Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Book Description

Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.

"As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain.

"Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . ."

Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.

"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."

Customer Reviews:

A fun and informative read.......2007-10-20

As I got closer and closer to the end of the book I started to feel upset that the story was coming to a close before I was ready. I didn't want to let go of this family or it's recipes. It breaks my heart that I wasn't able to get my hands on Steven's bread recipes!
What this big DID do was open my eyes to my food choices which can be hard but very neccessary.
If you are considering this book, don't hesitate. Some of the industrial information, like the treatment of chickens and the depletion of heirloom vegetables for the sake of shipping ease, was a little of a hard read compared with the sweet anecdotes of this charming family, but that shouldn't deter anyone from finishing this book and changing the way that they eat.

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.......2007-10-18

This book was absolutely horrifying. I kept flipping back and forth, and couldn't believe what I was reading. While bringing about thoughts for a great cause--buying local; making your own; sustainability; etc., Kingsolver, with sadistic humor, walks us through the process of killing innocent animals for food. It's is absolutely shocking and sickening. In this century, the practice of killing animals for food is barbaric, and she proves where she stands on this issue. There are plenty of plant foods to sustain us all, without being cruel. Two thumbs down for Barbara Kinsolver. I used to be a fan. After reading this, I don't want to be associated in any way with this author.

We are what we eat!.......2007-10-16

This is the 12th Barbara Kingsolver book that I've read (in other words - all of them)....and once again, I was not disappointed. Ms. Kingsolver brings the reader around to her point of view with solid facts, wit, and ideas and images constructed in clear, lovely language. She leaves me yearning for more of her fine writing as well as her commitment to being part of the solution.
Keep Animal, Vegetable, Miracle close at hand for future references - and recipes.

Completely Satisfied.......2007-10-12

My book arrived promptly and was in perfect condition. I would buy from this seller again.

Enjoyable, with Reservations.......2007-10-10

I was attracted to this book as a kindred spirit (of sorts) to the author. I have been growing much of my own food (plant-based, anyway) as I could for many years. I prefer to eat seasonal foods, and buy locally produced items whenever available.

So I was a little disappointed when I first began reading, as much of the first chapter or two is taken up by the author's berating us all for our ignorance and our eating habits, as well as a lot of good, but unfortunately not new to me, information on our food supply.

Thankfully though, I hung in there, and found it to be an enjoyable read overall. I was looking forward to hear someone else's experiences in the garden and the kitchen, and that I did get.
I found myself skipping some parts, the description of the poultry slaughtering for example.
The book also includes sidebars written by her husband, which were mainly summaries of reports one may have already read elsewhere; and essays written by her daughter, Camille. I didn't find these entries of interest, and so skipped them as well.

If you enjoy reading about food and or gardening, or you have been having second thoughts about your grocery habits lately, then I recommend this book.

The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11

Average customer rating:

It's justifiable homicide, of course
good questions
Provocative but thought provoking
Well Worth Your Reading Time
EXTREMELY educational

The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11
Dinesh D'Souza
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385510128
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Book Description

From THE ENEMY AT HOME:

“In this book I make a claim that will seem startling at the outset. The cultural left in this country is responsible for causing 9/11. … In faulting the cultural left, I am not making the absurd accusation that this group blew up the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. I am saying that the cultural left and its allies in Congress, the media, Hollywood, the nonprofit sector, and the universities are the primary cause of the volcano of anger toward America that is erupting from the Islamic world. The Muslims who carried out the 9/11 attacks were the product of this visceral rage—some of it based on legitimate concerns, some of it based on wrongful prejudice, but all of it fueled and encouraged by the cultural left. Thus without the cultural left, 9/11 would not have happened.

“I realize that this is a strong charge, one that no one has made before. But it is a neglected aspect of the 9/11 debate, and it is critical to understanding the current controversy over the ‘war against terrorism.’ … I intend to show that the left has actively fostered the intense hatred of America that has led to numerous attacks such as 9/11. If I am right, then no war against terrorism can be effectively fought using the left-wing premises that are now accepted doctrine among mainstream liberals and Democrats.”

Whenever Muslims charge that the war on terror is really a war against Islam, Americans hasten to assure them they are wrong. Yet as Dinesh D’Souza argues in this powerful and timely polemic, there really is a war against Islam. Only this war is not being waged by Christian conservatives bent on a moral crusade to impose democracy abroad but by the American cultural left, which for years has been vigorously exporting its domestic war against religion and traditional morality to the rest of the world.

D’Souza contends that the cultural left is responsible for 9/11 in two ways: by fostering a decadent and depraved American culture that angers and repulses other societies—especially traditional and religious ones— and by promoting, at home and abroad, an anti-American attitude that blames America for all the problems of the world.

Islamic anti-Americanism is not merely a reaction to U.S. foreign policy but is also rooted in a revulsion against what Muslims perceive to be the atheism and moral depravity of American popular culture. Muslims and other traditional people around the world allege that secular American values are being imposed on their societies and that these values undermine religious belief, weaken the traditional family, and corrupt the innocence of children. But it is not “America” that is doing this to them, it is the American cultural left. What traditional societies consider repulsive and immoral, the cultural left considers progressive and liberating.

