Book Description
This is the story of Charley, a child of divorce who is always forced to choose between his mother and his father. He grows into a man and starts a family of his own. But one fateful weekend, he leaves his mother to secretly be with his father - and she dies while he is gone. This haunts him for years. It unravels his own young family. It leads him to depression and drunkenness. One night, he decides to take his life. But somewhere between this world and the next, he encounters his mother again, in their hometown, and gets to spend one last day with her - the day he missed and always wished he'd had. He asks the questions many of us yearn to ask, the questions we never ask while our parents are alive. By the end of this magical day, Charley discovers how little he really knew about his mother, the secret of how her love saved their family, and how deeply he wants the second chance to save his own.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Reminders Of Our Mothers.......2007-10-22
When I was first passed this book, I was a little hesitant. I've read Mitch Albom's previous best-seller before, Tuesdays With Morrie. And though it deed seemed inspiring, but I felt that that book was a little let down towards the end.
However, I thought, why not give this a try... afterall, this is a best-seller too!
This story is written from the narrative of a third party, a former national baseball player who wanted to commit suicide because he felt life was not going the way he wanted... his wife left him, and his daughter too, in one way by not inviting him to her wedding.
And whilst he was in the verge of going to the other world, he met his mother, who has already passed away. Uniquely, they were together, with him tagging her throughout the day along with her chores.
As he follows his mum, he remember the times he didn't stand up for his mother, or let her mother down. There were lots of flashback to his childhood days up to his adult days and even up to the day before his mother passed away.
In between, there are moments when he also mentioned how a 'hero' his mother is to him, championing him, despite his flaws... just like most mums do. These flashbacks are very heart warming, as we can mostly relate to in someway or rather.
He even shows his mother's care through the journey on the present day with his mum, which makes feel our mother's love.
Mitch has written this book very well, inspiring others on a mother's love - which is true, sincere, and everlasting. This book is truly recommended for everyone, especially those whose mothers are still around - as it will show us how to treasure them now :)
For One More Day.......2007-10-18
An absolutely wonderful book. It is one I would read over again and again. Very moving.
A book for everyone who has a mom.......2007-10-11
This is a TRUE story about a man who has made such a drunken fool of himself on so many occasions that his daughter sends him a wedding announcement - after her wedding. He falls into deep despair, loses all hope and goes on a deliberate journey to end his life. He almost succeeds and when he meets his mother who has died years earlier. She takes him through a sort of time warp where the past and present combine. He learns the truth about his father whom he admired as a boy but he sees that his father was really a polygamist who forced his son to choose between mother/father and then father abandoned them. He finally sees all the struggles his mother went through to raise him and his sister, she cleaned houses to put him through college after getting fired from her job as a nurse because the married women did not want a divorcee around their men. After all him mother did for him, he dropped out at the instigation of his father to go play pro baseball yet he failed at that too. For One More Day is really about the man who gets to meet his mother again for one more day, in the afterlife she shows him how she lived her life. In the epilogue we find that this story is a TRUE story as told to the author by the man who lived it. It made me so grateful to be able to pick up the phone and call my mother now and also realize how deeply I will miss her one day. The author Mitch Albom is better known as a sports writer but don't let that stop you from reading this book, I sent copies to my mother and sister the very next day.
Great Story.......2007-09-19
This was a nice short story. If you've lost a loved one or have struggled with a past you've tried to overcome, you can relate to the main character.
A good read on many levels.......2007-09-14
For One More Day is a fast read, but it engages the mind and emotions on many levels. It touches the nerve of regrets in a family relationship, and it leaves the reader with an assurance that it's not too late to make amends even after death has staked its claim between you.
Mitch Albom has done an excellent job of moving the story along while leaving room for a last moment surprise. I'll go back and read this one again.
