Mr. Perfect

Amazon.com

Setting: Warren, Michigan, present day

Sensuality: 8

Jaine Bright and three close friends share dinner one night and during casual conversation, create a list of qualifications for the perfect man--some logical, some hilariously funny, some racy. Within days, their tongue-in-cheek wish list of attributes for Mr. Perfect has been leaked to the press and the resultant publicity is overwhelming. Coworkers, TV crews, and reporters barrage the quartet with comments and criticism.

As if Jaine doesn't have enough to cope with, she has a new neighbor who she suspects is a criminal. She's relieved to learn that her neighbor is really an undercover cop, but she's still wary--because smart, sexy Sam Donovan handles her sharp witticisms with easy humor, and Jaine suspects that he may threaten her heart. What Jaine doesn't know is that she's about to need Sam desperately for something other than romance because her circle of friends is in big trouble. Unfortunately, that list of qualifications for Mr. Perfect has touched off a madman's rage. All of their lives are threatened and some of them are going to die, maybe all of them, if Sam can't stop the unknown killer.

Mr. Perfect brings to readers the quintessential Linda Howard hero, whose straightforward, "me Tarzan, you Jane" attitude plays well with a smart, witty heroine. The rapid-fire dialogue between the two is downright hilarious at times, even when the two are about to steam up the windows and burn up the sheets. It's difficult to balance this kind of humor and sensuality with edgy suspense, but Howard manages it with aplomb. If you enjoyed Heart of Fire and Dream Man, you're going to love this latest novel. It's drop-dead wonderful.--Lois Faye Dyer

Book Description

What would make the perfect man?

That's the deliciously racy topic that Jaine Bright and her three girlfriends are pondering one night at their favorite after-hours hot spot: Mr. Perfect. Would he be tall, dark, and handsome? Caring and warmhearted -- or will just muscular do? As their conversation hears up, they concoct a tongue-in-cheek checklist that becomes an overnight sensation, spreading like wildfire at work and sizzling along e-mail lines. But what began as a joke among friends turns deadly serious when one of the four women is murdered....Turning to her neighbor, an unpredictable police detective, for help, Jaine must unmask a killer to save her friends -- and herself. Now, knowing whom to trust and whom to love is a matter of survival -- as the dream of Mr. Perfect becomes a chilling nightmare.

Customer Reviews:

Perfectly Thrilling!.......2007-09-14

The murderer moves quick and the romance moves even quicker.
The whole idea of this Mr. Perfect is just a joke to the four friends in the book, but after lots of media coverage the Mr. Perfect list falls into the hands of the least perfect man.
The relationship between Jaine and her neighbors is comforting as well as great community watch. The four girls have a sweet co worker type friendship.
This book definately gave me chills. Tough to put down especially towards the end.

Sex in the Suburbs.......2007-07-09

This was the first Linda Howard book I have ever picked up, and is thusfar the best. It's some lite entertainment as most popular fiction is, and the murder story actually made sense with the story flow. Even I didn't anticipate the twist at the end!

Four friends (a la their counterparts in Sex In The City) - Jaine, Marci, Luna and TJ - are having their usual Friday night get together at a bar / restaurant after work. The subject goes to their man troubles. TJ's marriage is rocky. Luna has a boyfriend who is a professional football player and worries about his out of town antics she may or may not know about. Marci is thrice divorced and lives with her big brute of a boyfriend, Brick, who is just a lump on the couch. And Jaine, the leader, is dateless and annoyed at her neighbor across the street. In the spirit of fun, they make up a list of qualities that Mr. Perfect should have, from Boy Scout qualities to the more raunchy stuff. Eventually the list gets out, is then posted on the Internet, and the four of them suddenly find themselves in the middle of their fifteen minutes of fame, ending it with an appearence on Good Morning America.

The List, as it comes to be known, causes more problems than it does a good laugh, and has a lot of latent effects to it. TJ's marriage, already on shakey ground, seems to be hanging by a thread as her husband is angry with her. But, TJ refuses to back down and apologize, saying that if he doesn't like it he can take it or leave it. Then she kicks him out for the night. (CHECKMATE!) Luna's boyfriend, Shemal, comes home and says he will change his ways. Marci's boyfriend Brick, while seemingly stupid and oblivious to all but drinking beer, is surprisingly hurt and leaves her. And Jaine, the one who started it all, suddenly finds herself changing her mind about the obnoxious neighbor Sam across the street.

And, what no one expected, was that someone else read The List and decides to take out their rage and frustration on them. Because they had the gaul to suggest that HE wasn't Mr. Perfect.