Taking issue with those on the right who speak of a “clash of civilizations,” D’Souza argues that the war on terror is really a war for the hearts and minds of traditional Muslims—and traditional peoples everywhere. The only way to win the struggle with radical Islam is to convince traditional Muslims that America is on their side.

We are accustomed to thinking of the war on terror and the culture war as two distinct and separate struggles. D’Souza shows that they are really one and the same. Conservatives must recognize that the left is now allied with the Islamic radicals in a combined effort to defeat Bush’s war on terror. A whole new strategy is therefore needed to fight both wars. “In order to defeat the Islamic radicals abroad,” D’Souza writes, “we must defeat the enemy at home.”

Customer Reviews:

It's justifiable homicide, of course.......2007-08-27

D'Souza's logic and syntax are impeccable, as always.

If I annoy Dinesh - Liberal that I am - or if I cause Dinesh to view me as a sinner, it is therefore my fault if Dinesh decides to blow up my house or even some other house that looks like it in my neighborhood.

Dinesh makes an persuasive argument in defense of Al Q'aida and grumpy old terrorists everywhere.

I recommend that all true Americans read his book and edumacate themselves immediately.

good questions.......2007-08-24

I don't know if the American left really are so unpatriotic that they are allying themselves with the terriorists. However, it is a good questions to asked.

I agree with the author in the analysis of the imposing American ideals onto other countries. But I believed it goes both ways. It is arrogance for the Conservatives to impose the American Ideal of Democracy onto the unwilling participants. It is also very arrogant of the sophisticated Hollywood crowd to impose their ideals of the freedom of choice and feminism onto the unwilling participants. It is ethnocentric view on both sides. There will always be someone that wants to break out of the mode in all the developing countries. That does not mean the mass majority are willing to give up their way of life as they know it.

Author stressed that most traditional societies does not agree with the liberal view of the world. The liberal view works for the west, it doesn't necessary work for the rest. If the conservatives are guilty of imposing views on others, the Liberals are equally, if not more forcefully impose their liberal values onto the rest of the world that do not want them, via internet, media, entertainments. Conservative use military force, liberal uses softer but more pervasive method in infiltrating the rest of the world by....."Americanization" Combined with the unwanted morals of the liberal, and the military force, this make us the prime target for any counntries that have any grievence against the US.

Provocative but thought provoking.......2007-08-24

Dinesh D'Souza has written a powerful and provocative book, containing a unique perspective difficult to attain other than by an author straddling his traditional culture of origin and the newly adopted progressive culture of his current environment. While many readers will be offended by the book's central thesis of the left's putative contribution to the moral decay of American society, the book has much to offer in terms of understanding strengths of the Islamic family structure alien to Western ethnocentric analysis. Despite some minor factual errors regarding the Spanish Inquisition and the role of Islam in science, the data in the book are in the main sound. Its up to the reader to react to the analysis. Sean Penn might look elsewhere.

Well Worth Your Reading Time.......2007-08-13

I approached this book with much skepticism; by the time I was mid-way through the book, I was much intrigued with the author's thesis. Toward the end, however, I was of the mind that the author's deductions and conclusions were too much of a stretch.

I believe the D'souza correctly diagnosed several key points, which escape many mainstream thinkers:

1. The driving passion behind the masterminds of 911 was not religious, but cultural.

2. Most Americans, at all levels, tend to be rather ignorant about other cultures and simplistically believe that what we think is good should naturally be welcomed by other cultures. In reality, as many scholars have pointed out, democratic institutions must be home grown for them to take hold. People in foreign lands perceive America through the lens of American pop culture, which has become very coarse and depraved. We also "export" ideas such as strident feminist, abortion and homosexual agendas which, even in our own society are controversial, are viewed with suspicion and contempt in other traditional societies.

3. The key to winning this war is winning the hearts of traditional Muslims. Traditional Muslims have more in common with conservatives than many think. Most traditional Muslims do not subscribe to the fringe teachings of the Taliban and Al Queda; they are God-fearing people who want to live in a society where the traditional family values are respected. They are natural sympathizers of the radical Islamists, although they are not active supporters. We should not attack their religion and drive them right into the arms of the radicals. Many in the West tend to look at certain things, such as "honor killing", in the Muslim world, and conclude that Islam is outdated, and its followers barbaric. In reality, such practices are not the norm in the traditional Muslim society. On the other hand, a traditional Muslim probably finds partial birth abortion as revulsive as we find honor killing.

What I am not ready to agree with the author was his assertion that Bin Ladin and the Left in this country are in a conscious alliance. Regardless of how much their short-term goals and interests coincide with each other, there is neither logic nor evidence for an alliance to exist. The Left in this country are a pathetic bunch who want power, but it is one of those inevitables of a Western-style democracy.