Amazon.com
For most writers, the greatest challenge of spiritual writing is to keep it grounded in concrete language. The temptation is to wander off into the clouds of ethereal epiphanies, only to lose readers with woo-woo thinking and sacred-laced clichés. Thankfully, Anne Lamott (Operating Instructions, Crooked Little Heart) knows better. In this collection of essays, Lamott offers her trademark wit and irreverence in describing her reluctant journey into faith. Every epiphany is framed in plainspoken (and, yes, occasionally crassly spoken) real-life, honest-to-God experiences. For example, after having an abortion, Lamott felt the presence of Christ sitting in her bedroom:
This experience spooked me badly, but I thought it was just an apparition born of fear and self-loathing and booze and loss of blood. But then everywhere I went I had the feeling that a little cat was following me, wanting me to reach down and pick it up, wanting me to open the door and let it in. But I knew what would happen: you let a cat in one time, give it a little milk and then it stays forever.
Whether she's writing about airplane turbulence, bulimia, her "feta cheese thighs," or consulting God over how to parent her son, Lamott keeps her spirituality firmly planted in solid scenes and believable metaphors. As a result, this is a richly satisfying armchair-travel experience, highlighting the tender mercies of Lamott's life that nudged her into Christian faith. --Gail Hudson
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Anne Lamott admits that she's "ever so slightly more anxious than the average hypochondriac." When faced with a small, irregular mole and a family history of skin cancer, however, she remembers her faith in God and enjoys some peace--despite behaving "a little more like Nathan Lane in The Birdcage than I would have hoped." Author Lamott reads these wonderfully detailed postcards from her meandering journey to faith. With sharp and bittersweet humor, she recounts a past full of bad relationships with men, with food, with drugs, with alcohol, and worst of all, with herself. She battles her demons thanks to the love of her friends and family and her "lurch of faith" to embrace religion, that "puzzling thing inside me that had begun to tug on my sleeve from time to time, trying to get my attention." Inspiring but not dogmatic, Traveling Mercies is a treasure. (Running time: 4 hours, 3 cassettes) --C.B. Delaney
Book Description
Anne Lamott claims the two best prayers she knows are: "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She has a friend whose morning prayer each day is "Whatever," and whose evening prayer is "Oh, well." Anne thinks of Jesus as "Casper the friendly savior" and describes God as "one crafty mother."
Despite--or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since
Operating Instructions and
Bird by Bird, her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained how she came to the big-hearted, grateful, generous faith that she so often alluded to in her two earlier nonfiction books. The people in Anne Lamott's real life are like beloved characters in a favorite series for her readers--her friend Pammy, her son, Sam, and the many funny and wise folks who attend her church are all familiar. And
Traveling Mercies is a welcome return to those lives, as well as an introduction to new companions Lamott treats with the same candor, insight, and tenderness.
Lamott's faith isn't about easy answers, which is part of what endears her to believers as well as nonbelievers. Against all odds, she came to believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself. As she puts it, "My coming to faith did not start with a leap but rather a series of staggers." At once tough, personal, affectionate, wise, and very funny,
Traveling Mercies tells in exuberant detail how Anne Lamott learned to shine the light of faith on the darkest part of ordinary life, exposing surprising pockets of meaning and hope.
Download Description
Traveling Mercies takes us on a journey through Anne Lamott's troubled past to illuminate her devout but quirky walk of faith: how, against all odds, she came to believe in God, and the myriad ways in which that faith sustains and guides her in everyday life. With an exuberant mix of passion and self-deprecating humor, Lamott explores whether certain behaviors will get her "a better seat in heaven, " perhaps "near the dessert table, " or whether her mistakes "make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat disk" She writes about her family, about helping a friend through the devastating illness of her baby, about wanting but not having all the answers for her eight-year-old son.
Through the hard-won wisdom that forms the core of her beliefs, and with wit, insight, and lots of heart, she shows us how she creates a life balance of connectedness and liberation.
Customer Reviews:
Poignant journey of discovery.......2007-10-19
Lamott's Traveling Mercies takes the reader along on her journey of self-discovery and search for faith. A touching, wonderful, thought provoking story.
Mercy on Us.......2007-09-19
This is one of my favorite books, and I've read it many times. The essay on Forgiveness is a classic. I'm not sure how Annie Lamott makes fundamentalist Christianity palatable, but she manages to convey a deep sense of faith and gratitude along with a quirky charming wit about it all -- especially about herself.
I (heart) Anne Lamott.......2007-08-25
I pretty much love any essay Anne Lamott writes, and I appreciate her foray into the spiritual side of life. She makes faith very real and very every day/accesible ... something we all need. Her humor and witty prose make the reading enjoyable as well.
