of Venice, the city itself and the lifestyle of it's citizens. Any lover of Venice will certainly enjoy these mysteries. The Venice setting is what keeps me coming back for more as I find the mysteries themselves to be lacking somewhat. Overall not a book that I would recommend as a "must read" but an enjoyable fast read for those who love Venice.

Interesting in Venice.......2007-01-16

I am finding these books very interesting especially since I was in Venice in May 2005. It is very easy to visulaize the setting she uses in the book so that you can easily move along in the story. The subject of the story was also very interesting and different. I plan to read more in the series.

Average customer rating:

Travels with the ugly Americans
A built-in fan club
Nicholas Sparks best book so far!!!!
A good read
Three Weeks with My Brother

Three Weeks with My Brother
Micah Sparks , and Nicholas Sparks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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At First Sight
True Believer
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ASIN: B000EHSMKY

Book Description

In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother Micah set off on a three-week trip around the world. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at 37 and 38 respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. As Nicholas and Micah travel the globe, the intimate story of their family unfolds in the details of the untimely deaths of their parents and only sister. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world, the Sparks brothers band together to heal, to remember, and to learn to live life to the fullest.

Customer Reviews:

Travels with the ugly Americans.......2007-09-25

This is for the book on CD and I just couldn't get through it. From his loud brother yelling at the airport raising his arms up -- the overgrown frat boy -- to the same brother lying down on a Mayan temple and wondering why it's sacred and being offended that he couldn't get his picture taken on it. Of course, Nicholas doesn't call is brother out on this. What would Micah think if someone laid across a U.S. flag and wanted their photo on it?

They mock other cultures, laugh at pottery, are bored with much of the trip ... and the knuckleheads on the trip with them (I can't believe these people are college graduates) don't understand why Spanish is being spoken over the Super Bowl commentary in Peru. "What is he saying," they ask. You don't know what Spanish sounds like and you're stunned it's broadcast on Peruvian TV? Again, Nicholas has no comment on just how clueless these people are. The author without an opinion.

I continued to get offended by the rich frat-kid type brothers as much as Nicholas' boring, dry, uneventful prose. Also, some of the stuff they did as kids was more than just rambunctious, it was violent. (I.E. rolling people up in carpet and then jumping on them.) Of course, Nicholas -- ever the spectator without an opinion -- does nothing. Clearly the immature children barely grew up.

This is a frustrating read on the trip around the world by two arrogant elitists. Count me out.

A built-in fan club.......2007-09-03

It's apparent to me from reading all the hymns to Sparks' book that the legions of fans of his overwrought, over-emotional novels have flooded the reviews portion of this book, too. While I can't completely condemn the book, primarily because I learned something from some of the histories of the places the brothers visited, I would much have preferred more about the places themselves--NOT the brothers' reactions to them. Other reviewers have commented on the "Ugly American" aspects of their behavior, so there is no need for me to do it, suffice it to say that I agree with those reviewers.
I was touched by their grief over the losses of their parents, but since the children were adults by this time, I also wanted to say, "Get over it," people die and we move on. Sister Dana's death affected me much more, since her lingering death was faced with such strength.
This book has less of the tear-jerker writing style of Sparks' novels, but he still likes to stick in the "kicker line" at times, particularly after a death: "Dana was thirty-three years old" and "It was just the two of us now. Brothers." (The latter word on a line by itself.) Sparks may laugh all the way to the bank at those of us who criticize his writing style, but such obvious appeal to emotions has always struck me as unsubtle and contrived.

Nicholas Sparks best book so far!!!!.......2007-08-21

This is a memoir, unlike his other books, but it is by far the best he's ever written!!!

Nicholas finds a trip on line for 3 weeks around the world. He decides to take his brother Micah and it becomes a trip down memory lane. The sadness, excitement, and joy of their life stories are unremarkable! It seems unreal that someone can have this much grief.

You will LOVE this book!!!!

A good read.......2007-08-19

I've read quite a few memoirs, and this one was quite enjoyable. You know the gist of it from the description/s above: Sparks recounts his childhood while on a trip with his brother. While some parts of the trip were a little dull (that's okay, they were also bored with some of their trip!), it has everything you could want in a good read -- honesty, humor, sadness, triumph, etc.

If you like memoirs -- and even if you don't -- I think you will like this one! I recommend it.

Three Weeks with My Brother.......2007-08-15

I just started reading the book i am enjoying it si far. I really like it because it is a real story. I love all of his books and i Thank you i will be getting more i only need 3 more and i will have all of them and i cant wait untill Sept.25

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