EXTREMELY educational.......2007-07-30

This book did more to educate me about the 'whys' behind the current world situation than any of the many books I have read. Yes, there are many opinions given that sound like facts, but it is impossible to 'know' everything that is going on in this extremely complex situation. I am glad that the writer has gone out on a limb to push our thinking, to stretch us to believe that we may be part of the problem. Gee!! Hard to believe that, huh? I am in fact a conservative, but I don't 'blame' the left. It's like the boiled frog syndrome -- place a frog in boiling water and it will jump out. Place it in warm water and turn up the temperature slowly and it will die. What has happened to this country in the last 30+ years is like turning up the temperature slowly. We HAVE become a decadent society. Anyone who doesn't believe that has his head in the sand. Conservatives are as much to 'blame' as liberals because we have done such a lousy job of articulating our thoughts, and making them connect to the current world situation. The Bush administration has done a TERRIBLE job of educating the country. While I agree with much of what the Bush administration has done, I hold them 100% accountable for not providing a clear understanding of the world situation, and why America must do what it is doing. Perhaps no one in the administration has read D'Souza's book. It is surely not 100% right, but it sure helps put things in a lot better perspective than anything else I have read. Now the strategies HAVE to change. You cannot kill all the radicals. The Bush administration has been woefully weak in understanding the larger context for the Muslim violence around the world. We, the people of the USA, must become more educated, and FORCE our elected representatives to be more thoughtful, and less antagonistic to 'the other side'. Otherwise we have turned over to our children a terrible future.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book

Average customer rating:

Excellent Resource
Great advice, but not perfect detail
A BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD OWN!
It's the Encyclopedia of human existence...
A treasure trove of info.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book
Carla Emery
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 157061377X

Amazon.com

For twenty years people have relied on these hundreds of recipes, instructions, and morsels of invaluable practical advice on all aspects of growing and preparing food. This definitive classic on food, gardening, and self-sufficient living is a complete resource for living off the land with over 800 pages of collected wisdom from country maven, Carla Emery--how to cultivate a garden, buy land, bake bread, raise farm animals, make sausage, milk a goat, grow herbs, churn butter, catch a pig, make soap, work with bees and more. Encyclopedia of Country Living is so basic, so thorough, so reliable, it deserves a place in every home--whether in the country, the city, or somewhere in between.

Book Description

Initially self-published 20 years ago, The Encyclopedia of Country Living has become the trusted guidebook to sustainable, self-sufficient living. Filled with memorable anecdotes, crucial advice, and a generous helping of good humor, this compendium provides detailed information about food production — growing, processing, cooking, and preserving — together with hundreds of illustrations and recipes. With updates of over 1,100 mail order sources, including websites and email addresses, this revised edition is the definitive classic text for living off the land. “Carla Emery is certifiably one of the craziest, warmest, ... funniest, wisest, most lovable, and idealistic zanies now walking the earth.” — Mother Earth News

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2007-08-06

I love this book. I've been reading it a little bit at a time and each day I learn something new and important. I'm driving everyone crazy with quotes from this new 'bible'... we are new to the country, trying hard to live a 'greener' life, and this book promises much help in that regard. If you are looking for a book that gives you a lot of helpful information on just about anything to do with becoming self-sustaining, this is the one!

Great advice, but not perfect detail.......2007-07-23

When we city folks moved to our homestead in 2001 this is the book I used, holding it in one hand while attempting to milk a goat or butcher a chicken with the other hand. Some things, like chicken housing, were hard to figure out; but maybe you can't really get some things until you get there. Some subjects it's practically impossible to find better information elsewhere, and no other book has even close to the coverage, although not everything is covered (no fiber arts, nor beer/wine making, for example)

But as I've gained experience and read zillions of other books since then, I have found that this is a human book, there are errors and the details aren't always perfect nor the recipes complete. This is more like having a homesteader aunt or grandmother who will tell you stories and give advice, rather than a database of the latest information on every topic. For those of us who didn't grow up on the farm, that old timer advice is really invaluable!

A BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD OWN!.......2007-07-07

This book truly was worth every penny I spent on it. It is chocked full of invaluable information. It tells everything from how to make coffee from acorns to the fact that you can use eggs to keep deer out of your garden. There is always at least the basic know-how given. The author always gives you resources to find all the info you could possibly want, although I haven't found the need for more information then the book itself provides. This book is great for anyone, whether you live in the country or not. The author explains everything so that anyone can understand it making it seems like she's talking to you as a friend. Even if you are not intersted in using what you learn in this book on a day to day basis it is if nothing else an ideal book to have in case of an emergency. I will be purchasing more copies of this book in the future to give as gifts.

It's the Encyclopedia of human existence..........2007-06-14

I've had a small farm all of my life and I find myself referencing this book at least once a week. It's difficult to give a review on something so vast, because there is really nothing else like it. If you can think of a topic, it's covered in The Encyclopedia of Country Living. I will say this, if terrorists ever attack us in a large-scale way, or a large meteor comes crashing to earth, I would not want to be without this comprehensive encyclopedia.

J. P. Landry, author of Hazard 666

A treasure trove of info........2007-05-18

I really like the information in this book. I see complaints that it doesn't go very far in depth on most issues, but it IS intended as an all-encompassing encyclopedia. The book is good as a quick-look reference; and if you have the need for deeper information into any one of the categories, you can search for another book that specifically encompasses that subject.