This was a fast paced book, a lite read that is entertaining without being too preachy or over the top about the classic battle of the sexes topics. It's a good time with punchy dialogue.

Sex and Suspence.......2007-05-18

Amusing girls-night-out turns deadly when the perfect man they create on paper gets out for all to see.
Slowly their identities are discovered with deadly results. Still romance is blooming but with some misgivings. The psychological profile is true to form and intriguing; keeps the reader guessing. A fun and interesting read.

CLASSIC LINDA HOWARD.......2007-03-10

Mr Perfect is laugh out loud funny with a who done it plot, which is a standard Howard style. Main character Jaine Bright has attitude and issues with her house guest cat Boo Boo, and the hunk next door who just happens to be a cop, and of course there is a killer on the loose. The story is intense and funny. This is a great read for mystery, humor and roamnce.

Great.......2007-02-21

Excellent. Wonderful read. I enjoyed Jaine's quirky personality, swearing, cutting edge remarks, and being into fast cars. I loved the relationship between Jaine and Sam (the cop). I loved their interaction and conversation. I was laughing out loud several times. I found myself replaying the conversations in my head when I was doing other things. This was my first Linda Howard book. I'm going to try some more.

Mr. Perfect (Mr. Men and Little Miss 3D)

Average customer rating:

Great book

Mr. Perfect (Mr. Men and Little Miss 3D)

Manufacturer: Price Stern Sloan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 084317689X
Release Date: 2001-12-31

Book Description

Being perfect is quite a challenge for this Mr. Men character, but somehow he manages to maintain his high standards!

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2006-08-14

This is another great book that I had when I was a child. And once again, I purchased it for my daughters to enjoy.

Virginia Hearts: The Elusive Mr Perfect/The Thrill of the Hunt/More Than Friends (Heartsong Novella Collection)

Average customer rating:

Contemporary Christian romance

Virginia Hearts: The Elusive Mr Perfect/The Thrill of the Hunt/More Than Friends (Heartsong Novella Collection)
Tamela Hancock Murray
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Regency | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1597893676

Product Description

Contemporary Romance: Sometimes love is hard to see, even when it's standing right in front of you. Joelle Jamison recruits childhood friend Dean Nichols to help her find Mr. Right, but Dean has loved her all her life. Love is not in Lexie Zoltan's plans after losing her husband. An old flame tries to change her mind until he discovers she has a four-year-old daughter. Reece Parker is also a single parent, and Aunt Agnes' inheritance would help. It's out of reach, though, unless he can follow the clues in her will, which might lead to an even more precious treasure.

Customer Reviews:

Contemporary Christian romance.......2006-10-17

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (9/06)

"Virginia Hearts" is a compilation of three short stories by Tamela Hancock Murray: The Elusive Mr. Perfect (Copyright 2001), More Than Friends (Copyright 2004), and The Thrill of the Hunt (Copyright 2004).

All three of the contemporary romance stories are inspiring and will pull at your heartstrings. The setting for all the stories is scenic Virginia, and it is Ms. Murray's hope that the reader will smell the falling leaves, see the crystal blue skies and feel the warm Virginia sunshine.

Reading "Virginia Hearts" left me feeling uplifted and positive. The stories all have a common thread of an obvious love for children and the knowledge they need tender, firm, and loving guidance by a caring adult. There is also an undeniable love of the Lord present in all three stories. God is working in all the characters' lives; they just do not always see it at times. By the end, we are assured that God is in control.

In "The Elusive Mr. Perfect," we find Joelle scanning the Virginia Christian Singles Personals for a suitable date. Lloyd leaves Joelle holding the bill, Dexter's mother arranges and joins the couple on their date, Wilbert is actually looking for a housekeeper and gardener, and Freedom lives in a commune.

The second story, "More Than Friends," finds Lexie meeting up with an old college boyfriend by the name of Theo, after she has moved back to an area where she previously lived. Lexie now rooms with her old college roommate, Kassia. As much as it feels like "old college days," circumstances have changed for everyone. It is not until tragedy strikes back home that Lexie realizes how much she misses her young daughter, Piper.

And finally, in "The Thrill of the Hunt," we learn Aunt Agnes has recently died and left the young and lovely Enid with a key to give to Agnes' nephew, Reece. The stipulation is that Reece must first read through the entire Bible before Enid is to relinquish the key. Enid and Reece soon learn that Agnes has left a trail of clues for the young couple to decipher in order for Reece to learn of his inheritance. It seems Aunt Agnes was quite a knowledgeable elder, and to the surprise of Enid and Reece, quite the matchmaker too. The antics of four-year old Connie add to the puzzle fun.