A Great and Pleasant Read.......2007-08-09
From the start to the end, Anne Lamott's writing is greatly captivating and keeps her readers guessing as to what she's getting at, then leaves us with great philosophical insight, all the while keeping her humorous input she's so famous for.
Although she writes with freedom and confidence, some of her ideas about "faith" may not be what most people expect, but then again, these are her own thoughts about faith, what she's gone through and how she has come to be the person she is today.
She carries along a great novel, somewhat of an autobiography with her son Sam, and warmly welcomes any readers willing to read to the very end. Lots of great quotations to write down; a definite read for anyone.
Put me out of my misery.......2007-08-07
Having read previously published books by Anne LaMott, I admit I was unenthusiastic about reading this book group selection. Much of the material is rehashed from previous works but now autobiographically instead of as "fiction."
I found her self-depricating tone to be disingenuous and much of her self pity to stem from personal problems that were self-inflicted. (Did that last sentence mention "self?") The book is centered on her self involvement which often attempts to depict herself as being gritty, worldly, and street-experienced.
While she has had experience as an alcoholic and sex addict, she never seems to rise above it in any inspirational way. Authors such as Frank McCort of Angela's Ashes and Jeannette Walls of the Glass Castle were confronted with horrible childhoods but managed to survive with a spunk and spirit I admired. I couldn't figure out what was so bad in Anne LaMott's life that she had to complain about and/or turn to self abuse to cope. I grew up with my own share of dysfunction but chose to take a more optimistic outlook on life.
Although I agree with many of her political points of view, it did not sit well with me how she launched personal attacks on those who held opposing views. "The New Adventures of Old Christine" is able to satirize those annoying holier-than-thou mothers at the PTO in a much more humorous way and that's saying a lot for a TV situation comedy compared to this literary selection.
I forced myself to finish the last third of the book after our book group discussion because those chapters seemed to be the most poignant. Yes, that was the best part of the book. The chapters about being kind to her aging body and dealing with aging parents were the most honest and touching sections.
Even so, this is not a book I would recommend to someone looking for emotional uplift or spiritual insight.
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:
Wanted to love it but..........2007-10-21
I have gone to culinary school and have been a home chef for 15 years. As much as I wanted to love this cookbook and the lovely, charming Paula, I was really disappointed. I found the ratios of ingredients really off and wondered if they actually hadn't made a mistake with some of the recipes. There are good points if you fiddle with the recipes- especially the banana pudding. If you're still dying to buy this cookbook, I'd see if I could find it used since there are few pictures anyway. But when there are so many cookbooks with recipes that work, why buy this one?
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.
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:
- Read This Book
- Emotionally flat; too many odd conincidences; arcane vocablulary
- Wonderful
- Coal Black Horse
- Unusual Civil War Saga
|
Coal Black Horse
Robert Olmstead
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
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ASIN: 1565125215 |
Amazon.com
The Civil War has provided the backdrop for several authors in recent years: Michael Shaara, Robert Hicks, E.L. Doctorow, Howard Bahr, and Charles Frazier, to name a few. Robert Olmstead can take his place among the best of them with this stirring tale of a 14-year-old boy's loss of innocence as he follows the horrors of war.
The boy is Robey Childs, sent by his mother to bring his father home from the War. She has "the sight," and when she "sees" that General Thomas Jackson is dead, she tells Robey "Thomas Jackson has been killed... There's no sense in this continuing... This was a mistake a long time before we knew it, but a mistake nonetheless. Go and find your father and bring him back to his home." She sews a coat for him that is blue on one side and gray on the other, tells him to trust no one and sends him off.
He is ill-prepared for all that will happen to him. When his horse pulls up lame, he walks her to the blacksmith, but she is unfit for the task ahead. The blacksmith offers Robey a horse on loan until his task is completed. "It was coal black, stood sixteen hands, and it was clear to see the animal suffered no lack of self possession." Indeed, the horse is more fit to do his job than is Robey. Olmstead creates an iconic horse, but never anthrpomorphizes or romanticizes the relationship between boy and horse. When they are separated, Robey is truly at sea. When they are together, they move as one.
