Customer Reviews:
Where there is no Doctor.......2007-10-25
Best information for medical & non-medical people going on mission trips I have found. I have been on 15 trips to 4 different countries and I always take this book. It's always packed along side my Bible.
Missionary student, have used this book. .......2007-08-15
Excellent for use in third world countries. Every missionary should own a copy of this book. The only reason I do not give 5 stars to this book is because of the philosophies of David Werner on community development, which contradict biblical community development ideas. For instance, he promotes some non-conservative ideas about birth control. So Christians, just be careful whose hands this book gets into. I would give the same warning about the "where there is no women doctor" book. That one is definitely not worth buying, you're better off with a good basic handbook on childbirth and prenatal care.
common sense.......2007-08-05
or lack thereof, c'mon people give me a break! If there is no doctor around and you are in need of medical attention then MOVE! stop whining because you have not lifted your feet for the entire existence of the planet! This kind of thing just nauseates me. I wish them well but c'mon, move away from despair and get closer to somewhere that a doctor can help you! Progression is hard I suppose.
A village health care handbook for Africa, not an EMT manual........2007-05-30
Judging this book by its intended purpose it looks very good. Many things are basic like cleanliness, diet, don't smoke ciggarettes, etc. But I thought some were not so basic (and I couldn't find them in my boy scout manual). For example:
Page 67: the possible medicines needed for injection (Appendicitis - ampicillin or penicillin with streptomycin, syphilis - benzathine penicillin, gonorrhea - kanamycin, etc).
Page 154: six different vaccinations and the reccomended ages.
Page 169: a flowchart to care for a person with acute diarrhea (when would you give them metonidazole, or co-trimoxazole, or ampicillin?).
Page 180: treatment for pneumonia.
Page 208-210 chart: 38 different types of skin problems which include onthocerciasis, vitiligo, and kwashiorkor.
ETC.
Also the basic stuff is so well laid out that I could see it helping a worker organize their thoughts along the lines of "What do I need to check?" or "What do I need to teach those who don't know the basics?". If you were in a remote situation, people were sick wanting you to help them NOW, and THERE WAS NO DOCTOR this manual would be very reassuring to have. Stress can make you forget basics. Or maybe if you were in the States and couldn't afford health insurance and wanted to be sure you were in true need before you went to the doctor who will bill you for walking in the door?
Very VERY basic.......2007-04-26
Unless you have no experience with basic medical care you will likely find this book very elementary and you would be better off buying a boy scout's handbook, although it wouldn't cover some of the female items, it would give you more information on dealing with the day to day.
The numerous references about 'seeing a doctor' defy the title and purpose implied by the book.
Book Description
Many have heard of the emerging church, but few people feel like they have a handle on what the emerging church believes and represents. Is it a passing fad led by disenfranchised neo-evangelicals? Or is it the future of the church at large? An Emergent Manifesto of Hope represents a coming together of divergent voices into a conversation that pastors, students, and thoughtful Christians can now learn from and engage. This unprecedented collection of writings includes articles by some of the most important voices in the emergent conversation, including Brian McLaren, Dan Kimball, and Joe Myers. It also introduces some lesser known but integral players representing ''who's next'' within the emerging church. The articles cover a broad range of topics, such as spirituality, theology, multiculturalism, post-colonialism, sex, evangelism, and many others. Anyone who wants to know what the emerging church is all about needs to start here.
Customer Reviews:
It's all about the friendships.......2007-08-27
Recently I got given a gift card to Borders and was finally able to go out and buy a book instead of relying on the trusty old library. So I picked up a book that I've been wanting to read but that the library didn't carry and to which I was not privilege with an advanced reader's copy (I'm not complaining). I've been curious to read it because it is the first book that Emergent has released in their new line of books. And I thought the format would be perfect for just this type of entrance into the publishing world.
The book is made up of 25 authors who each wrote a chapter for the project with general editors, Doug Pagitt & Tony Jones, providing intermittent thoughts and transitions between sections.
These 25 authors represent a diverse group of people that are, Protestant and Catholic, male and female, mainline and evangelical, clergy/pastors and lay leaders, authors and bloggers, black, white, hispanic, and Native American. This is the book's strength. It's diversity of authors and thus it's diversity of perspective. My only complaint in this regards would have been to had a more diverse ethnic presence and a sampling of thoughts that come from outside of the American context. But I also realize that with anything new, it takes time for diversity to establish itself.
As far as the book itself . . . it's a great introduction to what makes Emergent what it is and what sets it apart from other denominational or organizational structures. Namely, friendships and conversations. This context of friendship and conversation is what funds the theological imagination and hopeful practices of the church emerging. Instead of Emergent creating a movement focusing on doctrinal statements (defining whose out) . . . they have been a part of a friendship that has organically created itself in the form of a conversation about the dynamic tension between God, culture, theology, ecclesiology, and practice.
True to form, I don't always find myself agreeing with everything written or shared. But true to form, I count myself privileged to be part of an extended friendship where agreeing is less important than belonging.
I suppose, as what should be expected, the best chapters are written by the "professional authors". Brian McLaren's chapter on the direct, inseparable ties of colonialism and postmodernity is borderline brilliant. Sally Morgenthaler has an excellent chapter on leadership in a flattened world that was equally insightful. And Tim Keel wrote a beautiful piece about leadership needing to come from the artists at the margins. Rudy Carrasco has a nice chapter on inner-city work and the primacy of social justice. Samir Selmanovic has a chapter on inclusiveness that left me entirely frustrated and yet intrigued to stretch and think wider. My friend Adam Walker Cleaveland shares his thoughts on why he has chosen to stay within the system and structures of the church, which was a challenge for me to think about. And Nanette Sawyer had a very good chapter on Huckleberry Finn and the relational ethics of Jesus (which is very much in the vein of what I wrote here).
Honestly though, there are some chapters that aren't that great from a readability/literary skillz standpoint. But even in those chapters you get the deep sense of humility and friendship that pervades all that these authors are bound by. For an introduction into the church emerging with it's growing diversity and generative friendships . . . I couldn't recommend a book more highly.
An informative, thought-provoking, occasionally inspiring, sometimes challenging reading.......2007-06-09
"An Emergent Manifesto Of Hope" is the collaborative work of Bethal Seminary's Dough Pagit (Pastor of Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Fuller Theological Seminary's Tony Jones 9formely the minister to youth and young adults at the Colonial Church of Edina in Edina, Minnesota). "An Emergent Manifesto Of Hope" is a compilation of the diverse and divergent voices of pastors, students, and thoughtful Christians focused upon the issues involved in the emergence of Christian communities. Addressed in articulate essays, articles, and other writings include spirituality, theology, multi-culturalism, post-colonialism, sex, evangelism, and other issues of contemporary significance to active and participating Christians. The result is an informative, thought-provoking, occasionally inspiring, sometimes challenging, and always very highly recommended reading for Christian men and women of all backgrounds and denominational affiliations.