I think anyone interested in self sufficiency, homesteading, or country living should get this book. It is great for getting an overall sense of what it's like to live these lifestyles while leaving deeper, specialized topics for other books.

Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance

Average customer rating:

Dissapointing lack of detail
A SUPER BOOK!
everything you need to know in one book
Storey's Basic Country Skills
excellent seller and product

Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance
John Storey , and Martha Storey
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1580172024

Book Description

This is the book for anyone who wants to become more self-reliant, from suburbanites with 1/4 of an acre to country homesteaders with several. The information is easily understood and readily applicable.

More than 150 of Storey's expert authors in gardening, building, animal raising, and homesteading share their specialized knowledge and experience in this ultimate guide to living a more independent, satisfying life.

Readers will find step-by-step, illustrated instructions for every aspect of country living including:

Finding country land

Buying, building, and renovating a home

Developing water sources and systems

Understanding wiring, plumbing, and heating

Using alternative heating and energy sources

Vegetable, flower, and herb gardening

Traditional cooking skills such as baking bread and making maple syrup

Preparing and preserving meat, fruits, and vegetables

Building and maintaining barns, sheds, and outbuildings

Caring for common farm and ranch animals, and pets

Customer Reviews:

Dissapointing lack of detail.......2007-08-08

I bought this book because of the high review rating, and for the first time was very let down by a highly rated book. I already have a whole bookshelf of books dedicated to small farming/homesteading/sustainable living and thought this would be a comprehensive addition. Unfortunately, this would be an excellent book for someone who has grown up in the city, never been to a working ranch/homestead, and has absolutely no knowledge of the subject. If you already have such knowledge and/or experience you will find this book woefully deviod of useful information. It has a WIDE range of topics (most of which I was not interested in, such as how to install hardwood floor and how to build a treehouse) and each topic is only touched on in the most superficial way. For example, the chapter on treehouses only shows you how to build one kind, assuming that's the only kind you would want to build, and the whole chapter is 4 pages. I suppose the best use for this book would be for a novice to purchase in order to BEGIN a library on the subject, and then use this book to decide what topics to invest in more books on so as to get better information and more detail. If you are looking for real information on specifics such as how to keep a healthy and productive meat flock of chickens, or detailed food preservation techniques, find a specific book on the subject.

A SUPER BOOK!.......2007-06-09

Book is full of great information and advice for the farmer, rancher, homesteader, backyard adventurer and camper. The only thing I did not like about it was that it is a paperback and is so big. While I will continue to refer to it, I will have to be careful. The book is not hardy for the homesteading home, farm or ranch. I would gladly pay more for this book if it was hard bound and had more durable pages. It should be broken up into several books. Other than that, it is a fabulous book and has everything you need to know.

everything you need to know in one book.......2007-05-21

I bought this book after reading Gregg Perry's review of the book (read review below mine). I have to say he was right on the money. This book has way more in it than I thought it would. How to raise goats, chickens/chicken problems, ducks, geese, how to buy the right land, home maintanence, septic systems, composting, how to store grains, and how to farm to to cover the tip of the ice berg. I own a lot of other Storey books, and this book takes a lot of the information from those books and just gets down to the nuts and bolts. My review simply can't help but fall short of just was useful, and how much information is in this book. This is one of the best book purchases I have ever made, and this is coming from a guy who owns multiple books on these subjects. Had I found this book first I could have saved myself a lot of time and money. Do yourself a favor buy this book you won't regret it.

Storey's Basic Country Skills.......2007-05-18

I bought this book in conjunction with Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living. I highly recommend both of them. What one doesn't cover, the other one does. Storey's probably goes into more detail than the average homesteader needs. Also, I was raised on a farm in NC by my grandparents, and some of the ways they suggest doing things seems more complicated and unnecessary (such as the procedure for killing a chicken for meat), but if you've never been exposed to some of this stuff, the advice is invaluable. Also, the info in the back of the book is great. It lists websites and magazines that cater to country living.
This book was well worth the money spent and I would recommend it to everyone!

excellent seller and product.......2007-02-13

Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!

Average customer rating:

This detective novel is a classic--but it's also a lot of fun.
Wow! I just finished this book
The best of Victorian suspense
Totally gripping
Woman in White Book

The Woman in White (Penguin Classics)
Wilkie Collins , and Matthew Sweet
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0141439610
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Matthew Sweet.

Customer Reviews:

This detective novel is a classic--but it's also a lot of fun........2007-09-17

I'll confess that I almost put The Woman in White down after the first fifty pages or so. It seemed obvious to me what would happen: a beautiful and delicate heiress falls in love with a poor drawing master, but is forced to renounce him for the evil nobleman who really only wants her money. Then, the intricate plotting (the story is related in the voices of different characters) drew me in and the plot turned out to be not quite so obvious, after all. Sure, you can read quickly past some of the verbose descriptions, Marion is too good to be true, and Collins does deal in stock figures when it comes to the "lower" classes. Despite these flaws, the mystery at the heart of the novel will keep you turning the pages. It's a wonderful diversion when you're too tired for more weighty reading matter and you'd like a detective story that's decidedly NOT contemporary. The portrait of the "invalid" uncle, Mr. Fairlie, is wickedly delicious, too. Have fun.

