Customer Reviews:
GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!.......2007-09-23
Great book....my 7 yr old and I read it together. It allowed me to see & experience some of her true feelings about some things without her realizing it. It has a number of activities and exercises that we did throughout the book that really helped her open up about things she would normally feel a bit embarassed about sharing with me. A great book to read together during that precious parent/child time.
Excellent resource.......2007-09-02
This book has enabled my granddaughter to identify her feelings and has enabled her to share those feelings with her mother. I think this is highly important.
great book for youth.......2007-09-01
I got this book for my stepdaughter for her 10th birthday. I highly recommend this book.
Fabulous book for the teen in your life.......2007-07-23
I'm a therapist and this book is a great asset to use w/ the teens/pre-teens I see in my practice. The whole series is good in my opinion.
Wonderful way to teach without preaching........2007-05-13
This one of my favourite books so far. Both dad and mom found this a great tool to open a conversation about feelings and their effects and how to understand and handle them.
Amazon.com
The elegant simplicity and exquisite flavor of Deborah Madison's food make her one of America's leading cooks. In Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, she offers more than great food: her book includes comprehensive information about ingredients and techniques, plus more than 800 recipes. The recipes range from dishes as familiar as Guacamole to those as distinctive as Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemons, and Cashew Curry. The 124-page chapter titled "Vegetables: The Heart of the Matter" is a virtual book of culinary revelations; you could use it as a manual on buying and preparing vegetables. Madison provides equally inspired recipes and guidance for everything from grains and soy to dairy foods and desserts.
Book Description
What Julia Child is to French cooking and Marcella Hazan is to Italian cooking, Deborah Madison is to contemporary vegetarian cooking. At Greens restaurant in San Francisco, where she was the founding chef, and in her two acclaimed vegetarian cookbooks, Madison elevated vegetarian cooking to new heights of sophistication, introducing many people to the joy of cooking without meat, whether occasionally or for a lifetime. But after her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. Now, in a landmark cookbook that has been six years in the making, Madison teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today.
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published. The 1,400 recipes, which range from appetizers to desserts, are colorful and imaginative as well as familiar and comforting. Madison introduces readers to innovative main course salads; warm and cold soups; vegetable braises and cobblers; golden-crusted gratins; Italian favorites like pasta, polenta, pizza, and risotto; savory tarts and galettes; grilled sandwiches and quesadillas; and creative dishes using grains and heirloom beans. At the heart of the book is the A-to-Z vegetable chapter, which describes the unique personalities of readily available vegetables, the sauces and seasonings that best complement them, and the simplest ways to prepare them. "Becoming a Cook" teaches cooking basics, from holding a knife to planning a menu, and "Foundations of Flavor" discusses how to use sauces, herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars to add flavor and character to meatless dishes. In each chapter, the recipes range from those suitable for everyday dining to dishes for special occasions. And through it all, Madison presents a philosophy of cooking that is both practical and inspiring.
Despite its focus on meatless cooking, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not just for vegetarians: It's for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately. The recipes are remarkably straightforward, using easy-to-find ingredients in inspiring combinations. Some are simple, others more complex, but all are written with an eye toward the seasonality of produce. And Madison's joyful and free-spirited approach to cooking will send you into the kitchen with confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, this wonderful cookbook has something for everyone.
Customer Reviews:
Daunting tome of vegetable lore.......2007-10-13
My only complaint about this cookbook is that it is so large that scanning through it seems a daunting task. I especially like the section on vegetables A - Z. I have always had trouble knowing when to put things in the refrigerator, when to leave them out, etc. This book has pointers on that, as well as many great recipes. I'm still learning how to navigate the book, so skimming the book to look at recipes and pick one out is still somewhat difficult for me, but I expect to be going back to this book as frequently as I do The Professional Chef.
A New Classic.......2007-09-30
This is my favorite cookbook, my standard, my go-to. When I say to my husband, "let me look that up in the cookbook", I'm referring to VCE, just the same way I *used* to mean Joy of Cooking. No longer. This has everything I need for easy, delicious vegetarian cooking. I've made a ton of the recipes in the last 3 years, and they're all great.
Favorite Cookbook and now my daughter's, too.......2007-09-14
This was the second time I purchased this cookbook. I use mine constantly and purchased this latest one for my college-aged daughter. All recipes that I've tried have turned out fantastic.
Great Cookbook.......2007-08-12
This is an excellent cookbook. Deborah Madison knows a lot about cooking, and especially about vegetables. I would highly recommend her other cookbook about tofu as well. Very tasty dishes. The first dish I made was a curry tofu with tomatoes and asparagus. It was amazing. Not because I am a great cook, but because the combination of spices and order in which she instructs you to prepare the meal are fantastic. When she stated something to the effect that marinades suck, I knew that she knew what she was talking about. There is nothing more highly overrated in cooking than a marinade. The only marinades that I have ever found to semi work were ones with lemon juice, and simply due to the acidity of the juice...
Anyway, a great cookbook that covers all the bases cooking with vegetables...
I'm so not a vegetarian, and I Iove this cookbook.......2007-08-12
I am an unrepentant carnivore, yet I find this to be a fantastic reference for vegetarian dishes of every kind, and for cooking in general. Its a huge amount of information - from stocking your kitchen tools, spices & savories, dishes for each course, and delicicous egg, grain, soy, cheese, pasta recipes along with in-depth info about specific vegetables and how to cook, dress, and pair them. I get more excited with each recipe I try in this book, and have found it a great companion to the South Beach Diet recipes. Highly recommend!
Product Description
Map Your Way to Process Excellence
At last, a simple, well-written survey of process redesign that will help you transform your organization into a world-class competitor. Author Dan Madison explains the evolution of work management styles, from traditional to process-focused, and introduces the tools of process mapping, the roles and responsibilities of everyone in the organization, and a logical ten-step redesign methodology. Thirty-eight design principles allow readers to custom-fit the methodology to the particular challenges within their own organizations. Additional chapters by guest writers Jerry Talley, Ph.D., and Vic Walling, Ph.D., discuss cross-department process management and using computer simulation in redesign, respectively. Inside youÂ’ll find detailed, illustrated discussions about:
* The importance of process
* Process mapping
* Key stakeholdersÂ’ roles and responsibilities
* The ten-step process redesign methodology
* Process improvement and creating the process team
* The four lenses of analysis
* Customer report cards, benchmarking, and best practices
* Process redesign case studies
* Design principles for process redesign
* Barriers to process redesign
* Becoming a process-focused organization
* Building cross-department process management
* Using information technology in process management
Customer Reviews:
For the People Doing it, not the IT People Implementing it........2007-09-14
Excellent Book.