Multi-faceted jewel well worth the read!.......2007-05-13
The Manifesto of Hope is a collection of essays by a plurality of voices who associate with the Emergent Village. The diversity helps to reveal what many of us already know--The emergent village conversation among friends is anything but homogeneous. While some who desire conformity, and certitude may find this diversity frustrating I found it to be very refreshing. There is plenty here to connect with people from all areas of contemporary Christian thought. The book is designed to spark further conversation and does that well. The careful reader will find some things that they agree with and other things that inspire new ways of thinking. From contributions from some more conservative perspectives to some that push the edge of the envelope, there is plenty to fund your theological imagination. Perhaps the best thing about the book is that in addition to some well known names in the Emergent Village friendship, it introduces us to several new names that bring a depth and dynamic to the conversation as a whole.
Of course, this book may not be for everyone. Critics of Emergent Village will no doubt find plenty here to confirm there suspicions, and many will leave comments that make you wonder if they even read this book. My hunch is that if they would read it to engage in the conversation they would be pleasantly surprised that there is much here by several authors that they would probably be in agreement with. All in all this is a great introduction to a generous, Christian, conversation among friends.
Excellent overview.......2007-04-27
Emerging Church books are getting to be increasingly common. It's an "in" movement and a lot of people have a lot of things to say about it. Lots of people try to define it or describe it or put their stamp on it. Some good, some bad, much positive, a lot negative. With all those books out it's hard to come to some kind of picture of what is really happening.
That's why this book is so great. Love Emergent or hate it, this book will give you a sense of the conversation by those who are most engaged in it. It will help steer a person past a lot of the popular conceptions and point out the emphases, issues, questions, and hopes found among those who are yearning for renewal in the church for our era. This is a very positive thinking book, focused on how to move forward, how to embrace the work of God, how to step past the frustrations and find new patterns.
Along with Emerging Churches by Bolger and Gibbs, this book is likely the primary resource for understanding the flow and rhythm of Emergent as it exists now.
Rather than being limited to simply liturgical differences, this book shows the broad and holistic approaches that underlie Emergent efforts. I don't agree with it all, with some essays really resonating and others really challenging. But it all got me to think and helped me get a much more solid sense of the quite interesting theology that's coming into increasing clarity.
I highly recommend this for those interested in this conversation. For those who are looking for encouraging new paths of hope, and for those who feel there's something going on in our generation but don't quite have the words to describe what it is.
Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God.......2007-04-16
This prescription from the Old Testament prophet Micah appears both early and late in this collection of 25 essays from emergent practitioners from many different parts of the US.
Emergent is the term in 2007 being used to describe a collection of people and communities critiquing and challenging Christian thought and practice in late 20th-early 21st-century America. It was previously called "postmodern," but on further review, that was a misleading term, because it gave the impression that it was primarily a philosophical project. For example, in reading Brian McLaren's essay "Church Emerging: Or Why I Still Use the Word Postmodern but with Mixed Feelings," I get the impression that McLaren is weary of telling people "No, we haven't rejected the idea of truth."
I'm not crazy the use of the word "Manifesto" to describe the emergent community, as it has the connotation as the declaration of a group of people who believe they are going to save the world, or usher in some great new way of thinking and acting. This is not that kind of book. There's a lot of humility expressed its pages.
So what is emergent community about? Some of the threads have been around for a while, some are newer. There are probably better ways of saying it, but here's what I grasp from reading this book.
Being conformed to the image of Christ is so much more than book learning. It involves honoring and leveraging the different kinds of intelligences people have.
People don't want to think of themselves as a target of someone's gospel marketing technique.
A Christian is not merely a consumer of a body of ideas and the services of a church, but part of a creative, creating community.
A lot of Protestants are historically prejudiced. There were the apostles, then 1,500 years of more-or-less nothing, then the Reformation, then 500 years of more-or-less nothing, then now.
Being culturally prejudiced is part of the human condition, and transcending cultural prejudice is part of the redemptive work of God in people and communities.
If you're a church leader, and you're not considering the consequences of acts of cultural prejudice done in the name of Jesus Christ, you're not paying enough attention.
Christians in America need to get out more, both historically and culturally.
God didn't put pastors in the body of Christ to implement the next church growth fad. Churches are not businesses.
This book is a snapshot of the emergent community in 2007. Each of the essays are generously footnoted, and the notes section at the end of the book gives some good suggestions as to what books to read if you wish to examine this further. I don't give the book five stars because of the misleading word in the title and the lack of an index.
Full disclosure: I attend Solomon's Porch in Minneapolis, where Doug Pagitt (co-editor) is the pastor, and Tony Jones (co-editor), Carla Barnhill (contributor) and Thomas Olson (contributor) are members.
Book Description
A smoldering debut novel exploring the passion, hunger, and danger that can break loose in the moonlight.
From the time she was a child, Mona Lisa knew she was different-but she never knew how different until a man of otherworldly beauty appeared during her night shift in the ER. Gryphon is hurting and hunted and he attracts her as no man ever has before. He is a Monère, one of the children of the moon-and what's more, so is she.
Long exiled from the moon, the men of the Monère serve-and mate with-imperious Queens who can channel the rays of their far-off homeland. Gryphon believes that Mona Lisa is a Queen- perhaps the first of Mixed Blood ever known. But her introduction to the nighttime court of the Monère, simmering with intrigue, casual lust, and calculated cruelty, is far from smooth.
Customer Reviews:
Mona Lisa Awakening is the beginning of a fascinating new paranormal series.......2007-10-23
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Mona Lisa is an ER nurse who has never quite felt like she belonged. While working in the ER one night, a man comes in who brings with him shocking information that will change Mona Lisa's life forever. She is half Monère, and quite possibly the first ever Mixed Blood Queen. Additionally, she has the gift of healing and uses it to ease the suffering of her patients.
Gryphon is wounded and running from his Queen when he happens upon Mona Lisa. Shocked to discover who and what she is, he is immediately attracted to the petite beauty and introduces her to their world. But with Mona Lisa's discovery of her people comes the danger and intrigue... and the lust.
Now Mona Lisa must grow used to her heritage, build her court with powerful and seductive men. However, the other Queens are insanely jealous of Mona Lisa, and threatened by her abilities. Danger beckons from every direction, within and without of her new court. How will Mona Lisa adapt to this new world and her enemies? And what of the awakening of new desires, for multiple men, in her court?