Robey encounters every kind of evil, venality, cruelty, squalor, and depravity imaginable. He is hardened beyond his years by what he sees. There is a battle scene as horrific as any ever written, graphic and frightening. "There were enough limbs and organs, heads and hands, ribs and feet to stitch together body after body and were only in need of thread and needle and a celestial seamstress." Robey is changed forever, but never dehumanized. Olmstead leaves the reader in no doubt about the unconscionable ravages of war; he also shows us the redemption that such suffering can bring. --Valerie Ryan
Book Description
When Robey Childs's mother has a premonition about her husband, a soldier fighting in the Civil War, she does the unthinkable: she instructs her only child to find his father on the battlefield and bring him home.
At fourteen, wearing the coat his mother sewed to ensure his safety—blue on one side, gray on the other—Robey thinks he is off on a great adventure. But not far from home, his horse falters and he realizes the enormity of his task. It takes the gift of a powerful and noble coal black horse to show him how to undertake the most important journey of his life: with boldnesss, bravery, and self-possession.
Yet even that horse is no match for the brutality and senselessness of war, no surrogate for the courage Robey needs to summon in its face. It's in the center of that landscape, as witness to the lawlessness and carnage around him, that he is forced to raise a gun for the first time in his life. When he returns to his mother, Robey Childs will be the best a man can be, and the worst, irrevocably scarred by all he has seen—and all he has done.
When Robert Olmstead published his debut,
River Dogs, he was compared to Richard Ford, Raymond Carver, Thomas McGuane. Since that time, Olmstead has received high praise for all of his work. But it's this book that is destined to become a classic.
Coal Black Horse joins the pantheon of great war novels—
All Quiet on the Western Front, The Red Badge of Courage, The Naked and the Dead.
Customer Reviews:
Read This Book.......2007-10-19
I've been waiting to write a review for this book, thinking I'd come up with the language to do it justice. I can't. It's more than just words on pages; Coal Black Horse pulls you in and gives you the kind of reading experience you hope for every time you crack open a new book. You want to get lost in it. You want to dread having to finish it. You want to believe. It hardly ever happens, but Olmstead takes you there. Read the book.
Emotionally flat; too many odd conincidences; arcane vocablulary.......2007-09-25
I had never read a novel by this author and came away disappointed. He seems to enjoy using arcane words ("cobby horse" for "stout horse" being a good example) that are not necessary to move the story along. I could understand this if it were in dialog, but the usage is typically not.
The writing struck me as emotionally flat, full of too hard to believe coincidences- finding his father on the Gettysburg battlefield (which is quite large), having two antagonists show up, separately no less, at his mothers wilderness farm- are three examples.
Finally, to be picky, he has a major plot flaw regarding the aftermath of the battle- as Robey arrived at Gettysburg after the battle he surely would have encountered the Confederate Army in full retreat on its way south to the Potomac River.
In summary, I felt I wasted my time reading this novel, and won't embark on any more by Olmstead.
Wonderful.......2007-09-03
Shoot, I wait 10 years for Olmstead to publish another book and it was over in a day. I will be reading it again and again though. His command of the language is so brilliant and his storytelling, enchanting. If you are not aquainted with this author, go back to the Amazon search and buy everything.
Coal Black Horse.......2007-07-14
I love this book. It's been a long time since I've read anything that's hard to put down.
Unusual Civil War Saga.......2007-06-27
I am halfway through "Coal Black Horse" and enjoying the excellent writing. The story is engrossing and reminds me somewhat of the style of Cormac McCarthy, who us my favorite author.
Definitely worth the read.
Book Description
Ten years after the publication of Wicked, beloved novelist Gregory Maguire returns at last to the land of Oz. There he introduces us to Liir, an adolescent boy last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. But he is tended to at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by the silent novice called Candle, who wills him back to life with her musical gifts. What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape—but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison, Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?
For the countless fans who have been dazzled and entranced by Maguire's Oz, Son of a Witch is the rich reward they have awaited so long.
Customer Reviews:
Son of a What?.......2007-10-15
I checked this out as a book-on-CD from the local library to listen to on the way to and from work. The book was initially interesting but by the end of the first CD had become merely frustrating. By the end of the second CD my patience had expired with this, the first book on CD or tape that I found unworthy of completion.