Well Organized.
Well Writtent.
Quotable Content.
Anyone NEW to the Business Process Approach. Start here!
Not about how to implement IT changes to get it done.
Very little "System" Talk.
This book could take a motivated Lay-Person and help transform them
into a Business Process GURU!
If you are an IT person, it is worth reading so you know the game
plan, and the score. It lets you argue AGAINTS implementing ANYTHING
until people have TESTED their ideas WITHOUT system changes!!!
On time and as promised.......2007-08-31
The item was delivered on time and in the advertised condition. Thanks for your prompt response.
A must have for starting with process improvement.......2007-01-31
This book has all you need not only to start, but also to continue with process improvement. It covers all basic steps you need to fulfill, gives you a broad overview about what you have to have in mind and also gives nice examples. I'm sorry I didn't have it much before, it could save me a lot's of mistakes I did.
Of course, I wouldn't call it a Bible, for more details in any area you'll need more detailed literature, but it can be used as a very good checkbook and guide when starting with process improvement. It's very simple and systematic. Highly recommendable not only for those who start with process management, but also for everyone who already works in this area.
Excellent to start with.........2006-10-10
This book is very useful and practical, especially for people who are starting to work in the area of process improvement. It provides a step by step how to conduct a process improvement and redesign project. It can be a guide also for experienced employees in the field. I recommend beginners to read this book as a start!
Good basic practical advice.......2006-07-14
Overall, this book is solid practical advice and a generic methodology for process improvement. It is obvious that the author has extensive experience in applying traditional industrial engineering practices for process improvement. A good guide for those just beginning this kind of work and some parts, particularly the 38 design principles, that even an experienced professional can find useful.
As someone who has been doing this kind of work for over 15 years, I found four of the chapters in the book particularly interesting, Chapters 1, 7, 10, and 14. Chapter 1, "The Importance of Process", presents a framework for "styles of work management" which is a kind of organizational structure maturity model that progresses from (1) traditional management, (2) involvement management, (3) process management, (4) cross-functional management, (5) matrix management, to (6) process-focused or "F-Type" management. I found this to be a useful framework that can be used to assess an organization's orientation and commitment to business process management. In case you are wondering, the difference between the "process organization" and the "process-focused organization" is that in the former, "processes" are managed within functional areas while in the latter, cross-functional processes are managed by process owners.
Chapter 14, "Building Cross-Department Process Management" has a table, "Levels of Interdepartmental Cooperation" (IDC), that is complementary to the "styles" in chapter 1 and could be viewed as a way to judge which level or "style" an organization matches. The table is labeled Level 0 - Level 6 and has columns for a brief description, examples, "forcing work conditions", and "forcing environmental conditions" that gives you a set of criteria to evaluate and determine which "maturity level" or style an organization matches.
At 44 pages, Chapter 7, "The Four Lenses of Analysis", is more than twice as long as any other chapter in the book and is probably the most thorough discussion of any of the topics covered. The four lenses discussed are: Frustration, Time, Cost, and Quality. The author presents several techniques for evaluating a process from these four perspectives, but the techniques presented are pretty basic. Interestingly, the author omits any discussion of statistical analysis although he mentions Lean and Six Sigma repeatedly throughout the book, and there is a whole chapter, Chapter 15, that touts the value and benefits of simulation. Unfortunately, that chapter was all about how useful it is and where to apply it. Unlike the rest of the book, that chapter did not present any "how-to" information - neither how to do it nor how to apply it in process management. I think that kind of information on simulation would be of tremendous value.
Chapter 10, "Design Principles for Process Redesign", along with chapters 1 and 14, really distinguishes this book from other basic process improvement tomes. In this chapter, the author presents 38 "design principles" that he organizes in 5 categories: work structure, information flow, design guides, organizing people, and general guidance. While many of these are "common sense" to a process management practitioner, it is always good to have a checklist to follow to make sure that you haven't neglected anything. Some of the "principles" are "Mom and Apple Pie" type statements for process oriented workers, such as "Redesign the Process First, Then Automate It", or references to other methodologies that aren't presented in the book, for example, "Use design for Six Sigma (DFSS)". However, I really liked the idea of keeping a list of design principles and plan to start my own list for use in the future. A modified version of the author's list will be a good starting point.
So, in summary, if you are new to process improvement, this is a good introduction with a generic "one-size fits all" methodology that will get you started. If you are a seasoned practitioner, you probably have at least one more robust methodology than you will find in this book, but there is plenty of other valuable material in here that would be worth your time. I bought two copies for our team library.
Book Description
In 1791, Saint Domingue was both the richest and cruelest colony in the Western Hemisphere; more than a third of African slaves died within a few years of their arrival there. Thirteen years later, Haitian rebels declared independence from France after the first--and only--successful slave revolution in history. Much of the success of this uprising can be credited to one man, Toussaint Louverture--a figure about whom surprisingly little is known.
In this fascinating biography, the first about Toussaint to appear in English in more than fifty years, Madison Smartt Bell combines a novelist's passion for his subject with a deep knowledge of the historical milieu that produced the man. Toussaint has been known either as a martyr of the revolution or as the instigator of one of history’s most savagely violent events. Bell shatters this binary perception, producing a clear-eyed picture of a complicated figure.
Toussaint, born a slave, became a slaveholder himself, with associates among the white planter class. Bell demonstrates how his privileged position served as both an asset and a liability, enabling him to gain the love of blacks and mulattoes as "Papa Toussaint" but also sowing mistrust in their minds.
Another of Bell's brilliant achievements is demonstrating how Toussaint’s often surprising actions, such as his support for the king of France even as the French Revolution promised an end to slavery and his betrayal of a planned slave revolt in Jamaica, can be explained by his desire to achieve liberation for the blacks of Saint Domingue.
This masterly biography is a revelation of one of the most fascinating and important figures in New World history.