Mona Lisa Awakening is the beginning of a fascinating new paranormal series, The Children of the Moon. I admit to being extremely hesitant to start this series as I am not a fan of erotica as a rule, though there are some exceptions. My first foray into this world (in the On the Prowl anthology) left me extremely disappointed because I was so totally and completely lost about the world and Mona Lisa's adventures. I tried not to let that feeling sway me however when I picked up this book, the first in the series. Happily, this book was much better and so much easier to follow since everything is explained. Sunny does a brilliant job with her world-building and I was drawn into Mona Lisa's story immediately. The whole concept of the Monère, their rules and abilities, and their hierarchy is refreshingly original in a genre with so many cookie cutter worlds and stories.
Please be aware, this book is very dark and very graphic (and we haven't even gotten to the sex yet), which can be disturbing to readers on many different levels. I'm a fan of thrillers and horrors, so gore doesn't bother me usually, but there were several scenes that troubled even me. Most of the time, the detail was definitely needed. Others, I think could have been tamed down significantly and still given the same impression. Even factoring in the extremely vivid descriptions of torture and abuse, among other things, I was quite taken with this story and had a hard time putting it down for even a minute.
If readers are looking for some hot and heavy scenes of passion, then Mona Lisa Awakening certainly fits the bill. The title says much about the story for while it refers to the awakening of Mona Lisa's abilities, it refers to her sexual awakening as well. She has never found a man who can incite her sexual passion, but the very minute she meets Gryphon, and later other Monère men, her lust ignites in a fiery wave. She is barely able to control it but when she discovers this is the way of her people, she gives into the passion, albeit reluctantly in the beginning. It is also perfectly acceptable in Monère society for the Queens to take multiple lovers at any time, some Queens taking every single male in her court into her bed. I had great difficulty with this aspect of the story as I'm not a fan of polygamous relationships in my books. I was able to accept it here, however, because Sunny melds it into the story so perfectly that it didn't feel quite so wrong.
However I had the hardest time accepting the Monère treatment of "lesser" beings, in this case the Half Bloods specifically. Within the boundaries of their society, brutal rape and molestation of Half Bloods is perfectly acceptable behavior, no matter how old or young the women are. Even Mona Lisa's indignant reaction to this news, and her reaction, couldn't quite appease me over this aspect of the story. While I could accept the polygamy of the Queens and their courts, nothing could make me swallow this brutal treatment of the women. Just a disclaimer on the author's behalf, even though this behavior of the Monère society is not painted in a positive light, I feel the need to caution future readers that this is present.
In spite of the discomfort I felt over parts of the story in Mona Lisa Awakening, I was completely engrossed in the story and was looking forward to reading Mona Lisa Blossoming as well. Even so, I had to rate this book lower than might have been expected from my review, just because of the disturbance I felt over those few parts of the story.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, September 2007. All rights reserved.
Very disappointing .......2007-10-02
I was very disappointed in this book. Sadly, this felt more like fan fiction then a real novel. The Author took no time to let the story unfold, letting us learn more about the characters and grow to love them. Her writing was empty and boring. Although the story was a fun idea it felt like a rip off from the later cheesy Laurell Hamilton series. The story was rushed as if the Author only wrote what she wanted and didn't take the time to craft a real story. What should have happened in four books was crammed into one. Every now and then there were beautifully written passages, showing the potential of a true writer. However this will only happen if the stories are very critically edited and redone. Most of the meat of the story was left out leaving the pretty trimmings which doesn't make a whole meal. I also thought the Author's blurb in the back of the book saying how she was a good writer was very presumptuous and in poor taste. I am honestly dumbounded how this story got published and can only hope her other books are an improvement.
Rip Off not Inspiration.......2007-09-20
I finished this book over a day ago, and I'm still angry. It's not inspired by Anne Bishop and Laurell K. Hamilton, it's ripped off from them. It's not so bad to play with big ideas that have been around for years like Ms. Hamilton has done in her books, though I never liked her style of PWP eroticism with a blatant self-insert character in Anita Blake. But Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy is a unique fantasy realm and magic system that wasn't derivative, so borrowing names and ideas from is just not professional. I'm surprised this book is still for sale. The copy I read was from the library so thank goodness Sunny didn't profit from me.
Powerful and sometimes disturbing..........2007-09-02
Mona Lisa doesn't know about her true heritage until the day Gryphon arrives at the hospital where she works as a nurse. Gryphon is suffering from a wound inflicted by silver, a parting gift from his now former Queen, Mona Sera. Gryphon immediately recognizes Mona Lisa as one of the Monere, a race with special powers and guided by the light of the moon. Mona Lisa isn't sure she believes a word Gryphon is telling her, but she can't deny the attraction she feels between them. Mona Lisa is about to enter a world in which treachery is around every corner as she awakens to the true power within her.
MONA LISA AWAKENING is a powerful, character driven story. The heart of Mona Lisa is central to the story as she is very different from the cruelty of the other Queens. The Monere society is ruled by females and has a caste system in place, whereby many are treated as nothing more than chattel. Mona Lisa has worked as a healer in her job and she has the ideals one would expect from a modern day woman. Slavery of any sort is pure anathema to her. Watching Mona Lisa tackle the issues and political intrigues of this closed society is mesmerizing. Sunny does a beautiful job at developing the characters of Mona Lisa and her newly formed cadre of men.
MONA LISA AWAKENING is not for the faint of heart. Some of the scenes depicted are quite brutal in their intensity. The world of the Monere doesn't necessarily consider rape a taboo and so there are some situations that could easily offend certain readers due to the graphic details and situations that occur. However, Sunny ensures that these events are not gratuitous as they fit into the confines of the world she has created. More importantly, Mona Lisa opposes such horrendous acts and readers will cheer as she stands up for true justice and freedom.
Sunny has written a dark, sometimes disturbing, tale that draws the reader into the world of the Monere. MONA LISA AWAKENING is a fascinating start to this sizzling hot new series. Sunny is to be commended for her willingness to take chances. MONA LISA AWAKENING has a depth not always seen in books as she addresses some very stark issues in the context of a sexy and very creative paranormal tale.
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
Dangerously close to "fan-fic".......2007-07-31
I did enjoy this book and I plan to read some of "Sunny's" other titles, but this felt very much like fan fic as it was so derivative. Anyone who has read Laurell K Hamilton will feel a little deja vu. Beautiful men guarding a young, mixed blood but unaccountably powerful heroine? Check. An oil that can drive someone mad with lust? Check. Private jets, limos and a convenient stream of endless wealth? Check. A new Queen (or princess) who cares about her "men" and wants to see them happy rather than just use them as pawns? Check. An attempt at snarky real world dialog to break up the mood? Check. Healing powers that arrive during sex? Check. Lots of bloodlust mixed with sex? Check. Lots of people with "political" motives to kill off the heroine? Check.
Given that this was the first book, I felt like we weren't given time to get to know Lisa, which made her even more of a Mary Sue.
Fans of the later works of LKH who are looking for something to tide them over will probably enjoy this. Fans of earlier LKH who are frustrated with her current crop of novels will probably be frustrated with this (though it is refreshingly free of the pycho-babble that has been a bit thick in the more recent LKH books.)