The problem, pure and simple, is that the only thing worse than the author's writing is his reading! Now and then a clever or picturesque turn of phrase suggests that the author may be on to something but then return the inconsistent characterizations, random application of big and unusual words, and just plain awkward style. A better narrator might have made the book sound better by more smoothly reading the text or by making it easier to tell one character from the next but the author's flat and unappealling reading makes his writing seem if anything even worse than it is.
The book on CD is unlistenable. Pass on this one and go see "Wicked" on stage!
magic, magic, magic.......2007-10-04
I cannot understand which book some of these naysayer reviewers read...I can only imagine that they got lost along the way to their refrigerators looking for bologna sandwiches and stumbled into a text wholly foreign to the brilliant book I read: SON OF A WITCH. Perhaps their attention spans have been befuddled by too much reality television, because if one got confused or bored by SON OF A WITCH then it is surely their own fault and not the author's. It's mesmerizing, it's clear, it's easy: LIIR IS THE WITCH'S SON. OK? AND SO ON. This book is a marvel and one need not have read WICKED to enjoy it thoroughly. So many parallels to the war of today are illuminated, so much delicious satire and sly dialogue, so much joy and pain and exquisite description and action in equal measure. Fly out of your own hell on a broomstick made of words, up the draft into Maguire's world of Oz. Just magnificent and compelling, every word and phrase a gem. I could stay in Oz forever, if it is this well written and intelligent and hilarious. Bravo!
Can't wait for the last installment!.......2007-09-24
Granted, this is not Wicked. But it is an excellent book, and I love where Maguire has taken this tale. I can't wait to read what must be a third book in this series - I am intrigued about the "loose ends" others mention - think of it like "empire strikes back" and you'll be okay with it!! Liir definitely does his share of whining and wandering in the desert, but the themes that echo our current politics and the revelations he makes at the end are fantastic.
What a downer.......2007-08-27
"Wicked" had some odd plot points that made it difficult to read, but this book is impossible. And so depressing. I quit half-way through and threw it away.
does mr maguire have any training as a writer?.......2007-07-22
what please was the point to this book?
Fine, I get that this kid was trying to find himself, but why was the author looking for his storyline as well? He tied up to plotlines except the elephant queen, & frankly I could care less about any of his characters. It was a wasted read. (I had not read wicked BTW, so I am not comparing here)
Amazon.com
Warmly effusive and dear yet gritty, Paula H. Deen seems mythically Southern. But this cooking luminary, proprietor of Savannah, Georgia's Lady & Sons restaurant, is the real thing. The Lady & Sons Just Desserts, her all-sweets follow-up to The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!, celebrates the Southern sweet tooth with 120 recipes, including traditional formulas for the likes of Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Lemon Chess Pie as well as best-loved restaurant innovations like Turtle Cake, Lemon Curd Pudding, and Gooey Butter Cake. ("These are very, very rich," Deen advises, "and a little goes a long way--even for piggies like me!") Lovers of the restaurant--which grew to prominence from $200 and lots of determination--as well as those seeking easy-to-fix temptations should put this book to happy use.
Among its wide-ranging recipes, Desserts offers Carolyn's Jell-O Cheesecake, Lauren's Chocolate Drizzle Pie, and Hidden Mint Cookies--recipes based on cake mixes and other convenience foods. These creditable sweets are of course work saving, but are perhaps better viewed as solidly characteristic of their time and place. Equally particular are candies like Mamma's Divinity and Uncle Bubba's Benne Candy, and "other sweet things," as Deen dubs them, such as Banana Split Brownie Pizza, Easy Homemade Oreo Ice Cream, and Fresh Apples with Butterscotch Dip. With asides by Deen family members, including son Jamie's "Food Is Love" ("I am right this minute 20 pounds over-loved," he writes), useful tips (Deen provides an "emergency" recipe for sweetened condensed milk), and plenty of piquant anecdote (after Deen had rattled on endlessly to her grandmother about her intention to open a restaurant, the older woman paused and replied, "Paula, have you lost you damned mind?"), the spiral-bound book is not only full of delectable eating, it's lots of fun. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
As Paula Deen will tell y'all, there's just no satisfying way to finish a delicious meal without a scrumptious, mouthwatering dessert!