Customer Reviews:
Avenger of the New World.......2007-10-04
After finishing another great work from Bell, I felt like there could never be enough written about this overlooked and distingushed figurehead named Toussaint. Bell chooses a subject which is quite frankly haitian, but who is more importantly american and borne of the spirit of enlightenment. This book unveils the complexities that surround this great leader who was free, propertied, owned slaves and was a devout catholic who was belived to also practice voodoo by the time the revolution started. A worthy read for those not only interested in haiti but also how leaders emerge...
TOUSSAINT-BLACK LIBERATION FIGHTER.......2007-06-19
The French Revolution, as all great revolutions, had effects on world politics and the struggle of other peoples whom awoken to political life in the afterglow of that event. The fight for freedom in French Santo Domingo (now Haiti, the name that I will use to avoid confusion hereafter) led by Toussaint to a point just short of independence is a prime example of that effect. Without the revolution in the metropolis it is very unlikely that at that time the struggle in Haiti could have been successful. The history of the times was replete with unsuccessful slave rebellions. Why it was successful in Haiti and how that success was accomplished, mainly under the leadership of Toussaint in its decisive phases, is the subject of Mr. Bell's book. Mr. Bell's scholarship and necessary updating of Toussaint's story compares very favorably with that of the eccentric Marxist, later Pan-Africanist, historian C.L.R. James.
The freedom struggle in Haiti, a tropical island well suited to intensive agricultural development for the new international market in those goods necessary for the embryonic industrial system, was above all the struggle for the abolition of slavery. The fight against that servile condition that even many revolutionaries, white and black, and former revolutionaries of the time broke their teeth on. Today that freedom struggle, successful in its way in the Haiti of the early 19th century, remains a shining example of the only really successful fight against slavery by the slaves. So it pays to pay particular attention to the fight.
The forces which pushed the French Revolution forward in the metropolis had their its own set of priorities, among them the fight to move the population from a condition of subjugation to a monarch to citizens of a democracy. I have noted elsewhere how important that changed social status was to the historical and psychological development of modern humankind. Nevertheless that same psychology applies to the struggle in Haiti although even more so under conditions of chattel slavery. Thus, the events in French had their reflection in the colonies particularly in Haiti. One can observe in France the changes in attitude and policy from the early revolutionary days when all classes were good fellows and true through the rise of the leftist Robespierre regime based on the plebian masses, its eventually overthrow and establishment of the Directory and then the various manifestations of the regimes of Napoleon. That regime and its treacherous colonial policy attempting was a very far drop down hill from the early heady days when even moderate revolutionaries were in both places prepared to go quite far to eliminate slavery in Haiti.
There is something of a truism in the statement that great revolutions throw up personalities fit for the times. Certainly revolutions shake up the traditional order of things and let some who might have stayed dormant rise to the occasion. That is the case with Toussaint. For most of his life he was a middle level functionary on his master's estate respected by not slated for greatness. Early on, as the struggle against slavery heated up among the black slaves he exhibited the military, social, political diplomatic and other skills that would eventual thrust him into the leadership of the liberation struggle, This is really saying something special about the man because in the context of that Haitian revolution with the initial disputes between British Spanish and French interests and then the conflicting interests on the island itself between white, black and mulatto would have driven a lesser man around the bend. That it did not do so and that in his errors that which at times were grievous, especially around his seemingly obsessive commitment to maintain the French connection, does not take away from the grandeur of the experience. A cursory look at the latter developments on the island and the seemingly never ending series of tin pot despots who in their turn devastated the island only brings out Toussaint's fascinating role, warts and all, in the earlier liberation struggle in broader relief.
strong Book.......2007-06-04
Madison Smarrt Bell writes a incredible Book on a True Leader who was bold and Revolutionary in how he commanded. this Book on this Man is long voerdue. Toussaint Louverture lead the Greatest slave Revolt. Toussaint is a Towering Figure in the History of Defending yourself and this Book is a Must read for all generations now and in the future.
A complex narrative of a complex topic.......2007-05-30
Haiti seems destined to endless instability and poverty. Bell's new biography of Toussaint L'Ouverture, a key figure in Haitian independence, sheds some light on the underlying issues: There were four groups in Haiti: The whites, the black slaves, mixed race "gens de couleur" and maroons--escaped slaves who lived in the hills. Toussaint himself was an unusual character: A free black who owned property. Against a background of tremendous cruelty and racism, the country devolves into civil war at the same time as the colonial power, France, is experiencing the end of monarchy.
In addition to the different interests within Haitian society, the revolution was complicated by Royalist French, French revolutionaries, the British (who wanted to preserve the idea of monarchy) and the Spanish (who had neighboring territory on Hispaniola and were being opportunistic). The result is four factions times four interfering external powers and you can soon see that Haitian politics becomes impossible to understand.
This biography clearly demonstrates Toussaints impressive personal gifts of courage and oratory, and helps the reader to understand that the foundation of Haiti as a country was never simply a matter of black slaves over-throwing their white masters. However, the level of detail is so great that the book is a very difficult read. One soon becomes lost in subsidiary characters and minor skermishes; the direction of the narrative is hard to grasp.
But perhaps that's the point.
While this book may have a place in college libraries, it can't be recommended to the casual reader.
Amazing!.......2007-02-27
Nashville's own Madison Smart Bell writes an amazing biography (after three fictional accounts) of the man who led the most successful slave revolt in history.
Book Description
When I said I was working on a soup book, the response was often, “Oh, I love soup!” People enthuse about soup in a way that’s so heartwarming it makes me feel as if I’m in the right camp... The soups in this book are based on vegetables, and many of these recipes are new ones for me. But some are soup classics, by which I mean some of those that have stood the test of time in my kitchen, (Quinoa, Corn, and Spinach Chowder) and those that are classics in the culture (Boston-Style Black Bean Soup). I’ve tried to streamlined these dishes as much as possible without sacrificing goodness, so that you can easily enjoy them in your own kitchen. I hope you do enjoy making these soups and add them, one by one, to your repertoire.
—from the Introduction
In Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen, America’s favorite vegetarian cookbook author presents more than 100 inventive and straightforward soup recipes guaranteed to satisfy appetites all year long.
Deborah Madison has shown millions of Americans how to turn vegetables and other healthful ingredients into culinary triumphs. In her newest collection of recipes, She serves up a selection of soups ranging from stylish first courses to substantial one-bowl meals.