If this is your genre, this is a good beach read. If you are short on funds, read some LKH fan fic and save your money. If you are looking for original dark/urban fantasy, look elsewhere.
Book Description
A Year in Provence meets Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House in this lively and entertaining account of a couple's year building their dream house in Mexico.
In 2004, Barry Golson wrote an award-winning article for AARP magazine about Mexican hot spots for retirees longing for a lifestyle they couldn't afford in the United States. A year later, he and his wife Thia were taking part in the growing trend of retiring abroad. They sold their Manhattan apartment, packed up their SUV, and moved to one of those idyllic hot spots, the surfing and fishing village of Sayulita on Mexico's Pacific coast.
With humor and charm, Golson details the year he and his wife spent settling into their new life and planning and building their dream home. Sayulita -- population 1,500, not including stray dogs or pelicans -- is a never-dull mixture of traditional Mexican customs and new, gringo-influenced change. Before long, the Golsons had been absorbed into the rhythms and routines of village life: they adopted a pair of iguanas named Iggy Pop and Iggy Mom, got sick and got cured by a doctor who charged them sixteen dollars a visit, made lasting friends with Mexicans and fellow expatriates, and discovered the skill and artistry of local craftsmen.
But their daily lives were mostly dedicated to the difficult yet satisfying process of building their house. It took them almost six months to begin building -- nothing is simple (or speedy) in Mexico -- and incredibly, they completed construction in another six. They engaged a Mexican architect, builder, and landscape designer who not only built their home but also changed their lives; encountered uproariously odd bureaucracy; and ultimately experienced a lifetime's worth of education about the challenges and advantages of living in Mexico.
The Golsons lived (and are still living) the dream of many -- not only of going off to a tropical paradise but also of building something beautiful, becoming a part of a new world, making lasting friends, and transforming their lives. As much about family and friendship as about house-building, Gringos in Paradise is an immensely readable and illuminating book about finding a personal paradise and making it a home.
Customer Reviews:
I couldn't have said it better myself!.......2007-08-16
Having just completed out first year living in a different small seaside town in Mexico, I can attest to the authenticity of Barry and Thia's experiences and appreciate their outlook on living in Mexico. I found myself following my husband around, reading passages out loud to him, i.e., "You've got to hear this!" Golson does an especially good job of describing the naivete with which they (and we) began the experience and the incremental ways they learned to love a side of Mexico you can only experience as a resident.
The hopes and the frustrations involved in building a home here are accurately and humorously described. But for me, the real value of this book is the unpretentious way he describes the development of their deep affection for Mexico and Mexicans. My husband and I have reached the same conclusions, through a series of experiences that are very similar to theirs.
If you are considering a move to Mexico, this is an instructive read - not so much for the information about homebuilding (although it IS helpful and accurate) but more for the story of acclimation to a culture that is SO much more different than you could ever imagine.
Many authors have taken advantage of the growing trend to move south and we have read most of them. Along with Don Adam's book (Head for Mexico), this is the one I would recommend.
One of the best of its genre.......2007-08-14
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Golson writes in a witty, down-to-earth style that engages the reader and leaves you wanting more. So many of the "American moves to paradise" authors come off as either arrogant or complaining know-it-alls. Barry Golson is neither, and his zest for participating in the very life of his adopted second home is refreshing. A great read.
An Epic Mexican Feast That's Wonderfully Nourishing ..........2007-07-23
...and has something for everyone. I can't say enough good things about this book: the writing style is unfailingly crisp, droll, and punchy; it is a love paean to Mexico, its people, culture, and history; it is a wonderful story of a 'boomer' couple's marriage and resolution of the quandary aging couples face over what to do when the nest is empty, but the nest egg is modest and forced retirement looms. It is filled with lots of wisdom about home building and expat living. It builds up hilarious suspense over whether or not the author's 90-year-old father and a bevy of other relatives, all invited to celebrate Thanksgiving at the not-quite-finished house, will be forced to improvise out back for lack of operable plumbing. Even if you're not interested in Mexico, retirement, or homebuilding, you will be utterly charmed by this stranger-in-a-strange-land saga that every human faces sooner or later.
Mexican House Building How-To in story format...sort of.......2007-07-04
This is a great story of how an American couple built their Mexican dream house in Sayulita, Mexico near Puerto Vallarta. While it's not a Mexican house building how-to, it does give you an idea of what you'll have to go through to build an authentic Mexican house on your own. Hopefully, you'll have a good experience as this couple did and not like the one described in God and Mr. Gomez.
Enjoyable read.......2007-05-21
Great story on early retirement in Mexico, especially the pros and cons of buying a home south of the border.
Amazon.com
Sure to excite lovers of the best Italian cooking, Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages reenvisions classic home cucina with enticing results. Batali, known to fans as "Molto Mario" from his Television Food Network shows, and as chef-owner of Manhattan's much-loved Po and Babbo restaurants, presents nearly 250 of his favorite recipes, traditional and innovative, for delectable salads, pastas, grilled specialties, ragus, and desserts, among others. The collection, inspired by the cooking of Borgo Cappene, a hillside village in northern Italy, and Greenwich Village, where Batali culls exemplary ingredients for his restaurants, reflects Batali's commitment to simple cooking--impeccable ingredients sensibly combined and properly prepared. Cooks seeking deeply flavored, smartly presented dishes will embrace Batali's recipes for everyday meals and for entertaining.
Arranged by courses, antipasti through formaggi and dolci (cheese and sweets), the uncomplicated dishes include White Bean Bruschetta with Grilled Radicchio Salad, Baked Lasagna with Asparagus and Pesto, and Roasted Porgy with Peas, Garlic, Scallions and Mint. Gorgonzola with Spiced Walnuts and Port Wine Syrup with fresh fruit would make a lovely conclusion to any dinner. Throughout, Batali provides advice on dish preparation; there are 32 pages of color photos and dozens of black-and-white shots of life in Batali's two villages. Batali's reliance on the best ingredients simply prepared, rather than on fussy restaurant techniques, places his dishes squarely in the realm of home cooks. They'll find his book a keeper. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Perfectly pristine ingredients, combined sensibly and cooked properly, are the unmistakable hallmarks of the best Italian food. Chef Mario Batali, known to fans far and wide as "Molto Mario" from his appearances on television's Food Network and as chef of New York's much-loved Pó restaurant, has elevated these simple principles to fine art, creating innovative new fare that pays tribute to traditional Italian home cooking in a distinctly modern way. Now, for the first time, more than 200 of his irresistible recipes for fresh pastas, sprightly salads, grilled dishes, savory ragus, and many others are gathered in
Simple Italian Food, a celebration of the flavors and spirit of Italy.