In this beautiful hardcover edition of The Lady & Sons Just Desserts, Paula -- author, restaurateur, and Food Network star -- devotes her trademark southern charm to a tempting collection of more than 120 delightful recipes, guaranteed to indulge any sweet tooth. Whether you're baking for the holidays or an after-dinner treat, there are crowd-pleasers here for any occasion.
These are the classic down-home recipes that have made Paula beloved to her fans everywhere, from her signature Gooey Butter Cake and Key Lime Grits Pie to Pecan Shortbread Bars, Hidden Mint Cookies, and Iron Skillet Brownies. Whether you're whipping up an Old South Jelly Roll Cake for a weekday treat or baking the Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie or Christmas Nut Pie for a holiday celebration, these treats are as easy to create as they are to enjoy. The Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake -- in coconut (Jamie's favorite), caramel (Bobby's favorite), or chocolate -- makes a wonderful birthday surprise, and the Tennessee Banana-Black Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting is a southern favorite sure to become one of yours as well. There is also a wide array of cookies, bars, and candy, including Savannah Cheesecake Cookies, Orange Brownies, Chocolate Brickle, and Creamy Caramels. Even the most time-pressed cook will find it a snap to create these from-scratch recipes, using Paula's tips for reliable convenience ingredients and time-tested shortcuts that will impress and delight family and friends.
Filled with warm baking memories and family stories, The Lady & Sons Just Desserts is already a kitchen classic. There are also helpful baking tips for measuring ingredients, storing leftovers, and even cutting a few calories, as well as tasty flavor variations and unique serving suggestions throughout. So bring the folks together to create your own memorable meals and occasions and remember to save room for dessert!
Customer Reviews:
Yummy !!!!.......2007-10-01
This is just one more of Paula's great books. Sharing lots of her self along with her really yummy desserts. A definite YES. Get it.
Not tempting enough.......2007-09-04
I received this book as a gift for Xmas and was quite excited to read through it as I enjoy PD's cooking show. However, I was really disappointed with the recipes and have only made one of the recipes in a years time.
The biggest disappointment to me is the use of processed cake mixes and pie crusts. I can't cook to save my life but I can bake really well and there's a reason I do it ALL from scratch. :) Because many of the cakes call for premade mixes, I'll never bother to make them.
I think the rest of my distaste is simply that the recipes don't really appeal to my personal tastes (much to my surprise). I'm not a big fan of coconut, chocolate or bananas. :)
ok not up to date old cookbook.......2007-08-24
I was disappointed, I expected her newer recipes in ther but instead they are old ones.
Paula Dean is the best.......2007-07-03
Everyone deserves a trip to Savannah, at least once in their lives. A visit to Paula Dean's restaurant is an experience. This cook book can bring a little savannah home with you. You have to REALLY like sweet desserts to enjoy this. All you people with carbo problems, don't tempt yourself with these recipes.
the lady and sons just desserst.......2007-05-07
If anything could make you go off a diet, this is it. Paula makes fattening fun.
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.
Book Description
Born and raised in Greenville, Mississippi, within the shelter of old traditions, aristocratic in the best sense, William Alexander Percy in his lifetime (1885-1942) was brought face to face with the convulsions of a changing world. Lanterns on the Levee is his memorial to the South of his youth and young manhood. In describing life in the Mississippi Delta, Percy bridges the interval between the semifeudal South of the 1800s and the anxious South of the early 1940s. The rare qualities of this classic memoir lie not in what Will Percy did in his life—although his life was exciting and varied—but rather in the intimate, honest, and soul-probing record of how he brought himself to contemplate unflinchingly a new and unstable era. The 1973 introduction by Walker Percy—Will's nephew and adopted son—recalls the strong character and easy grace of "the most extraordinary man I have ever known." AUTHOR BIO: William Alexander Percy was the author of four books of poetry, and he practiced law in Greenville until his death, one year after the publication of his autobiography. Awarded the Croix de Guerre with gold star for his service in World War I, he also was one of the leaders in the succesful 1922 fight against the Ku Klux Klan in Greenville and headed the local Red Cross unit during the disastrous Mississippi River flooding of 1927.