Wow! I just finished this book.......2007-08-01

and I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It is a 19th century puzzle that is so well written and so much fun.

The best of Victorian suspense.......2007-07-10

Collin's novel is the best example of Victorian mystery and suspense. Full of tangential story lines and detailed, lush descriptions of nineteenth-century England. A must-read for any student of literature and anyone interested in Victorian history and culture.

Totally gripping.......2007-06-26

I have read this book several times and just reread it after many years. I don't understand those who think it hard to follow. If one pays attention the plot is easily understood. Too many people are used to being spoonfed and have trouble with Dickens and Collins because they demand attention.

This book is frightening and not in any supernatural way but because I wondered what I would do if I had been Laura or Anne, shut away in an asylum against my will. what would I do if I were trapped and unable to reach anyone to help me? It's this helplessness that is so frightening and the inability for the law to do anything without proof.

I highly recommend this book. And Marian Halcamb is a true heroine in a Victorian era, fighting back at injustice. These are characters you won't soon forget although Laura is very much in the Dickens mode: pretty, complaisant, mostly, and depending on others. A woman of her times.

Woman in White Book.......2007-05-25

The book was in very good condition and arrived in a timely manner.

Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America

Average customer rating:

Sun-drenched colors of Southern France
For Americans creating French style, who can't go to France
French Provencal style influences American interiors
Provencal Interiors?????
Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America

Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America
Betty Lou Phillips
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 087905848X

Book Description

8 1/2 X 10 In, 160 Pp, 125 Color Photos. Provencal Interiors: Inspired by the sun-drenched colors of southern France, french country, or provencal, decorating is the epitome of understated luxury, as fitting in the city and suburbs as in rural reaches. No matter that it's roots are firmly planted in the small stone farmhouse, or mas, the typical dwelling in the provencal region. It is eqaully appealing in a remote chateau as in a stately manor house, or bastide. The most inviting homes exude comfort,tradition, and grace. Most people, though, say it is charm that best characterizes the french interior. Through stunning photographs, informative text, and an extensive resource list, provincal interiors detail everything necessary for creating this harmonious mingling in america.

Customer Reviews:

Sun-drenched colors of Southern France.......2004-03-03

"French country decorating at its finest is the harmonious mingling of fabrics, textures, and patterns - an artistic blending of the familiar with warmth and sophistication."

As you open this book, you may start to have the desire to suddenly order hundreds of pastel pink tulip bulbs. While this book is not quite as lavish as "Villa Décor" it is much more practical. There are extensive instructions for using color, texture and scale.

Betty Lou Phillips has included a wonderful picture of a library with bookcases spanning the library walls. Her work has appeared in Southern Accents, Traditional Home & Bath, Window and Wall, and Decorating as well as many magazine covers. She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

There are eight main chapters:

What Is Provencal Charm?
Making an Entrance
French Quarters
Table Matters - Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Bedrooms, Bedding, and Baths
French Accents
Outside Interests
Trade Secrets

I loved reading the "Table Matters" section which includes a comparison between French and American kitchens. The bedroom section had me wishing I had some fresh croissants on hand for a breakfast tray.

There is no need to travel to France to buy beautiful fabrics, furnishings and fixtures. A complete list of catalogs is also included.

This is "French Country Style in America," so it is a fusion of various ideas from a variety of locations in France.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

For Americans creating French style, who can't go to France.......2001-12-28

Ok, so this isn't "authentic French Provence design." Suppose you won't be visiting Aix-en-Provence and running around looking for all the pieces you need, and then figuring out how to fill up a shipping container and send it through customs, etc etc, (can you imagine doing this in a foreign country in a foreign language?!) You just aren't going to find a lot of genuine French furnishing and fabrics in the US. What if you want to use French elements in your decorating (as we did) and only have access to American furniture lines and the fabrics sold here?

This book provides a great solution. American houses are DIFFERENT than European, and what's sold in furniture and decorating supply shops is different, too. "Provencal Interiors" shows you how to get that effect with things you can get here. THAT'S great. If it isn't authentic, that's ok. If you don't have unlimited funds for a decorator to buy worldwide to create "real" Provencal, this book works really well. Maybe better.

The pictures give good examples of Provencal style rooms, and there are lists of suppliers that are helpful. The color schemes are perhaps the most useful part. Another useful thing are the fabrics and how to mix them. I myself have problems figuring that out; this helps.

French Provencal style influences American interiors.......2001-10-27

I found this book a wonderful view of French Provencal style, blended with American verve and elegance. Many of us have traveled in France, and know the French are also very influenced by the freshness and ease of American design.

Remember it was not an English, but an AMERICAN interior designer, Nancy Lancaster from Virginia USA, who revolutionized English Country style. She became Lady Colfax and changed the look of country houses from stiff to chintz.

I think the author introduces the beauty of Euro/American design in this book. The French Provencal Style in AMERICA title is a great clue that the pages are not full of 17th century French country village interiors.

Also, it always helps to read a book before you judge it!