Mario draws inspiration for his distinctive dishes from the two "villages" that have left their stamps on his cuisine: Borgo Capanne, the tiny hillside village in Northern Italy where he lived and cooked for several years, and New York's Greenwich Village, where he has ready access to bountiful produce and outstanding artisan-made products; his full-flavored, smartly presented fare combines the best of both worlds. Chapters covering antipasti, pasta and risotto, fish, meat and poultry, contorni (side dishes), and cheese and sweets offer classic dishes such as Baked Lasagne with Asparagus and Pesto and pork loin cooked in caramelized onions and milk alongside Batali's own enticing improvisations--Penne with Spicy Goat Cheese and Hazelnut Pesto or Tuna Carpaccio with Cucumbers, Sweet Potatoes, and Saffron Vinaigrette. And because his recipes succeed on the strength of their ingredients rather than on virtuoso techniques, home cooks can easily duplicate the clear, clean flavors and lively presentations that are Mario's signature. Thirty-two pages of color photographs showcase Chef Batali's colorful and approachable recipes.
Traditionalists as well as those who thrill to the new will want to make dozens of these crowd-pleasing dishes a permanent part of their repertoire and embrace Mario Batali'sphilosophy of
Simple Italian Food.
Customer Reviews:
If this is simple, I'd hate to see complex.......2007-10-14
"Take one Yak's kidney (the left one, not the right) and toss it with yellow-blue endive, freshly picked that morning from the garden of a french hairdresser's mother's cousin's chiropodist."
I only exaggerate a little.
I'm sure the results of the recipes are fantastic, but I am tired of celebrity chefs selling their restaurant fare (which it took them years of intense labor and skill development) in cookbooks labeled "simple". If it were so simple, there would be no need to spend the money it costs to eat in their restaurants. They have the staff, the facilities, access to the ingredients, and the equipment to get done what most people can only dream of doing at home.
If you want pretty pictures of food and some nice ideas to work from, enjoy this book.
Personally, I prefer cook books that truly cater to the what the average interested home cook is likely to have at home.
great book.......2007-04-05
excellent cook book for beginners or pros...love it and love shopping on amazon
Impossible Cookbook.......2006-12-10
Mario Batali's cookbook is most disappointing. I looked it over carefully, and I found absolutely nothing of interest to me. His recipes are incredibly complicated, with ingredients available only in restaurants and the households of professional cooks, northern Italian ones at that. There had to be standby pestos, tapenades, sauces and vinaigrettes. Impossible, really. This is a most unattractive cook book. I won't even give it away.
One of my favorite cookbooks.......2006-04-12
Batali's "Simple Italian Food" is an excellent cookbook for people who actually like to cook, and for those who accept that Italian cooking covers a vast range of subjects and styles, far more than just pasta.
The title is apt: none of these dishes are overly complicated for anyone with a decently equipped kitchen and access to good, fresh ingredients. Unlike more complex styles, French cuisine for example, there is very little combining of several different cooking techniques to produce one recipe. At it's most complicated, the book calls for use of staple ingredients that can be prepared ahead of time, and which Batali also provides recipes for, with sauces for example.
One of the great pleasures of the book is discovering the unexpected tang and heartiness of his dishes. His pasta con vongole is a good example: the recipe calls for pancetta, and the result is a tangy clam sauce in a beautiful, brownish broth which is delicious and hearty without being overly rich. Comprate, cucinate e buon appetito!
Simple recipes not simple ingredients.......2005-03-24
Seems like many great recipes, but many ingredients that aren't found in the regular supermarket, especially if you live in a rural area like I do...so I haven't been able to try many of them.
Book Description
A delightful, well-written, and vastly informative ethnographic study, this is an account of Fernea's two-year stay in a tiny rural village in Iraq, where she assumed the dress and sheltered life of a harem woman.
Customer Reviews:
An amazing piece of work.......2007-05-17
I have never in my life come across a book that has captured me in the way this book has. It's amazing in every sense of the word. The difference between the Middle Eastern world and the world where Elizabeth came from is great. It's definitely the most honest book. The stereo types that people carry with them every day, the assumption that you know a group of people when in reality you never know how different someone might be, and how that can change your life in many wonderful ways. It's definitely educational, informational, and just plain entertaining to read. I have read this book over and over again. I lost it, and I had to buy it again, so that I can...(guess what) read it again!! :)
Timely book.......2007-03-09
Even though this book was written in the last mid-century Iraq, the reader comes away with the feeling that it could have been written today, or 2 centuries ago. It's descriptions of the isolation of Iraqi villages, resistance to change, and brief insights into Iraqi politics makes it a book that should be read by those working to rebuild Iraq, those heading to Iraq, and those interested in why Iraq's move to democracy is so difficult.
Review of Guests of the Sheik.......2007-01-17
This book was very useful as an ethnography for the presentation needed for my daughters college cultural anthropology class. It was well written and offered a wonderful insight into the lives of a people we knew very little about. The professor appreciated the donation of the book to her library for students to use in the future.
A time capsule.......2006-04-02
I have always loved this book - I took Robert Fernea's class at UT in 1973 and this was the textbook. Actually, I did not do so well in the class and I discovered this book after I left college, but it is so well written I read it over and over.
Part of the reason I read it over and over is because I have always been interested in the Middle East, Egypt in particular,and I thought this book was a fascinating peek into domestic life in the ME which really hasn't changed much in 4000 years.
At the time EWF wrote this book the tribal government was still in power in Iraq - it was before the revolution in 1958 that put Saddam Hussein and the Baathits in power. That time was probably idillic compared to Saddam time or even now. Although I think we are trying to give the Iraqis a chance at self governance.
Anyway, I thing one of the big things BJ left out of this book is the female cirumcision issue - I know she must have known about it yet she did not mention it anywhere. She did allude to "honor
killings" when she took her friend with her in a sunset ride with men not related to her friend. She was worried that Laila would be "drowned in the canal" to save the families honor.
I think this is unacceptable in this day and age. Elizabeth should write a new introduction to her book that addresses these issues.
That said, Guest of the Shiek is a beautifully written book, but not indicative of the truth in Iraq at all on any level today.
A Great Ethnography.......2006-01-14
The Guests of the Sheik is a great ethnography about a newly wed American couple who visit a small Iraqi village called El Nahra, and the American couple's encounters with a third world country. While adapting to the new custom's like the clothing, the Arabic language, the Muslim religion, the celebrations, and getting along with the people. The story was mainly centered around Elizabeth Fernea (the wife) because she does not know the culture well unlike her husband Bob (the husband) who is an anthropologist.
While alot of events are taking place in El Nahra, Elizabeth is has it rough with the women in El Nahra. The women of El Nahra would insult her by saying she is flat chested, insult Elizabeth's religion (Christianity),they made fun of Americans by saying they stop having sex at an early age, making fun of non-polygamy couples in United States and etc. So as the book goes on you have to decide if Elizabeth is breaking away from her prejidism or not. Anyways, there's a lot more drama and details within the book and I highly recommend The Guests of the Sheik especially if you're interested in other cultures.