I recommend "Virginia Hearts" to all who love to read contemporary Christian romance. This book is great fun to read, for the characters are energetic, fun loving, and seek God's will in their lives. And unless you already live there, you may be lead to plan a visit to beautiful Virginia.

Finding Mr. Perfect (Harlequin Flipside)

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Finding Mr. Perfect (Harlequin Flipside)
Nikki Rivers
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0373441916

Average customer rating:

Mr. Perfect
Linda Howard
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6573A

More letters to Mr. Gacy - Selected Correspondence of John Wayne Gacy

Average customer rating:

More letters to Mr. Gacy - Selected Correspondence of John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy
Manufacturer: MYCO Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback
ASIN: B0006P0ZRW

Average customer rating:

Great read!
A great story all around.
Whoa!

Mr. Perfect
Linda Howard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1416503730

Product Description

Large Paperback, Large Print: by Linda Howard.

Customer Reviews:

Great read!.......2007-04-15

This was one of the first books I read that actually made me laugh outloud while reading. It has suspense, romance and humor. And I wish I had a neighbor like Jaine's (main character).

A great story all around........2006-07-17

In "Mr. Perfect", I was treated to a wonderful thriller chock full of laughs, intrigue, and sex.

While eating a meal, 4 friends come up with a semi-farcical list of what would constitute the perfect man. The problem is, the list gets out of their hands, and into the media, the internet, and beyond. The 4 friends are mortified by their instant celebrity, but that becomes the least of their worries. Soon, one of them is dead, and the thrill ride is on.

Linda Howard's ability to create memorable and fun characters is amazing. The plot is nothing short of fascinating, and while I figured out WHO the killer was, I completely was wrong as to WHY they were the killer. I won't spoil it for you, but that made the story that much better!

If you don't enjoy this one, you may not have a pulse.

Whoa!.......2005-07-12

I completely loved this book! I read it all in one day. The mix of romance novel and murder mystery with just the right amount of brain-numbing twists makes this a phenomanal book in this "professional" opinion.

Average customer rating:

Mr McGee & the Perfect Nest
Pamela Allen
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Australia Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0140564969

Average customer rating:

A delightful, sweet romance

Practice Makes Mr Perfect
Patricia Mae White , and Patricia White
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373196776

Customer Reviews:

A delightful, sweet romance.......2003-08-20

Police detective Brett Callahan needs help getting the woman he wants to marry to the alter. He turns to his neighbor and good friend, Josie Matthews, for help. Josie is glad to be of assistance. After the loss of her beloved Danny, she knows she won't be tempted by Brett's goodlooks, gentleness, sexyness--umm, maybe she should rethink this teaching thing! This was a wonderfully warm, funny and romantic story that didn't require explicite sex to get the love story across. The struggle Brett has with himself when he find himself drawn to Josie is very well done.

The Search For Mr. Perfect (Harlequin American Romance No 248)

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The Search For Mr. Perfect (Harlequin American Romance No 248)
Carolyn Thornton
Manufacturer: harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Harlequin American Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books

Regency | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373162480

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant Comedy of Manners in an SF Setting

Ten Points for Style
Walter Jon Williams
Manufacturer: Doubleday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Voice Of The Whirlwind

ASIN: 156865166X

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Comedy of Manners in an SF Setting.......2007-07-17

Williams has created a group of three brilliant comedies of manners. Drake Maijstral is an allowed burglar, an occupation sanctioned by the Khosali Empire, which has taken over the known universe. Maijstral's spectacular thefts take place in a highly mannered society where Elvis is a demigod, and the only real crime seems to be a lack of style. Thoroughly enjoyable.

TEN POINTS FOR STYLE: CROWN JEWELS, HOUSE OF SHARDS, ROCK OF AGES

Average customer rating:

Classics of humorous science fiction, most highly recommended.

TEN POINTS FOR STYLE: CROWN JEWELS, HOUSE OF SHARDS, ROCK OF AGES

Manufacturer: GuildAmerica Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H94T6U

Customer Reviews:

Classics of humorous science fiction, most highly recommended........2006-10-11

Drake Maijstral is an impoverished aristocrat turned
Allowed Burglar in the Khosali Empire, a mannered society ruled - or
at least with standards set - by faintly canine aliens.

All three of these books are classics. Here's my review of ROCK OF
AGES, the third and best:

Drake has bested Duke Joseph Bob of Tejas in a duel, scared off a
challenge from Capt. Milo Hay, and put off yet another challenge by
Prince Hunac of Yucatan. He's planning the media spin for all this
with Duchess Roberta Altunin, his second and inamorata:

"Excellent. Then you must tell the media of your plans for a religious
retreat."