Madison begins with a soup-making primer and streamlined recipes for vegetable stocks and broths (such as the Hearty Mushroom Broth), which serve as the foundation for many of the recipes that follow, for those who wish to make their own. Soups like the Mexican Tomato Broth with Avocado and Lime can start a supper or stand alone as a simple, light meal. Cooks looking for heartier choices will find satisfying dishes such as Potato and Green Chile Stew with Cilantro Cream or grain-based soups like the Wild Rice Chowder. Organized by seasons, the recipes make the most of the produce–from a springtime Fennel and Almond Soup with Saffron and Ricotta Dumplings to a deeply flavorful autumnal Roasted Squash, Pear and Ginger Soup. When time just isn’t available and prepared soups take the place of home made, Madison offers a battery of suggestions for how to make them your own with simple additions from delicious oils and herbs to an invigorating Cilantro Salsa.
Featuring fifty stunning full-color photographs by Laurie Smith, serving suggestions, wine notes, and a host of ideas for creative finishing touches including caramelized pear “croutons” and souffléd cheese toasts, this friendly soup lover's guide gives the reader a hundred delicious ways to enjoy the benefits and flavors of vegetables by the bowlful throughout the seasons.
Customer Reviews:
For vegans only............2007-10-17
This is beautifully photographed cookbook on vegetarian soups that uses the most unusual groupings of vegetables that you can think of to toss into a pot. That being said, unless you are a hardcore vegan or veggie-head, then I would recommend you consider other, more mainstream writings.
Deborah Madison has written a most unusual, yet laborious book of soups using a food group that does not get much respect in the world of carnivores. But that does not disrespect either the author/chef or the contents of this book. What this book does is give someone with a need or preference for veggies, a joy to own. Unfortunately, I am in the carnivore group and it does not appeal to my tastebuds.
This is not a mainstream type of soup cookbook, so you might be a bit surprised when you see some of the recipes in this tome of healthy soup ideas. Names such as Green Coriander and Ginger Broth with Tofu Soup or Yellow Pea and Coconut Milk Soup with Spinach, Rice, and Spiced Yogurt Soup might be a wee bit more than what you might be used to eating.
And to be fair, there were several basics like White Bean Broth and Hearty Mushroom Soup, among others, that were very much mainstream; but they were far and few in between.
Regardless of which side of the vegetable patch you side with, this is an excellent book for tastebuds that demand only the purest or healthiest of soups. For the other side of the world, you might want to try another book.
Peace!
I love Deborah Madison's work.......2007-07-04
When I first bought this cookbook, we lived from it. I love the clear broths, the roast vegetable soups, the bean soups (although I think some of the lentil soups in Deborah's big vegetarian book are better), the fennel and chestnut soup (better than the earlier version) ... And, now my brother's moved house, I've bought him his own copy.
Caution.......2007-05-18
The layout of this book is terrible. The recipes don't start at the top of the page. Rather, they run onto the pages... in a jumbled mess. It takes away from this cookbook significantly. Why did they print it this way? To save on paper, printing costs? Whatever the reason, we the buyers have to turn the pages just to get the whole recipe... inconvenient. There are other great vegetarian books on soups... that are much better to cook from.
Oh, the joy............2006-12-30
.....Of my whole family thinking I am the "Soup Goddess" since I bumped into this book in my local library.I am a vegetarian, but my husband isn't, and neither is his family, but I do love to cook for them,but they are all too easy to scare with tofu, tempeh,roots and twigs they haven't even heard of.(things I do enjoy though.)But ever since I have been cooking tasty soups from this book, they love everything I make.It is not a 15 minute meal book,thank god, because there is something to taking one's time, and cooking with love and care.The fall and winter soups,especially the roasted vegetable ones are sooo goood!They do require fresh veggies, but you can still use canned tomatoes, if you don't have fresh, canned beans occasionaly, and the food comes out great.The idea of making the stock from the trimmings is great too,since most of the time they would be thrown away anyway, so why not make the soup tastier with them.I have a small kitchen and no place for gadgets,but I was able to use this book without those,and the outcome was always delicious, fragrant, wholesome food. And I have not found one single recipe in this book that was not superb.I mean, how many times does it happen, that you buy a book, and most of the stuff is either too complicated, too simple, too blah?Even Goldilocks would be happy with this one!Every single thing I have tried,which is most of the cold weather soups came out even better than I thought it would.Of course I had to get my own edition because I could not bare to part with this book when it was time to take it back.Since than I got a few more books from Ms Madison, but this was the first and so it is special.Good luck,and enjoy!
Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen........2006-11-10
Very nicely illustrated and laid out however for anyone in smaller towns some of the ingredients may not be available. It would be helpful to give a directory of the more unusual ingredients,a description of them and perhaps a buying guide.
Average customer rating:
- Amazing Book!
- Useful information
- Excellent Recipes
- A 'must' for collections strong in either cooking or ecological living.
- Thrifty In The Truest Sense
|
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
The Gardeners and Farmers of Centre Terre Vivante
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Canning & Preserving
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 1933392592 |
Book Description
Typical books about preserving garden produce nearly always assume that modern “kitchen gardeners” will boil or freeze their vegetables and fruits. Yet here is a book that goes back to the future—celebrating traditional but little-known French techniques for storing and preserving edibles in ways that maximize flavor and nutrition.
Translated into English, and with a new foreword by Deborah Madison, this book deliberately ignores freezing and high-temperature canning in favor of methods that are superior because they are less costly and more energy-efficient.
As Eliot Coleman says in his foreword to the first edition, “Food preservation techniques can be divided into two categories: the modern scientific methods that remove the life from food, and the natural Â`poeticÂ' methods that maintain or enhance the life in food. The poetic techniques produce... foods that have been celebrated for centuries and are considered gourmet delights today.”
Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning offers more than 250 easy and enjoyable recipes featuring locally grown and minimally refined ingredients. It is an essential guide for those who seek healthy food for a healthy world.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Book!.......2007-10-09
This book provides great information on traditional food preservation techniques that are fast being forgotten. The recipes yield some incredible tastes--try the pickled garlic--and practical ways to extend the life of your garden produce with its beneficial nutrients intact. Definitely a must for the serious organic gardener!
Useful information.......2007-08-25
This book is an excellent source of information and techniques. It is clearly written and the recipes are really easy to follow. A must have for any serious home preserver.
Excellent Recipes.......2007-06-08
This book has just what I wanted: Some simple, low-cost, low-energy ways of preserving food. I will be using these techniques extensively this summer and fall.