Customer Reviews:
Over hyped.......2007-06-30
I've heard great things about this book, but it simply doesn't live up to the reviews. It isn't vivid, isn't absorbing, isn't all that interesting. It is a decent piece of period biography, and if you're interested in the Percy family or the region or time period, it might be worthwhile. Otherwise, give this one a pass.
Not Impressed.......2006-02-06
This is my first book about planters and plantation life. It was my expectation that the author would give more specific information about plantation finances and management. This subject is hardly touched upon. He does briefly give his opinions about slavery, but there is nothing unique about it. Basically, this is a nice, slow look back at a bygone time, but it left me wondering how the heck did these people come about, and maintain or eventually lose their wealth.
Elusive find: an autobiography of literary quality.......2005-10-09
Percy's approach to life can be summed up by a quote from the book: "It is a very nice world-that is, if you remember that while morals are all-important between the Lord and His creatures, what counts between one creature and another is good manners." Percy's book is a rare member of that most elusive category of books - the autobiography of true literary quality. Percy's touch is honest without being journalistic; poetic without appearing over-embroidered; and in his own eccentric person he provides the subject matter which is required to make such a work interesting. He steps out of the late 19th/early 20th century Mississippi delta as a character that could not have existed anywhere else. Affected, genteel, kind, elitist, romantic and with a view of race more in keeping with British Imperial "white man's burden" line of thought than anything American in origin - Percy the character remains fascinating even as the modern reader disagrees with his positions. A clearly and well told tale of an extinct breed (the gentrified southern aristocrat), a lost land (the Mississippi delta of the turn of the 20th century), and a buried epoch (the pre desegregation era). An excellent book - well worth reading not only to better understand a particular aspect of American history but for the pleasure of reading a well written book, regardless of the subject matter.
Perceptions of a Southern Artistocrat.......2004-01-23
It is true that this book attempts to explain the South, in both its physical and social aspects, from the point of view of the "landed gentry." However, a more accurate description of "Lanterns on the Levee" is that of an autobiography of William A. Percy, in which he reflects upon his life and the interesting times in which he lived. I found this book very inciteful into the mind of a southerner, and believe that Mr. Percy did a fine job of bringing his broad experiences with different cultures and social climates into this book, and using these to produce a cogent analysis of his homeland. Though not completely objective (and often bigoted by today's standards), I think that Mr. Percy did his best to "tell it as he saw it," and often admits his biases as a precursor to his analysis. The book is very poetic and philosophical in places, and includes both the subjective and emotional sentiments that one must understand in order to come to terms with "a southerner's love for the south." Additionally, I feel that Mr. Percy (especially in his last few chapters) provides the reader with thought-provoking and highly articulate observations about life, time, and human-nature. I think this book is excellent, and believe it to be a "must read" for anybody with an open-minded interest in the Missisippi Delta region, or the South in general.
A Lost Voice Of A Lost Cause.......2002-12-14
This is one of those books that is almost impossible to objectively review. The writing is elegant and evocative of an era in the South that died almost in tandem with Mr. Percy and yet I find some parts of it so arrogant and condescending that I feel myself grinding my teeth. You see, I am descended from those Mississippi hill people Percy so despised and, even after all this time, I can almost see the languid gaze and soft, drawling voice. My people came to the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta after the Flood of '27 and we build and earned what we got without the benefit of the massive slave labor that built Mr. Percy's fortune.
But this is a book review and I'll put aside old feelings to say that this is a literary gem that brings to life a way of life on which so many stereotypes of the South are built. And Will Percy is amazingly honest in his descriptions of his society. However, a society this simple and yet this complex takes more than just one book to grasp.
Thus, I also recommend "Rising Tide" by John Barry and "The Most Southern Place on Earth: The Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional Identity" by James Cobb to balance your view of this time and place in history.
Bottom line: This is a wonderful, beautifully written story that is refreshingly candid with none of the defensiveness and politically correct breast beating of many of the works of southern writers of recent years.
Book Description
The Sons of Destiny series continues in this breathtaking romantic fantasy from a fresh new voice.