"I will. I'm a hereditary prince-bishop after all - I'll spend the whole
night praying for peace."

"I keep forgetting you're a bishop. You're not very ecclesiastical."

Maijstral composed his face into an expression of piety. "I prefer to
keep my devotions private, thank you."

"Well, I'm a hereditary abbess, so I suppose I should not criticize."

"Really? Which order?"

"The Reformed Traditional Hospice Order of the Blessed Spatula."

"Oh. The Spatulates. . . I wondered why they worshipped a bit of
kitchen equipment."

"They take it out of the vault once a year and make a holy omelette
with it . . . The ceremony is quite moving."

"I'm sure."

"My piece was a bit leathery when I tasted it, though."

-- and on and on, skipping lightly from one silly episode to another,
never losing momentum or control. I lost count of the number of
times I laughed out loud. Other reviewers compare the Maijstral books
to Wodehouse or Panshin's Anthony Villiers books. I liked this one
more than the Panshins; I found it comparable to Wodehouse at his
best - high praise indeed.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

Average customer rating:

worst cookbook

Its a bit unrealistic for me

Attractive intro to collectable cookware. Poor Translation

Le Creuset Cookbook
David Rathgeber , and Elisa Vergne
Manufacturer: "Stewart, Tabori and Chang"
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
French | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Glorious One-Pot Meals

The Dutch Oven Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pot in Your Kitchen

The Complete Book Of Dutch Oven Cooking

Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Cleaner, 12 Ounces

The Cast Iron way to Cook

ASIN: 2841230996

Book Description

An Alain Ducasse Book

Le Creuset Cookbook is a unique combination of a renowned chef, a beloved cuisine, and a favorite cookware brand. In this one-of-a-kind book, David Rathgeber, chef at the famed Aux Lyonnais bistro in Paris, uses Le Creuset, the versatile enameled cast-iron cookware, to create such classics of French cooking as Coq au Vin, Beef Burgundy-style, Blanquette of Veal, Potato Gratin, and Crème Brulée.

Rathgeber offers 56 delicious bistro recipes, made simple and accessible for every home cook. The book also contains practical information about how to use enameled cast-iron and stoneware cookware, advice on how to choose the best produce, and tips from a wine steward about matching wines with food. Le Creuset Cookbook is a treat for all those who love French cooking and this classic French cookware.

Customer Reviews:

worst cookbook.......2006-09-19

this is the dumbest cookbook i ordered. i was interested in using Le Creuset cook ware instead of receipes for food i would never in my lifetime be caught dead eating. Who in their right mind would even think of cooking the trash they present in the book. i would advice anyone to not buy this stupid book.

Its a bit unrealistic for me.......2006-06-03

I like the book overall. I can tell by the other reviewers that it's the type of book for folks with a lot to say about cooking. I wanted to have ideas on how to use my new cookware. I found the recipes a bit over the top with a lot of veal(never a good idea) and unsavory/expensive/hard to obtain cuts of meat. I love the recipes I used but a lot of the book is useless to me. I am a mother of two young children and I enjoy cooking well and trying new things but this might be a book I need to shelve until later in life.

Attractive intro to collectable cookware. Poor Translation.......2006-05-17

`Le Creuset Cookbook', written in French by Elisa Vergne and David Rathgeber, and translated into English by Josephine Bacon is all about cooking with the wares produced by the French cookware company, Le Creuset, which is possibly the most popular line of cookware used by professional chefs and serious foodie amateurs. I was really impressed with the relative importance of the Le Creuset casseroles and Dutch ovens especially when every single show on the Food Network used Le Creuset products. At first, I thought it was just because the enameled insides of the big Dutch ovens were white, so it was easier to see on camera what was happening in the pot. I promptly got several pieces and became immediately addicted to using the 8 quart Dutch ovens and the great brasserie dishes (covered, shallow braising pans).

For many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that this is an attractively designed book for a reasonable less than $20 list price, I would be inclined to give this book five (5) stars, were it not for the fact that the translation into English or the editing of that translation (probably both) are quite poor for a professionally published book, not done by a vanity press. These problems are of at least three types. First, there are outright misspellings. I found several, and I suspect there are several more I did not detect. Second, there are garbled explanations of techniques for some dishes. One, in particular, was the description of how to create a stuffed cabbage dish, which, for the life of me, I could not follow, in spite of the fact that the picture and the overall description of the dish made it one I would very much like to make. Third was the use of ingredient names that were vague or plainly unfamiliar to the average American cook. For example, one recipe calls for `spice mix', with no clue as to what should be in the spice mix. It would be a small tragedy if the original French was `herbes fines' and the translator was clueless to the fact that the French term was much more exact and familiar to American cookbook readers than the very vague English expression. I see similar foolish translations such as changing `Tart Tatin' to the pedestrian `Upside Down Apple Tart'.