A 'must' for collections strong in either cooking or ecological living........2007-06-04
The usual book on preserving garden produce assumes boiling or freezing vegetables or fruits will take place - but Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Stage, and Lactic Fermentation uses little-known French techniques for storing and preserving edibles, is newly translated into English for American audiences, and uses less costly methods featuring locally grown, minimally refined fruits and vegetables. It's a cut above your usual 'how to preserve' title and a 'must' for collections strong in either cooking or ecological living.
Thrifty In The Truest Sense.......2007-05-14
This is a really good reference, with discussions of fermenation and brining, that go beyond the superficial. Good recipies as well, we are now enjoying our salted lemons in salads and in other dishes. This would be in the top ten I would recommend for getting by in a pinch. Also they, for the most part require little or no gas or electric use.
Amazon.com
Packed with recipes from the boldly original and highly successful Greens Restaurant in San Francisco that regularly please vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike,
Greens is this cook's personal favorite cookbook. From New Potato and Grilled Pepper Pizza to Zuni Stew, these recipes are consistently innovative and delicious. --
MTB
"I consider Greens to be the ultimate vegetarian restaurant. The cuisine is elegant, inspiring, and astonishingly creative. Many of us have long awaited this major event in cookbook publishing. Congratulations!" --
Mollie Katzen,
Moosewood Cookbook
Book Description
The Greens Cookbook is that rarity, a book that truly represents a revolution in cooking. Here are the recipes that helped to create the boldly original and highly successful Greens Restaurant on San Francisco Bay. Not only for vegetarians, this book caters to everyone who seeks delight in cooking and eating. Using an extraordinary range of fresh ingredients in imaginative and delicious ways, it shows how to present a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate.
The Greens Cookbook contains more than 260 recipes for all seasons, all occasions, all tastes. From bright, simple salads to beautifully spiralled roulades, here is a provocative, sophisticated and varied fare, dedicated to elegance and balance, taste and texture, color and freshness.
The Greens Cookbook presents everything you need to know to create and enjoy at home meals that draw rave reviews in the restaurant. Inside you will find: Inspiring menus for spring, summer, winter, fall. Everything from easy-to-prepare dishes for two to meals for a gala feast. The first guide to selecting wines with vegetable dishes. Glossaries of unfamiliar ingredients and useful kitchen equipment. A generous and encouraging text that helps develop your skill and self-expression as a cook. Insightful professional tips heading each recipe, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Too gourmet for me!.......2007-09-28
This must be the cookbook that Marge Simpson was looking at when she saw the never-ending list of spices it called for in and proclaimed "they've got to be repeating some of these!" If you regularly keep 100 different spices, 15 vinegars, 3 cooking wines, and you grow 4 varieties of fresh herbs in your kitchen, then you should be ok. Otherwise, every recipe's going to cost you dearly while you stock your cupboards with gourmet ingredients.
Fabulous.......2007-05-25
Really excellent recipes. Take the trouble to gather all the ingredients, especially the fresh herbs--the result is absolutely delicious. One of my favorite cookbooks.
A great choice for FINE cooking.......2007-02-13
Let me get this point out of the way right now: the recipes in the Greens Cookbook are not quick or particularly easy. Frankly, Greens is a fantastic, high-end vegetarian restaurant - anybody who bought this cookbook expecting great food in a jiffy was kidding themselves. Making recipes from this cookbook is TIME-CONSUMING, occasionally requires HARD-TO-FIND INGREDIENTS, and is not meant for a busy person who only has 30 minutes to put together dinner.
That said, this is a great vegetarian cookbook. The food you eat at Greens is a labor of love, so expect the same from many of the recipes in this book! I especially appreciate their fritatta and pizza recipes - two types of food I love and hadn't really considered making at home. If you're ready to put in the effort required for a great vegetarian meal, use this book.
Every recipe outstanding. Perfect for any foodie, veggie or not........2006-11-07
The Greens Cookbook has, for many years, been my first point of reference when I want to prepare something extraordinary tasting, either just for myself, or for a houseful of guests. In fact, the early edition was one of the few items I brought with me when I moved overseas as a student in 1990.
Yes, some of the recipes are, in the author's words, "a labor of love" to prepare, but there also plenty of simple and practical instructions, ranging from a failsafe way to boil eggs to grilling peppers and making salad dressings.
I have happily worked my way through the cookbook - and through its companion, "Fields of Greens" - and all of the dishes I have made, without exception, are sensational. Guidelines in the book are clear, and, in my view, easy enough for beginners to follow.
It would be difficult to say what my favourite recipe is, but the book is worth buying for these five:
This book is for people who love good food and love to cook. And I'm not even a vegetarian!
Great hummus recipe!.......2006-04-16
I haven't tried many of the recipes in Greens, but anytime I need to make an appetizer for a party, I make the hummus from this book and it gets the highest praise. It's very easy to make (if you use canned garbanzo beans instead of starting with chick peas) and is much more flavorful than most hummus recipes. For this recipe alone, the book is worth it.
Book Description
The documents thatshaped a nation.
Three of the founding fathers brilliantly defend their revolutionary charter: the Constitution of the United States, a milestone in political science and a classic of American history.
Customer Reviews:
Brillian insights from our founding fathers.......2007-09-26
Our founding fathers created the greatest system of government in history. That government was set up through the United States Constitution.
When the debate over whether to ratify the Constitution was ongoing, a series of pamplets were distributed arguing in favor of ratification and spelling out clearly the case for the Constitution. The Federalist Papers are a compilation of those essays. They are the best defense of our Republic and our Liberty, ever.
Every American needs to read this book. The government has become bloated and gave itself authority well beyond the limits that the Constitution set up. If we are going to take back our Republic, these essays are the philosophical basis for returning government to its Constitutional limits.
The Federalist Papers.......2007-08-23
This is one of the three or four most important books in English published since 1776. All candidates for federal office should be required to pass a comprehensice essay exam on the Federalist Papers.Applicants for citizenship should be tested on this book.
Very Useful Book, Not A Perfect Edition.......2007-01-09
The Federalist Papers is without a doubt a necessary compilation of rhetoric trying to bring out all the positive aspects of the American Constitution (as well as to discredit some of the criticism it received) for any individual considering himself politically enlightened. Far too many times you will be likely to encounter someone who is completely unfamiliar with notions like executive prerogative and is in utter bewilderment where Bush, for example, gets off with such ideas as the recent wiretaps. The abstract justification for such cases is among the countless other arguments provided by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay within these pages, and though one may disagree with them, they are nonetheless important to know and understand. They are hardly perfect, and many, such as Hamilton's attempt to justify the absence of a Bill of Rights, show that these articles sought to employ every argument available to make it seem that the Constitution was a paragon of a social contract (rather than a document meticulously written as a result of numerous compromises with little universal ideological consistency), but they are nonetheless important to have in one's library.