Average customer rating:
- Sliver of Truth
- Horrid!
- Confusing
- Another good one
- Receives Broadway actress Jenna Lamia's acting strengths
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Sliver of Truth: A Novel
Lisa Unger
Manufacturer: Shaye Areheart Books
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Binding: Hardcover
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Beautiful Lies: A Novel
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Hide
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The Woods
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True Evil: A Novel
ASIN: 0307338460
Release Date: 2007-01-02 |
Book Description
Recently, Ridley Jones stepped off a street corner and into an abyss of violence, deception, and fear. She is being a lot more careful about where she steps and trying to get on with her life when another seemingly mundane act- picking up a few envelopes of prints at a photo lab- puts Ridley at the nexus of a global network of crime. A shadowy figure of a man appears in almost every picture she’s taken in the last year, lurking just far enough away to make identification impossible. Everyone from the federal government to the criminal underworld wants to know who the man is- and where he is- and some people are willing to kill to find out.
Now the FBI is at her door, some serious bad guys are following her every move, and the family she once loved and relied on is more distant than ever. Ridley has never felt so confused or alone in her life. Everyone she loves has turned out to be a stranger- she even feels like a stranger to herself. Is she a product of nature or nurture?
At once hunting down a ghost and running for her life, Ridley doesn’t know if she ever had the power to shape her own destiny or if love exists anywhere beyond her imagination. The only thing Ridley knows for sure is that she has to get to the truth about herself and her past if she’s ever going to find her way home.
Charged with relentless intensity and kinetic action, playing out with unnerving suspense on the streets of New York and London, and seen through the terrified but determined eyes of a young woman whose body and heart are pushed to the point of shattering,
Sliver of Truth is another triumph from the New York Times bestselling author of
Beautiful Lies.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Sliver of Truth.......2007-08-11
Now this is a story that will keep you turning pages--for hours! It will also make you wonder--and hope--you never have such happenings yourself.
Horrid!.......2007-06-11
There really should be a warning on this book that you MUST read the first one or you won't have a clue! I tried to read this POS and just gaveup after 35 pages. I had NO idea who these people where, what was happening - and ultimately just didn't care! This piece of junk illustrates the main problem I have with series - if you don't read them all you won't know what the hell is happening. In this case, I didn't care. The writing wasn't that good and if was very frustraing being jerked around, not knowing who or what was going on. Why would I waste my time when there are SO many GOOD books out there! Thank goodness I didn't pay for this, this, THING. I got it from the library where it's been sitting gathering dust. You can tell no one has ever read it all the way through - no surprise there. YUCK.
Confusing.......2007-05-19
This is a really interesting book, but I think you must read her first book, Beautiful Lies, to make sense of what is happening. You do finally figure it out but would have been nice to have the background while you were reading the new book. I think impatient readers would stop in the first few chapters because it seems that nothing connects.
Another good one .......2007-05-12
Second book in the series. No need to read the first,Beautiful Lies, but it does make this book even better. Both books are easy to read, with so much detail you will want to read it in as few sittings as possible. Enjoy the great mystery and suspense
Receives Broadway actress Jenna Lamia's acting strengths.......2007-05-12
Lisa Unger's SLIVER OF TRUTH receives Broadway actress Jenna Lamia's acting strengths as it tells of Ridley Jones, who finds herself at the center of a global network of crime simply by picking up a few envelopes of prints at a photo lab. The photos will change and challenge her life and may even destroy it unless she can find out their truth.
Average customer rating:
- A wonderful book to read on Easter
- A personal "scrapbook" of memories told through art
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Memories Of My Life In A Polish Village, 1930-1949
Toby Fluek
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0394586174
Release Date: 1990-10-10 |
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful book to read on Easter.......2007-04-10
Toby Knobel Fluek book is beautifully illustrated. In a simple way, Toby brings the reader into Jewish culture and Sabbath day preparation, Password celebration, and the foods and clothing of these celebrations. Toby focuses on the excitement of kitchen and food preparation: baking bread for the week, preparing Challah, important cooking pots for the passover, subtle humor, eggs, chicken, the potato and its many dishes, and potato pancake. Toby sister was a dress maker for rich patrons. Toby's uncle Mordche bought local eggs and sold them in the city and trudged through the mud all day. Ironing was a laborous task which included filling the iron with ambers from the fire and occassionally rekindling the ambers by waving the iron around about her head. Sabbath candles and pots were given as marriage gifts. The community had men of various religious roles. One role was the reader of the Talmud. The Charoes remind the Jews of their captivity and the milling of cement for bricks. Sedar reminded them of the haste they left their capativity, lying on their side as they recite prayers and sing songs. The clothes and shoes had to be cleaned and polished for the Sabbath. Everyone was dressed clean and proper for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was celebrated with a wonderful feast of delicious food prepared the prior day. On passover, a place for Elijah set, facing East, and the door opened. The Elijah stories excited the imagination of the children. The did not go without candles and pototes were used to hold the candles for those that could not afford an Minohora. Women washed and carried water, plucked chicken feathers in exchange for delcious food. Aaron must wait to marry his love until her older sister marries.The family is imprisoned in a Polish Ghetto. Gentiles sell food to the Jews through the fence at exorbit prices. The polices beat people selling at the fence. Food rationing increases starvation. 10s of thousands of Jews die before concentration camp and survivors eventually deported to the camps. Toby and her mother escape, march behind retreating Russians. The scene reminds me of Ruth and Naomi of the old testament bravely walking as tracers whistle over their heads. Toby and her mother escapes concentration camp and are certain other family members did not survive. PK provides a place for clothes, a hot meal, and sense of civilization. A wonderful book to read at Easter. An amazing story of human courage, determination, and faith in their God. A history of incredible contrasts: joy and sorrow, marriage and death, and faith and despair.
A personal "scrapbook" of memories told through art.......2005-08-09
This little book is a real gem of Jewish history, told through one woman's art. The paintings and sketches are arranged in chronological order, with personal explanations of each work. The result is like a scrapbook. Whereas most people today would have an album of photographs, Toby Fluek lost everything in the Holocaust, and was forced to carry her memories in her mind. Years later, she committed them to paper and canvas and now shares them in this book.
Interestingly, her family lived on a farm. One does not usually think of Eastern European Jews as farmers, but, in fact, there were Jews who worked the land. (One of my gentile Polish neighbors here in Minnesota told me that the Jews in his village always had the best vegetables!) While it is true that there were restrictions against Jews owning land, it is also true that there were exceptions to the rules. Toby's father's family had been on this farm for generations. It was this aspect that led me to purchase the book, because I, too, live and work on the land.