Eight brothers, born in four sets of twins, two years apart to the day-they fulfill the Curse of Eight Prophecy. To avoid tempting their destiny, the brothers are exiled to Nightfall Island, where women are forbidden. When a childhood friend seeks refuge among the brothers, it triggers a confrontation with their mysterious enemy.
Alys arrives desperate and afraid, but welcomed by Wolfer, the second-born brother who harbors deep feelings for Alys. But she harbors a secret: her own uncle is tormenting the exiled brothers, and seeks to kill them to secure their ancestral inheritance for himself.
Confessing her uncle's plan to the brothers puts them at even greater risk, for their resistance against the evil mage has stirred his wrath. Alys fears her uncle is determined this time to exterminate the brothers once and for all-destroying the star-crossed lovers as well.
Customer Reviews:
Must buy!.......2007-07-29
This is the second book in a new 8 book series and a must buy. I loved the book and can't wait for the other six books. I normally don't buy the oversized books but I am glad I made exception in this case.
Johnson has done it again!.......2007-07-24
Just as good as The Sword if not better because you know the characters even before getting started. She's consistent with her descriptive quality of writing, a quality that is imperative to any kind of fantasy or historical writing in order for the reader to have a good 'image' of the characters and the setting of the story. My only complaint . . . having to wait for the next book in the series!
Wolf can stay at my house any time!.......2007-07-06
I tell you Jean Johnson has some imagination and can really open up your mind and pull you into her stories with characters to fall in love with and cheer for. Your hear races and you want to protect them and you cant help but stay up nights because you cant put them down. The only dissapointment in these books is that they end and arent long enough. The good thing is I will have 6 more books to look forward to. I dont know what I am going to do when the last one is done. Be sure to read them in order. I am suprised that there are any of Jean Johnsons books available on Amazon at all. I already have the third one paid for and it is not even out yet. I can sit here right now and imagine what these characters are doing right now just waiting for Jean to record their antics.
A KEEPER THIS ONE IS.......2007-07-03
THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK IN THIS SERIES SO BE SURE TO READ THE FIRST BECAUSE IT GIVES A HISTORY OF THE SONS OF DESTINY. THE SECOND IS THE SECOND OLDEST SON LOVE STORY. LOOK FOR MORE OF THESE BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR. GOOD READING MY BOOK PALS.
More like 4 1/2 stars...........2007-06-23
Step into a world where magic and fantasy collide....
Alys of Devries is determined to escape the wicked machinations of her uncle, Lord Broger. She plans a daring escape and flees to Nightfall Isle, the home of her childhood friend, Wolfer. Wolfer and his seven siblings have been exiled to Nightfall Isle due to a prophesized disaster. Alys hopes to find refuge and perhaps even love with her childhood hero, Wolfer. Will her secrets destroy their chance at love?
THE WOLF is the second book in the Sons of Destiny series and follows up the phenomenal tale, THE SWORD. If you haven't read THE SWORD first, please note that THE WOLF has some major spoilers to the first book. Fans will want to read this series in order as THE WOLF builds upon the events that occurred in THE SWORD and then furthers the plotline as the revelations from the Seer Draganna begin to unfold.
Once again, Jean Johnson has penned a fabulous fantasy romance! The attraction instantly sizzles between Wolfer and Alys, but Alys has secrets Wolfer doesn't even begin to imagine. In fact, one of the most intriguing aspects of THE WOLF is watching Alys come alive! She has been forced into a life of subservience in order to survive but now, as a free woman, she is being to recognize her own sense of empowerment. Teaming a personality like Alys up with Kelly, from THE SWORD, is a stroke of genius on the part of Jean Johnson as the two women complement each other well, making for some rather interesting dialogue.
THE WOLF is a beautifully written tale that should please fans of fantasy romance. Jean Johnson provides a whole host of supernatural creatures, from pookrahs to wyr-wracks, while creating a fascinating storyline and a steamy romance. THE WOLF is definitely a book for the keeper shelf!
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
Books:
- Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves, and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia (Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture)
- H.L. Mencken on Religion
- His Little Princess: Treasured Letters from Your King (His Princess)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International)
- I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust
- Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy
- Inside Intuit: How the Makers of Quicken Beat Microsoft and Revolutionized an Entire Industry
- James K. Polk: 1845 - 1849: The American Presidents Series
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