Of course, it's easy to find every single one of them online for free, not to mention all the other documents this edition adds on, such as the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. It is a good thing, then, that this edition is so cheap, as it is certainly convenient to have them all in a relatively small book that preserves all your markings. The edition also tries to overcome this burden of free access to its material through a masterfully written introduction, through a table of contents that briefly summarizes the argument contained within each article, and through the numerous footnotes that concisely expand upon the many now archaic references to the Romans and the Classics that Publius tends to make. For these reasons, I find having this precise copy of the Federalist Papers worth the 7 or so bucks that it costs.
The one thing I dislike about it, and why I give it 4 stars rather than 5, is that the paper and ink are almost of newspaper quality, so that extensive reading will tend to leave black markings on one's fingers. This does get annoying when writing papers about it and flipping around its pages.
GREAT Book...everything you need, looks nice, small but not TOO small.......2007-01-04
This copy is worth every penny and more. It was such a great value. Dec of Independence, Const, Articles of Confed, etc. The one-stop-shop for the important US government works.
A Contention and a Suggestion.......2006-08-25
One of the reviewers below challenges the notion that the US was ever a Democracy, however, he (apologies if it's a 'she') is viewing the Federalist Papers from the perspective of modern times, and that is a fallacy in reviewing this work, but fortunately it's an instructive fallacy.
The issue with the Federalist Papers is that although it is the leading arguments for the creation of a more centralized government (to replace the Articles of Confederation which seemed inpractible), not all of these arguments were adopted in the Constitution, and some that were did not survive very long. As a result, you may get the wrong impression that the Federalist Papers=the Constitution. Remember, Hamilton's party, the Federalists, did not survive much longer after the defeat of Adams by Jefferson in the 1800 election. The populism of Jefferson and Madison were the ultimate winners *at the time*.
And my *at the time* comment is important. Nowadays the federal government of the US holds a superior and decisive position in the governing of its people; this has not always been the case. In the early-to-mid 19th century, federal power was severely limited when it came to internal affairs; most of the government was conducted at the local level, with some county and state control thrown in where applicable. So *at the time*, the fact that the Senate had 2 members from each state (and appointed by the state legislature) regardless of population was *not* a measure that was anti-democratic in purpose. Democracy existed because the government was predominantly local and the people were predominantly involved in its affairs.
Thus my contention; now for the suggestion: if your project is strictly to research the creation of the US Constitution, than the Federalist Papers by themselves are fine. If, however, you are more interested in how the Constitution affected American society at that time, I would recommend that you start by reading de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America", and working backwards. The immediate results of the Constitution are best expressed in de Tocqueville (he toured the United States and published his work in Europe within 50 years of the ratification) because its not the causes of the Constitution he is discussing, but its effects. After you have completed Democracy in America, then you'll be able to approach the Federalist (and of course the Anti-Federalist) Papers with the understanding of what worked, what didn't, and maybe what we need to work again for.
Book Description
I love supper. It’s friendly and relaxed. It’s easy to invite people over for supper, for there’s a quality of comfort that isn’t always there with dinner, a meal that suggests more serious culinary expectations—truly a joy to meet, but not all the time. Supper, on the other hand, is for when friends happen to run into each other at the farmers’ market or drop in from out of town. Supper is for Sunday night or a Thursday. Supper can be impromptu, it can be potluck, and it can break the formality of a classic menu. With supper, there’s a willingness to make do with what’s available and to cook and eat simply. It can also be special and beautifully crafted if that’s what you want.
—from the Introduction
In her first collection of suppertime solutions, the author of the bestselling cookbook classic, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, solves the perennial question of what to cook for dinner, with more than 100 inspiring recipes to enjoy every night of the week.
What’s for supper? For vegetarians and health-conscious nonvegetarians, the quest for recipes that don’t call for meat often can seem daunting. Focusing on recipes for a relaxing evening, Deborah Madison has created an innovative array of main dishes for casual dining. Unfussy but creative, the recipes in Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen will bring joy to your table in the form of simple, wholesome, and delicious main dish meals.
These are recipes to savor throughout the week—quick weekday meals as well as more leisurely weekend or company fare—and throughout the year. The emphasis is on freshness and seasonality in recipes for savory pies and gratins, vegetable stews and braises, pasta and vegetable dishes, crepes and fritters, delicious new ways to use tofu and tempeh, egg dishes that make a supper, hearty cool-weather as well as light warm-weather meals, and a delightful assortment of sandwich suppers.
Recipes include such imaginative and irresistible dishes as Masa Crêpes with Chard, Chiles, and Cilantro; Spicy Tofu with Thai Basil and Coconut Rice Cakes; Lemony Risotto Croquettes with Slivered Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Leeks; and Gnocchi with Winter Squash and Seared Radicchio.
Vegan variations are given throughout, so whether you are a committed vegetarian or a “vegophile” like Deborah Madison herself, you’ll find recipes in this wonderful new collection you will want to cook again and again.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as others by Madison.......2007-06-19
Yeah, my experience was more like Annabel Lee's than Eve's. I've made recipes from this book that were good but I've made more that felt like a lot of effort with little return.
On the other hand, I love that Madison suggests wine pairings for the dishes. I don't always have a glass, but I want to complement my meal when I do. I hope Madison includes this feature in all her future publications.
I am a fan of Deborah Madison but recommend Vegetarian Cooking, Local Flavors, or even Vegetable Soups over this title.
Also, the binding quality on my copy is terrible. I rarely use the book but chunks of pages have fallen out. Perhaps? this problem has since been addressed by the printer, but buyer beware.
Awesome Book.......2007-02-18
I recently became a vegetarian, and this book has proven invaluable in the kitchen. I thought my meat-free lifestyle would be nothing but dull stir-fried veg night after night, but this book has given me loads of easy, useful recipes that even my husband will eat!