All of these weaknesses are a shame, because for the avid foodie, this is a better than average introduction to a lot of very common French dishes which you would otherwise only find in speciality books on charcuterie or the less frequently visited pages of `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'.

One effect of the book is to make us familiar with many Le Creuset products we may not ordinarily see in the average well-stocked American cookery store or even on Amazon.com or Williams-Sonoma.com. For the Le Creuset collector, this provides a real wealth of things to do with these honestly very attractive pieces of cookware, not to mention excuses to buy more of these little darlings.

The Book has six chapters of recipes following an introduction on the `Principles of cooking' that really just gives advice on how to cook with the Le Creuset enameled iron and stoneware products. The recipes are just unusual enough to justify buying this small book. The six (6) recipe chapters are:

Soups and appetizers including Rabbit in Aspic, Sabodet Sausage in Wine, and a Crawfish gratin.
Fish including Bourride, Eel Slices, Braised Brill in Champagne, and Frogs Legs with Parsley and Chervil
Meat including Stewed Lamb Provencal-style, Beef Cheek casserole, and Pork Belly with buttered cabbage
Poultry including Coq au vin, Rabbit with Two Mustards
Vegetables including Wild Mushroom Risotto, Fall Vegetable Casserole, Pumpkin Gratin, and Ratatouille
Desserts including Souffle with Cointreau, Cherry Clafoutis, and Upside Down Apple Tart

This is obviously a collection of recipes that contain both recipes very familiar to the American foodie as well as recipes that never quite made their way from France to the average American table. It is also a very broad application of many different types of cookware, such as the special dish for preparing the `Upside Down Apple Tart'. Oddly, there is no dish for the very distinctive tagine, of which I know Le Creuset produces their typically colorful version.

The book includes two very good indices, one on principle ingredients and one on recipe names. Oddly, there is no general index or index of cookware types. And, while this may seem like an unabashedly commercial addition, I would really have liked to see a catalogue of all types of Le Creuset cookware.

Each recipe begins with a little picture of the cookware appropriate to the recipe, plus a very handy duration for prep, resting, and cooking. Unfortunately, this intro doesn't say which size of cookware to use, which is a shame, since some shapes come in every size from 2 to 12 quarts or more, all with roughly the same proportions.

The primary author, David Rathgeber, is the chef at one of Alain Ducasse's restaurants in Paris and the details of the recipes, when they are not hopelessly garbled in translation, seem to be quite good, although for the more common dishes, I would not necessarily give up my favorite Julia Child or Patricia Wells or Richard Olney version. This is a book for exploring new things.

A very good choice for the foodie, cookbook collector, and Le Creuset collector. Others should stick with superior books originally in English.

Average customer rating:

TYPICAL FIRST CLASS BOOK FROM LE CREUSET!

Le Creuset Fondue Cookbook
Wendy Veale
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall Europe (a Pearson Education company)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0859417417

Customer Reviews:

TYPICAL FIRST CLASS BOOK FROM LE CREUSET!.......2006-05-24

Fantastic photography coupled with scrumptious recipes - can't fault this book from the brilliant 'Le Creuset'!
'Fondue Bourguignonne' - the traditional meat fondue or how about 'Seafood and Vegetable Tempura with Red Pepper Sauce with Chilli - Wow!
Finish with 'Orchard Fruit Fondue with Cinnamon Cream' or .....the absolutely excellent 'Bitter Chocolate and Orange Fondue'(the optional cointreau makes this a very 'adulty' indulgence!)
As with all 'Le Creuset' cookery books, the recipes are clear and extremely easy to follow. This book has over 100.
Good excuse to buy a fondue if you don't have one already!
And if you do buy this book- you MUST have 'LE CREUSET'S FRENCH COUNTRY KITCHEN' to go with it on your kitchen bookshelf!
Be the envy of your friends with the matching covers(hardback eds.) - 'Bookmark AMAZON for LE CREUSET Books' - they creep on and don't hang around long!

Average customer rating:

Le Creuset Cookbook
Irena Chalmers
Manufacturer: Potpouri Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N6KM2M

Average customer rating:

Le Creuset cookbook
Irena Chalmers
Manufacturer: distributed by Schiller & Asmus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

ASIN: B00072OXWC

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