"We led a primitive life," she writes, "but we were a close-knit family." The "primitive" side of life is illustrated in her excellent still lifes, which portray arrangements of the common objects used for the Sabbath, festivals, and everyday activities. A basket of eggs for Passover, candles for the Sabbath, a prayer shawl on the table. Meat was served only on the Sabbath or when her father had an animal slaughtered. (Even then, he sold the best cuts of meat.) On weekdays they ate lots of potatoes, beans, and vegetables -- all beautifully painted here. Pots and dishes were passed down from mother to daughter, and nothing was ever discarded. One still life shows a well-worn set of Passover pots stored in a niche in the wall. Another painting is of her mother working in the farmhouse kitchen. She in kneading a week's worth of bread dough in a large wooden tub.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Toby eventually lost everything to the Nazi occupation. This, too, is illustrated through her paintings and drawings. The style here is darker, more ominous. Not something I would hang on my wall (the burning hospital, with the people still in it, is utterly horrifying in its simplicity) but essential to the telling of her story. She shows us Yom Kippur in the forest, hiding outdoors in the rain, crouching in a cellar and hanging her bread on a string to keep the mice from eating it at night. Her father was shot by the Nazis, her brother captured and taken away, presumably to his death. Through it all, her will to live was strong and she survived.
The collection of paintings (94 in all) continues through the liberation of Poland, being a displaced person begging for food, finding a job in a Russian military bakery (where the soldiers looked the other way so she could steal bread to take home). In 1949 she was married and moved to New York, where she lives today. The world she once knew is gone, but the memory lives on in her artwork. The last painting, "Am Yisrael Chai" (The People of Israel Live! shows Jews parying at the Western Wall in freedom.
Average customer rating:
- This book was great for my neice who is 9yrs old
- Creepy as the Other Books
- The seventh and the best
- Anything BUT Vile, This Series Keeps Getting Better!
- It was actually a pretty good read. possibly some spoilers.
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The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7)
Lemony Snicket
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
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The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 8)
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The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10)
ASIN: 0064408655
Release Date: 2001-04-24 |
Amazon.com
The seventh book in Lemony Snicket's splendidly gloomy Series of Unfortunate Events shadows the three Baudelaire orphans as they plummet headlong into their next misadventure. Mr. Poe, their ineffective legal guardian, having exhausted all options for finding them a new home with relatives (including their 19th cousin), sadly entrusts his young charges' fate to a progressive guardian program formed with the premise "It takes a village to raise a child." Before they know it, the Baudelaires are being whisked off on a bus to a village (vile) named "V.F.D." Snicket fans who read The Austere Academy and The Ersatz Elevator will jump to see these three initials, as they provide a clue to the tragic disappearance of the Baudelaires' friends, the beloved, equally orphaned Quagmire triplets.
To the orphans' dismay, V.F.D. is covered in crows--so much so that the whole village is pitch-black and trembling. "The crows weren't squawking or cawing, which is what crows often do, or playing the trumpet, which crows practically never do, but the town was far from silent. The air was filled with the sounds the crows made as they moved around." Another disturbing element of the town is that the Council of Elders (who wear creepy crow hats) has thousands of rules, such as "don't hurt crows" and "don't build mechanical devices." Fortunately, the Baudelaires are taken in by a kindly handyman named Hector who cooks them delicious Mexican food and secretly breaks rules. Still, neither Hector nor an entire village can protect the orphans from the clutches of the money-grubbing Count Olaf, who has relentlessly pursued them (actually, just their fortune) since The Bad Beginning. Fans won't want to miss any of this marvelously morbid series! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
Book Description
Dear Reader,You have undoubtedly picked up this book by mistake, so please put it down. Nobody in their right mind would read this particular book about the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on purpose, because each dismal moment of their stay in the village of V.F.D. has been faithfully and dreadfully recorded in these pages.I can think of no single reason why anyone would want to open a book containing such unpleasant matters as migrating crows, an angry mob, a newspaper headline, the arrest of innocent people, the Deluxe Cell, and some very strange hats.It is my solemn and sacred occupation to research each detail of the Baudelaire children's lives and write them all down, but you may prefer to do some other solemn and sacred thing, such as reading another book instead.With all due respect,Lemony Snicket
Ages 10+
Customer Reviews:
This book was great for my neice who is 9yrs old.......2007-08-20
She loved this book and actually got more from this arthor after she finished this one.
Creepy as the Other Books.......2007-08-03
You gotta love the author's imagination and the suspense these books leave you in. If you have read the series you learn to love the children. A fun read. Highly recommended.
The seventh and the best.......2007-05-26
I highly recommend The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket to anyone who is looking for a fun, quick read. This story is about the three Baudelaire orphans whose lives are always full of adventure and mystery. I could not put The Vile Village down. With every page there is another surprise. In my opinion Lemony Snicket's style of writing is excellent and all books in this series are great.
Anything BUT Vile, This Series Keeps Getting Better!.......2007-05-13
I really dig the Series of Unfortunate Events books. The appeal lies somewhere between: because many people just "don't get it" and the fact that the stories are morbidly fun and fly by in a breeze.
Vile Village (Book 7 of 13) follows the strong pacing of the series best books (Reptile Room and Austere Academy). The Beaudelaire Orphans find themselves in a unique surrounding, with a somewhat helpful guardian...BUT...then everything unravels around them.
Count Olaf (Omar) is especially humorous in this story and the added elements that help tie up loose ends from previous books, while creating new ones for the remainder of the series (including the connecting threads to "author" Lemony Snicket) make the reading doubly rewarding for fans of the series.
It was actually a pretty good read. possibly some spoilers........2007-04-15
Hey again to all you readers. It's been two months since my last book review, which was on the sixth book. So I guess you could say that slacked off a little on my Snicket reading. I actually thought this book was pretty good. I automatically knew who Count Olaf was half way through the book along with one of his newer accomplices. I also knew where the Quagmires were hidden right away. There were some surprises or twists for me that I found as I was reading. I had originally thought that Olaf would eventually kill Hector because him along with the Baudelaires had planned to escape with his self-sustaining hot air balloon motor home. In some of the previous books like books 2 & 3 their caretakers are murdered soon after they set up a plan to live happily ever after with the Baudelaires. I had also thought that the Baudelaires would have made it into the hot air balloon, and then have Esme shoot it down. I was also uncertain whether or not the Quagmires would be able to finally get away from Olaf. I thought it was nice to see Hector accomplish his dream of fleeing the V.F.D. along with the Quagmires who were happy to be flying away from Olaf. Finding out what the V.F.D stood for in the beginning of the book was not exciting like I thought would have been. The book also mentions that Snicket has committed some crimes, so i'm looking forward to seeing that story progress as more of the Baudelaire's lives ahead unfold. I'm also hoping to see more of the Quagmires. I also thought it was a nice ending. The books are definitely fast for me to read. It only takes me about 2 hours to read one of the books now because i've learned to skip over the meanings of the words, and unnecessary detail at the being of each chapter. I'm looking forward to seeing how the series ends, and i'm hoping to see more plot twists, and more information on the passage ways that lead to Esme's elevator shaft and the destroyed Baudelaire mansion.