Provencal Interiors?????.......2001-08-08

This is a nice book but it does not contain Provencal style interiors! I am not sure how the author came up with that title since anyone who is interested in French country will not find it here. If you are truly looking for Provencal decorating ideas-this is not the book for you. CONFUSED!!!

Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America.......2001-05-23

I haven't even read the book, but I LIVE in PROVENCE, and I have to agree from what I see on the cover that the style is not typical of Provence, however pretty it may be... If the inside is different, then feel free to correct me!

Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort

Average customer rating:

So So
inspiration for your dream home
Beautiful Country Homes
Ho-hum
Just another potpourri book...

Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort
Chippy Irvine
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1561588164
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

Country living and style permeates every aspect of our culture- we yearn for the simplicity and comfort of country style living as seen in the pages of popular publications like Country Living Magazine and in Shabby Chic décor. There are many shades of country to match your personal style and Shades of Country, written by Chippy Irvine, masterfully presents some of America’s most beautiful, charming and fascinating country houses. Chippy introduces six unique country styles; Farmhouse, Grand Country, Cottage, Rusticator, Clean and Simple, and Urban Arcadia; enrich a home with warmth, texture, color and beauty. Shades of Country shows how you can mix and match styles or create a unified look while helping you enjoy the comfort of living in country style.

Customer Reviews:

So So.......2007-06-11

This book was a bit disapointing. The disappointment comes from the intrepetation of Country style or English country style, as shown the the photographs, as being lots of clutter and in some cases not the best of taste. I have many other style books that show how charming Country style, antiques and hodge podge collections can be, but somehow many of the examples in this book miss the mark. Maybe the author's take on Country style is just not my cup of country tea, so to speak. Many photos are from the author's own home and I felt that narrowed the scope of the book somewhat.

inspiration for your dream home.......2007-02-28

I can seldom resist a good décor book, especially one on Country Style. My current excuse is that I'm looking for ideas I can use in my own country house which I've been renovating for the past 5 years.

Shades of Country is perfect for the amateur decorator and it's reasonably priced too. It is profusely illustrated with a wealth of examples of actual American homes -- including the author's own country retreat -- which are not only beautiful but emphasize comfort & practicality. Some of them are derived from European country styles, but most are what we think of as typically American - east coast farmhouses, Shaker simplicity, Montana ranch and rustic Adirondack cabin.

There is something for every taste here; cosy bedrooms with iron beds & antique bureaus & old quilts in muted pastels; walls painted, wallpapered, wainscotted or of varnished logs; walls hung with blue and white platters, old portraits or prints or ornate mirrors; a stair rail made from a birch tree; support posts disguised as palm trees; kitchens with open shelves of china bowls or glassware, and red-painted iron pots hanging from overhead beams; staircases plain or classic; toile's and stripes and rose-bouquet chintzes; floral cushions on a jade green slip-covered sofa; cobalt blue cushions on spruce-green wicker chairs on a white-painted verandah; a window box on a country out-house, and bookshelves - which I seldom see in American decor magazines - including one converted from a fireplace hole-in-the-wall (I guess I'm not the first to think of doing that) and fluted pilasters high-lighting an otherwise plain bookshelf .

Whether you are renovating your home; or still dreaming of that someday home in the country; updating a tired décor or looking for ideas for colour schemes or a knick-knack shelf, this book will inspire you.

Beautiful Country Homes.......2007-01-16

This may not break any new ground in decorating, but I never fail to enjoy browsing one more book on the topic of country style. This shows use of fabrics, accessories, paint and furniture that makes country style what it is. It also defines some sub-genres of country; Farmhouse, Grand Country, Cottage, Rusticator, Clean and Simple, and Urban Arcadia.
If you like Country Living magazine or enjoy the Shabby Chic trend, then you'll find pleasure in this book.

Ho-hum.......2006-12-30

In my opinion, this book did not "live up to" it's cover. Too many of the rooms looked very dated. I love the idea of collecting over time but many of these rooms were very lackluster and boring. I requested it as a Christmas gift and wish I could un-request it!

Just another potpourri book..........2006-10-20

I love interior decorating books, especially Colonial, Regency and Victorian or English Country Style. But this book covers too much territory. A few pictures of each, as well as others styles like Ranch, or French. If you are having trouble deciding on a style, this book might help you. It has lovely illustrations, but again, as it is trying to cover many different styles falling under the broad title of "Country" your information is limited. There are too many books coming out like this. Specialty books are much better. Look to Rizzoli for the best in interior decorating books, or if you want some kind of country, best buy a book that covers that one particular style. I browsed through this at the store, hoping it might make a good Christmas present for me, but it ended up back on the shelf.

Average customer rating:

"In bantering lies the key to human warmth."
A Devoted Professional
The best of Ishiguro
Excellent
Mr. Stevens is among the finest creations in English literature

The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679731725
Release Date: 1990-09-12

Amazon.com

The novel's narrator, Stevens, is a perfect English butler who tries to give his narrow existence form and meaning through the self-effacing, almost mystical practice of his profession. In a career that spans the second World War, Stevens is oblivious of the real life that goes on around him -- oblivious, for instance, of the fact that his aristocrat employer is a Nazi sympathizer. Still, there are even larger matters at stake in this heartbreaking, pitch-perfect novel -- namely, Stevens' own ability to allow some bit of life-affirming love into his tightly repressed existence.