Her best yet.......2006-04-19
I adore Deborah Madison; she is my favorite cookbook author. She just makes the kind of food I love to eat. She is the master of rustic, tasty, healthy whole-food recipes, and is better at herbing and zesting the ingredients than any other cookbook author I have come across. Making her food is very satisfying. Somehow she makes everything taste sublime. I will undoubtedly buy any book she writes. That said, this is my favorite of her books so far. The food is just so delicious, and none of the recipes are difficult. If you live anywhere in the vicinity of a great farmers' market, this is just the book to help you make use of the wonderful produce you can find there. Favorite recipes I've tried include Spinach Quesadillas, Yellow Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Black Bean Tostadas, Artichoke Fritatta, Masa Crepes with Chard, Winter Squash Lasagne, Whole Wheat Penne with broccoli and green olives, Gnocchi with winter Squash and Radicchio. If I pared down my whole cookbook collection, this book would be one of the 5 books I'd keep. In my opinion, this is also her best looking book so far, since the photos and graphics are much better than in the past. With each recipe, she includes go-withs that are to be found in two of her previous cookbooks. If you are a Madison fan already, you'll have these books, but since most of these recipes are full meals in themselves, you can also go without. This book is a must-have.
My favorite cookbook!.......2005-11-26
I love this book! It is great for exactly what I wanted to do...learn how to cook some fun, vegetarian dishes that even I wouldn't goof up!
Every dish that I've tried has been a success...that's saying a lot since my mother's only cooking lesson was 'how to heat a can of corn.'
One thing to mention is that this book is meant to build on Madison's other cookbooks. It is not meant to be a complete guide for basic family meal planning, just simple yet elegant main dish ideas suitable for casual entertaining.
With our only child in junior high now, and my husband doing volunteer work, we are up to having about 1/3 the time that a serious cook does for making dinner, and these meals fit right in.
Most of the recipes I've used take about 25-40 minutes to prepare, mostly because I'm really slow at cutting vegetables, finding where I set the teaspoon, etc.
I guess you can't see the contents or preface above, so here's the layout of the chapters:
1. Savory Pies and Gratins
2. Vegetable Stews and Braises
3. Pasta with Vegetables
4. Crepes and Fritters
5. Mostly Tofu and some Tempeh
6. Eggs for Supper
7. Hearty Cool Weather Suppers
8. Light Meals for Warm Weather
9. Supper Sandwiches
10. Basics (eg, guacamole, peanut sauce, tapenade, warm goat cheese sauce)
What I really like about this book is she explains things simply enough for a beginner, and uses mostly ingredients that I've heard of, but always takes things a step beyond what I'm familiar with, so I'm learning something.
So if you are a food snob, this book is probably not pretentious enough for you. If you have a large family and don't feel like getting creative with dinner at the end of the day, and just want something you can throw together fast that will feed several and probably be edible, this book is not for you. But for a family of 3-4, or a couple who likes to have something special a few nights a week, this is just perfect.
My favorite recipe is one for a couple of eggs cooked over mushrooms sauted in wine and bread crumbs...it's something I can throw together for myself in just a few minutes when I get home late, and I don't have to measure anything because you just put in as much of each ingredient as you like...and it tastes so good!
About the wine recommendations--Not only is it good for your heart, but new research shows drinking red wine on a regular basis may help prevent or delay the onset of alzheimer's. Since both health problems run in my husband's family, the suggested wines have been a fun way to incorperate a very healthy habit.
Mostly good, but..........2005-04-28
I've tried a number of recipes in this book, and they were adequate in relation to the effort made. Still, I'm going to try more, as they sound interesting. The skillet-seared tofu was a big hit, and there was enough sauce to make it again later in the week. the whole wheat penne with "masses of broccoli, green olives, and pine nuts" was very good, pretty simple, but made way too much food, even for my hungry family, and it is supposed to serve 4 "generously." After several days of leftovers, I finally had to toss it. Black bean tostadas with slivered cabbage, avocado, and pickled onions sounded really interesting. Deborah promised that each of its components, and there are several, are very simple to make. Still, there were too many bits and pieces and pots and pans and utensils. It took over an hour to make, and the cabbage salad was very watery and made too much. The black bean sauce, on the other hand, made scarely enough to go around. the author suggests serving this dish with a fresh corn soup and a guava dessert (no recipes given), which would lkeep the cook in the kitchen for at least another hour to hour and a half. I also tried the Braised mixed greens and garlicky beans on toast. It was OK, but with only one garlic clove used with the bean and greens mixture (another one is used to rub on the toast), it was hardly garlicky, and really, had not much special flavor at all. It's the kind of dish you can make without a recipe.
Another quibble I have with the book is that if these are supposed to be casual suppers, it is odd that she recommends a different wine to go with each meal-one would need either quite a wine cellar, or a very well-stocked liquor store nearby. I would have liked more information, or even very simple recipes, for side dishes to complete each meal.
Like I said, I'm still going to give the book more of a chance. Wine-braised lentils sounds good, as does Huckleberry potato pie (never heard of Huckleberry potato, though she says one can use any sort of waxy potato-so why not recommend that to begin with?)
I'm not sure that those who own Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone would find much that is new or better in this book.
Book Description
A bestselling historian examines the life of a Founding Father.Renowned historian and social commentator Garry Wills takes a fresh look at the life of James Madison, from his rise to prominence in the colonies through his role in the creation of the Articles of Confederation and the first Constitutional Congress. Madison oversaw the first foreign war under the constitution, and was forced to adjust some expectations he had formed while drafting that document. Not temperamentally suited to be a wartime President, Madison nonetheless confronted issues such as public morale, internal security, relations with Congress, and the independence of the military. Wills traces Madison's later life during which, like many recent Presidents, he enjoyed greater popularity than while in office.
Customer Reviews:
informative, but seemingly partisan.......2007-10-18
After reading this book I came away with more information about Madison than I expected, which is a good thing. With that being said, however, I felt as I was reading that the author was not only pointing out some of the failures that Madison had (which were numerous), but also took the opportunity to bash Jefferson as well. It is interesting to see the author praise Madison for his early work (when he was more of a federalist) and then criticize him for nearly everything after he started thinking more like a republican. I don't think the author had to be so critical of Madison to get the point across that Madison was a much better legislature than an executor.
Hard to like.......2007-09-30
It was hard for me to like a consummate politician like James Madison, and hard to like the way this book was written, although it was informative.