Thank you for your time,
Loran
Book Description
While appraising the estate of a New Hampshire family descended from a North Dakota Indian agent, Faye Travers is startled to discover a rare moose skin and cedar drum fashioned long ago by an Ojibwe artisan. And so begins an illuminating journey both backward and forward in time, following the strange passage of a powerful yet delicate instrument, and revealing the extraordinary lives it has touched and defined.
Compelling and unforgettable, Louise Erdrich's Painted Drum explores the often fraught relationship between mothers and daughters, the strength of family, and the intricate rhythms of grief with all the grace, wit, and startling beauty that characterizes this acclaimed author's finest work.
Download Description
"
When a woman named Faye Travers is called upon to appraise the estate of a family in her small New Hampshire town, she isn't surprised to discover a forgotten cache of valuable Native American artifacts. After all, the family descends from an Indian agent who worked on the North Dakota Ojibwe reservation that is home to her mother's family. However, she stops dead in her tracks when she finds in the collection a rare drum -- a powerful yet delicate object, made from a massive moose skin stretched across a hollow of cedar, ornamented with symbols she doesn't recognize and dressed in red tassels and a beaded belt and skirt -- especially since, without touching the instrument, she hears it sound.
From Faye's discovery, we trace the drum's passage both backward and forward in time, from the reservation on the northern plains to New Hampshire and back. Through the voice of Bernard Shaawano, an Ojibwe, we hear how his grandfather fashioned the drum after years of mourning his young daughter's death, and how it changes the lives of those whose paths its crosses. And through Faye we hear of her anguished relationship with a local sculptor, who himself mourns the loss of a daughter, and of the life she has made alone with her mother, in the shadow of the death of Faye's sister.
Through these compelling voices,
The Painted Drum explores the strange power that lost children exert on the memories of those they leave behind, and as the novel unfolds, its elegantly crafted narrative comes to embody the intricate, transformative rhythms of human grief. One finds throughout the grace and wit, the captivating prose and surprising beauty, that characterize
Louise Erdrich's finest work.
"
Customer Reviews:
One of the best Erdrich novels.......2007-08-25
After reading many of Louise Erdrich's novels, I had become tired of their similarities -- until, that is, I decided to give The Painted Drum a chance. Erdrich's novel recaptures the originality of her earlier work and improves it with the maturity of a veteran novelist, succeeding with her multiple narratives as she never has before.
The author has been quoted as describing her writing style as a patchwork quilt, piecing scraps of stories together until they form a beautiful whole. In The Painted Drum, these scraps consist of two major plots: the present day story of Faye, a contemporary woman living with a sense of loss, and the history of a painted drum Faye acquires. The novel's structure is not as simple, however, as this division suggests, as individual stories abound. The throbbing resonance of the drum takes on haunting meaning as its history, traced back to its creation, is revealed. Although the lineage of the drum defines the novel's scope, the stories that surround it veer off in tangents.
Although the Ojibwe history and cast of characters (including the familiar Fleur Pillager) give this novel a complexity that goes beyond what Erdrich has accomplished in recent books, Faye's story steers the work in a new direction, one that gives the ancient spirituality of Native Americans an urgency in contemporary America. The connections between mothers and daughters, between the dead and the living, and among survivors lend this novel poignancy and hope, even if the hope seems less solid that the grief itself.
I highly recommend this novel, especially to fans of Love Medicine and The Beet Queen.
I Enjoyed This Audiobook Very Much!.......2007-07-01
I was drawn to this book because I have read Louse Edrich's books before and I enjoyed her treatment of American Indian history and lore. I do not know a lot about it myself, but I assume she researches these things quite a bit before she writes about them. It would be interesting to go back and check some of her historical background and presentations to see if they are accurate.
Loiuise Edrich's book, the Painted Drum is a story about a mother and daughter team of estate appraisers who find a treasure of a painted American Indian drum in someone's attic. The story is developed at first as part of the lives of the mother and daughter. The daughter has stolen the drum for a reason that she doesn't quite understand herself! Later on, the drum is returned to its rightful owners and we learn of its story as Bernard, the grandson of its creator tells it. The story of the drum kept me interested as it wove through the generations and told of the life and hardships of the drum's maker. It made the drum's creator seem like a real person to me, not just a person from a book.
As an audiobook, this is really special. That is because Anna Fields is really gifted in the way she uses her voice to depict the characters. Even when she does the voices of men, she does so very convincingly. I haven't heard an authentic American Indian accent, but I imagined hers were close to the real thing and I could almost see the characters in my mind.
I would really reccommend this book. I would especially reccomend it to someone who is interested in American Indian history and lore.
Pass on Erdrich's latest.......2007-05-17
I've got one word to sum up this book - yawn. I've been a fan of many of Erdrich's earlier novels, such as The Bingo Palace, and Love Medicine. Erdrich has made a name for herself as a writer who vividly portrays the balancing act of Native Americans in a westernized world. Sadly, The Painted Drum doesn't live up to her earlier writing, and is beyond boring. Erdrich seems to be following in the vein of movies these days, that is to say forgetting to include a plot. The book begins as a dull and detailed description of sifting through the junk in someone's attic, which is about as interesting as watching paint dry in someone's attic. I was so bored I couldn't even finish listening to the book. Do yourself a favor, and pass on The Painted Drum.
erdrich rocks!.......2007-01-30
as with all of her novels, louise erdrich weaves an unusual and original story about an ordinary object; in this case, a drum. she uses odd but real characters, diverse landscapes and geographical locations, and beautiful language to entertain us to the last page.
Engrossing.......2006-10-24
What I really appreciate about this book (as well as all Louise Erdrich's work) is the different cultural perspective on events, the difference in interpretation of those events, which I assume are Native American.
I couldn't put the book down - that is, when I wasn't listening to it on CD during commutes to work.
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- Adhesion to Plastics; Molding and Paintability : Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces ISSN 1094-6527
- Bartender's Black Book, 7th Edition: 2,700 New and Classic Recipes
- Facilitating Organization Change: Lessons from Complexity Science
- Creme De Colorado Cookbook
- The Bride and the Bachelors: Five Masters of the Avant-Garde
- Wrought Iron in Architecture: An Illustrated Survey
- A revision of Prioria: Including Gossweilerodendron, Kingiodendron, Oxystigma, and Pterygopodium
Where There Is No Dentist
Where Women Have No Doctors: A Health Guide for Women
Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival
The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book
Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid, 5th Edition