Book Description

A tragic, spiritual portrait of a perfect English butler and his reaction to his fading insular world in post-war England. A wonderful, wonderful book.

Customer Reviews:

"In bantering lies the key to human warmth.".......2007-09-15

"A 'great' butler can only be, surely, one who can point to his years of service and say that he has applied his talents to serving a great gentleman--and through the latter, in serving humanity" (p. 117).

The Remains of the Day (1989) is the third novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (1954). It won the Booker prize in 1989. The book's title not only refers to the time of day (evening), when the narrator reflects upon his day's work, but also upon his mature age, from which he can reflect upon his life. The title also refers to the last grand houses of Great Britain's staffed with butlers such as Ishiguro's narrator, Stevens.

Stevens is a loyal English butler who has who dedicated his life to the service of Lord Darlington. Upon receiving a letter from an ex co-worker Miss Kenton describing her unhappy married life, and at the encouragement of his new employer, Mr. Farraday, an American, Stevens borrows a car to take a "motoring trip" to revisit Miss Kenton. Along the way (in a plot structure reminiscent of Bergman's Wild Strawberries - Criterion Collection) Stevens reflects upon his service to Lord Darlington, the meaning of "dignity," his relationship with his father, and his true feelings for Miss Kenton, whom he cherishes. It was because of his service to Lord Darlington that Stevens never acted upon his love for Miss Kenton. Although she offered him her love, he refused to even acknowledge her feelings by allowing himself to be "off duty" in her presence (p. 169). Rather, all his life Stevens has been consumed by the desire to be a "great" butler, which for him has meant embodying the ideals of service, dignity, and composure. Ultimately, The Remains of The Day is a poignant meditation upon missed opportunities and lost love; one cannot "turn back the clock," as Stevens puts it (p. 239). Ishiguro succeeds at drawing the reader into Stevens' loss as a result of placing duty above the needs of his heart. This is a perfect novel, one that I highly recommend, along with the 1993 Merchant-Ivory must-see film The Remains of the Day (Special Edition) starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.

One of my 10 favorite novels of the last 25 years.

G. Merritt

A Devoted Professional.......2007-09-15

Brilliant novel about a butler so dedicated to perfection that he suppresses all human emotion in the quest for professional "dignity" and service to a great man. Feelings of love, grief, guilt & shame are banished in a life of service, and Stevens is ever searching for a way to improve, even in (what should be) casual "banterings" with a new American employer. However, traces of the butler's humanity emerge as he travels the countryside in hopes of having a former maid return to Darlington Hall. The true character of his former employer, the words of a letter from Miss Kenton, and his own past behavior are under scrutiny during his travels. I loved the subtlety & elegant melancholy of this novel. Thoroughly enjoyable.

The best of Ishiguro.......2007-09-03

In a world full of "good" books, Remains of the Day stands out as a truly amazing one. It speaks to Kazuo Ishiguro's talent that such a simple plot about a reserved English butler could be so engrossing and heartbreaking. The end of the book is especially powerful, and likely to leave any reader thinking about it long after they've finished. This is easily the best work of Ishiguro and, in my opinion, one of the best modern novels out there. Not to be missed.

Excellent.......2007-08-20

Ishiguro is an amazing writer and this novel is no exception. This work is presented first through memories and recollections during a road trip and later via an interaction at the end of the trip and reflections on that interaction. Ishiguro presents a question, which I will not ruin here, that everyone should ask themselves. Before you ask the question he presents you must read this book immediately.

Mr. Stevens is among the finest creations in English literature.......2007-07-11

The story of The Remains of the Day unfolds in a strange but effective way. The narrator is Mr. Stevens, the key character in the novel, and it is his voice that tells the increasingly revealing tale of his life as a 'gentleman's gentleman'.

However, Ishiguro does not simply allow Stevens to give us a memoir of his life from the perspective of advanced years. Instead Stevens records his motoring trip across England as if he is keeping an hourly diary, perhaps spoken into a dictaphone (if such technology had existed in the mid-1950s when the main story is set). This device allows us to experience each stage of the journey as it happens and, more importantly, Steven's growing self-awareness as he tries to piece together the significance of events from his past life.

The writing style reflects the period and the character of Stevens beautifully. As narrator, he seems unable or unwilling to acknowledge the emotions that always threaten to unseat the 'dignity' to which he aspires. In his conversations with Miss Kenton, he uses language to preserve decorum at all costs. Passion is his enemy and he fights a lifelong battle against it.

In Mr. Stevens, Ishiguro has given us one of the greatest creations in all of English literature. It is a wonderful accomplishment and the author fully deserves every plaudit and honour he has received for this masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

Julia Lacey
These are getting a little creepy
Good Book
incredibly powerful....
Disappointingly Miserable

The Favored Child : A Novel
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743249305

Book Description

The Wideacre estate is bankrupt. The villagers are living in poverty and Wideacre Hall is a smoke-blackened ruin. But, in the Dower House, two children are being raised in protected innocence.