James Madison was more of a politician than a president according to author Garry Wills. From the accounts of this book, everything he did had political motives. The author, in fact, found very little to admire personally in the man as president except that he navigated with the country through the War of 1812, and the country came out victorious and intact. The book by the way covers the periods before and after his presidency, but concentrates mostly on when he was president.
The book's style was a little too academic, dry, and distilled for me, with information that seems more like data than historical facts; it made you feel like you were back in college preparing to be tested. I prefer the way Joseph Ellis or Stephen Ambrose does early U.S history, giving it more personality and spice with a lot of anecdotes and quotes. I would have liked to have known more about Dolly Madison, for example, and the president's relationship with her. For once, I would have rather had a longer, more leisurely walk through someone's life.
In short, Madison was a mediocre president but a great politician (if such a thing exists)and this account of it was informative but fairly uninspired, like a history text book. Three stars are the very best I could do for it.
Worth the money.......2006-03-28
I've read over 10 of the American President Series bios (and bios on 15 other Presidents) and this was a pleasant surpise. In addition to Madison, Gary Willis offers some great insight to Jefferson, Monroe and the war of 1812 without getting bogged down in an area. I appreciated the chapter subdivisions that allowed me to pick it up and put it down easily. I throughly enjoyed reading this book.
A Cornerstone of America.......2005-09-20
In halls of American history, few people are as overlooked as James Madison. While his presidency was largely forgettable, his influence on the country through his work on the constitution can not be forgotten.
In this concise work by Gary Wills, Madison is portrayed as a slight and fragile man. Yet even in early adulthood, he showed the markings of a leader. Overcoming his quiet nature and small size, he played a key role in writing the Constitution. He championed the cause of separation of church and state. Madison felt that faith must be genuine and can not be forced. A forced faith is dangerous to the future of the religion, potentially causing it to loose its meaning.
Madison's presidency was marred by the War of 1812. This often misunderstood chapter in American history is given an excellent explanation on page 97. Through the course of this war, Madison protected the Constitution as well as ending the reigns of political patronage than caused earlier battles in the war to be failures.
Much like Thomas Jefferson paved the path to the presidency for Madison, Madison also left a legacy of rising stars in the party then known as Republican including James Monroe and Andrew Jackson. Were it not for Jackson's military success, the country stood to loose ground in the War of 1812. Instead, the country ended the war with the same amount of territory as when it began the war.
While this biography is short, I must admit that I learned a great deal from it. I believe this book can hold its ground against any biography of Madison. While not caught up in frivolous details, it tells a great story.
Excellent short biography by one of our more perplexing presidents.......2005-08-27
To his credit, Garry Wills is in this book determined to focus most of his attentions on President James Madison rather than Founder James Madison. The temptation with Madison is always to focus on his profoundly important contributions to the U.S. Constitution instead of his two terms as president. As a constitutionalist, Madison held the distinction of being both the primary framer of the Constitution and actual writer of much of it, and being by far the most important person in the composition of the Bill of Rights. Interestingly, little of this was known about Madison during his own life time. As Wills points out, after Washington and Franklin, Madison was probably the next most important person in the creation of the United States (though I would add Jefferson to the list to create a quartet), but this would not have been obvious to his contemporaries. Even his role as one of the writers of the Federalist Papers was unknown.
Madison as president, however, was a terrible disappointment. While his abilities in framing and creating the constitution incontestably make him one of the half dozen most important figures in U.S. History, he was at best an average president. In fact, his accomplishments as president can only be dealt with negatively. His lone achievements are what he did not do, not what he actually did. As Wills argues at the end, he did not engage in widespread violations of civil rights while waging the War of 1812, as many subsequent presidents would do, both major presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt, and lesser presidents such as Richard Nixon, and much, much lesser presidents like George W. Bush. Unlike Lincoln, Madison did not suspend habeas corpus and unlike Wilson did not make criticism of the government a jailable crime. Furthermore, although he signally failed in all of the central aims of his administration both in going to war and in everything else, he proved that a republic grounded in a spirit of a popular democracy could nonetheless wage a war.
The most interesting part of the book came near the end, when in a few brief pages Wills made some powerful and cogent arguments concerning the role that modernism had on the Madison terms of office. There is a fundamental tension in American politics that is expressed in a number of paired yet opposing ideas: freedom versus liberty, a strong federal government versus a weak central government, and "the people" versus states` rights. These inevitably lead to apparent contradictions, such as Jefferson's stated dislike of a strong central government, but his dramatic increase in the power of the executive branch. Likewise, Madison creates a constitution that centers national authority in a strong federal, but then as a member of Congress gradually moves more and more to a states' rights position, before as president dramatically increasing the importance and power of the federal and executive powers. Over and over in American history we see varying attempts to struggle with these issues. Lincoln saw himself as a Jeffersonian, yet believed strongly in a strong federal government and a weak local government. Similar to the arguments of Herbert Croly in THE PROMISE OF AMERICAN LIFE, Woodrow Wilson felt that Jeffersonian democracy could only be sustained by a very strong federal that could resist and fight the exploitative tendencies of trusts and corporations, and argued that Jefferson himself would have advocated a strong central government had he foreseen the effects of mass industrialization and the rise of the modern corporation. Madison found himself despite his ideals relying more and more on new elites, an idea that was anathema to Republicans (that is old school Republicans, that actually became the Democratic party under Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren). But Wills notes that these were not the elites that the Federalists envisioned leading the United States. Hamilton, for instance, yearned for an America led by its wealthiest and highest born. Under Madison privilege eventually came to play no role and being well born or of good blood was vastly less important than being effective and efficient at what one did. Therefore, the hapless generals, almost all political appointments, who led the nation early in the war, gave way to talented generals such as Andrew Jackson by the end. Wills implies that Jefferson and Madison did not understand that the nation could rely upon elite leadership that rose to that position based on merit and talent rather than privilege and entitlement (a situation unfortunately reversed in the late 20th and early 21st centuries).
This is a remarkably solid little biography, another superb entry into the finest series of short presidential biographies ever to be published. I personally think that Wills wants to rate Madison a bit too high. Based merely on his performance, I think he falls pretty much into the middle of the pack of presidents. As a Founder, he is of massive importance, but I think Wills falls into the temptation of nearly ever author in this series of books to rate their subject just a bit higher than they deserve (except for the Buchanan volume--whose author admits that he might be our worst executive). Still, absolutely no one can fail to benefit from this.
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