Equal claimants to the estate, rivals for the love of the village, they are tied by a secret childhood betrothal but forbidden to marry. Only one can be the favored child. Only one can inherit the magical understanding between the land and the Lacey family that can make the Sussex village grow green again. Only one can be Beatrice Lacey's true heir.

Sensual, gripping, sometimes mystical, The Favored Child sweeps the reader irresistibly into the eighteenth century, a revolutionary period in English history. This rich and dramatic novel continues the saga of the Lacey family started in Philippa Gregory's bestselling and enduringly popular Wideacre.

Customer Reviews:

Julia Lacey .......2007-09-04

The book is called The Favored Child, due to a legend that has sprung up around the village of Acre that Beatrice's true heir will return and the land will be happy again.

That's the only interesting thing about this book. Julia is an extremly weak character, due mostly to the fact that she is raised by Celia, the late Harry Laceys wife. But her real mother, Beatrice, is hardly in evidence in her daugther. Other then her love of the land and it's people,Julia is very different. She was raised as an indoor girl, and was taught to know her place. But i still can't believe how she puts up with Richards abuse. From almost the first chapter, when see her cavng in time and again, simply because he's the boy!

Her only attempt to escape Richard, a betrothal to James,a man she meets in Bath, is thwarted by Richard.

Richard is himself a very unlikable character. i never felt sympathy for any of the charcters. Well, a little bit for Julia at the end. Thats why the book got two stars. She finally starts tro prove herself towards the end.

Read it as the middle part to the wideacre trilogy.

These are getting a little creepy.......2007-08-11

In this second book in the Wideacre trilogy, Julia and her cousin Richard have grown up together among the ruins of their family estate and have always planned to marry, despite their guardians' disapproval. When, as a teenager, Julia begins to demonstrate a talent for working with the land and its inhabitants, Richard grows resentful. After all, only one of them can be the rumored favored child, the true heir to Wideacre.

Gregory's early works are starting to remind me of V.C. Andrews' style of near-horror stories, only with richer detail and better writing. I really wanted to strangle Julia for her stupidity at times. Yes, she was confined within the role of women in her time, but had she told someone - anyone! - what was happening, at least some of the tragedy might have been avoided.

Good Book.......2007-07-19

After reading the first book in this trilogy (Wideacre), I was not too excited to read this one but I wanted to find out what happens to the Lacey family. I have to say this book is much better than Wideacre. I am now reading the third book (Meridon) and I believe it is even better than the second book. So, if you got through the first book and are wondering if you should venture into the other two, it is definitely worth your time.

incredibly powerful...........2007-07-06

so i just finished reading this book and my stomach is still in knots. philippa gregory is a puppet master and with every word she will tug on your emotions with this book along with her many other masterpeices....simply amazing. there were times when i was afraid to continue reading it because i was actually scared of what would happen next. it is beyond powerful. truly spectacular. i cant give this book or this author enough praise.

Disappointingly Miserable.......2007-06-11

This book did not live up to Gregory's later book, Meridon. I don't know about Wideacre because I haven't read it yet but reading The Favored Child made me not want to go back to the first book.

Julia is just an idiot. I felt really bad for her but she kind of just screwed herself over throughout the entire story. And nothing good ever came out of all of her struggles.

It left me with a really disturbed, and unsatisfied feeling. I do not recommend this novel.

Nancy Lancaster: English Country House Style

Average customer rating:

Nancy Lancaster: English Country House
Excellent read
Nancy Lancaster:English County House Style
A classic tale of high style
United States to Great Britain: Shared Style

Nancy Lancaster: English Country House Style
Martin Wood
Manufacturer: Frances Lincoln
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0711224293

Book Description

This book examines Nancy's contribution to the arts of interior decoration and garden design by chronicling her own homes and gardens. These are Mirador, a Virginian country house, etc.

Customer Reviews:

Nancy Lancaster: English Country House .......2007-10-17

Subject matter and book cover engaging... historically very interesting however pictorially, thoroughly disappointing...in fact a serious let down.....

Excellent read.......2007-06-27

I truly enjoyed this book. The pictures were excellent quality and representative of the text. For the professional decorator or a person interested in house decoration it is funny and informative. I highly recommend this book.

Nancy Lancaster:English County House Style.......2007-02-09

Book was not what I expected. Book was recommended by a decorator who said Nancy Lancaster was her inspiration so I was expecting more decorating and less biography-like book. It does make an excellent coffee table presentation!!

A classic tale of high style.......2007-01-18

This book is sumptuous and entertaining. Martin Wood weaves a fascinating story of the founder of English County House Style. If you love biography, decorating, and history along with beautiful photographs, renderings, and paintings of exquisitely decorated rooms, this book will fit the bill! A lavish feast for sight and soul.

United States to Great Britain: Shared Style.......2006-08-30

This book takes the reader from the style of America in the early years of the 20th century to the life she created in Britain. Many aspects of style were shared in the two countries, but many are unique to each. It is interesting how Nancy Lancaster blended the two worlds into a grand country style that was appreciated by both. Her childhood home in Virginia was her inspiration throughout her life and helped set the style she was so well known for.

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