Average customer rating:
- Disappointed
- Playing at Murder
- Cowards die many times before their death...
- A Book Dripping in Creepy Atmosphere!
- James is one of the best mystery writers ever.
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The Skull Beneath the Skin
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Touchstone
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Binding: Paperback
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James, P.D.
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An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
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Innocent Blood
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The Black Tower
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Death of an Expert Witness (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries)
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A Mind to Murder
ASIN: 0743219562
Release Date: 2001-04-03 |
Book Description
Private detective Cordelia Gray is invited to the sunlit island of Courcy to protect the vainly beautiful actress Clarissa Lisle from veiled threats on her life. Within the rose red walls of a fairy-tale castle, she finds the stage is set for death.
"Richly intricate and literate," James's second Cordelia Gray mystery "shows James at the height of her storytelling powers" (San Francisco Chronicle).
Customer Reviews:
Disappointed.......2007-09-22
The Skull Beneath the SkinWay too much minutiae and not enough written on the plot to keep my interest. Very disappointed but will give P. D. James another try with Cover Her Face featuring Adam Dalglish. You can't beat Agatha Christie for being the queen of description in one short paragraph while James takes pages to show us a setting.
Playing at Murder.......2007-05-06
"The Skull Beneath The Skin" is the second (and presumably last) installment in the Cordelia Gray mystery series by P.D. James. Why there are only two Cordelia Gray mysteries is hard to say. James has bestowed her female detective Cordelia with the exact same rich characterization that has given her more prolific male detective its large fan base, and the plotting and mystery at the center of this tale are as rich and satisfying as the yarns she's woven for Dalgliesh.
Cordelia, a self-employed private detective, finds herself with an interesting case that actually involves humans for a change. She is hired by Sir George Ralston to protect his wife, the actress Clarissa Lisle, while she stays the weekend on Courcy Island to give a performance of "The Dutchess of Malfi". It seems that Clarissa has been receiving poison notes, not necessarily threatening, but enough to throw her of her game and make her fear for her life. Cordelia finds herself under the guise of secretary to the actress, a self-centered woman she finds herself disliking. And when Clarissa is found dead just hours before the play's performance, her skull bashed in beyond recognition, Cordelia finds herself at odds with the police who are called in to solve the murder and the desire to figure things out for herself. With the cast of suspects the party of people on the island, Cordelia finds herself racing against time to figure out which one is the murderer before he or she can strike again.
"The Skull Beneath the Skin" is richly plotted, with unique twists to the mystery and a satisfactory ending if not a resolution. Cordelia Gray is an extremely likeable character, her hesitations and second-guessing coincide with that of the reader. With James' expertise at writing mysteries, reading this last Cordelia Gray makes one wish that there were more stories with her, as one wonders how her private detective agency is getting along.
Cowards die many times before their death..........2006-11-13
A delightful mystery in the classical, Agatha Christie style, "The Skull Beneath the Skin" has all the features making it remarkable within its genre.
A young private detective, Cordelia Gray, who has so far been struggling to make ends meet with tasks like rescuing lost pets or tailing the husbands of suspicious wives, suddenly gets a real, albeit strange, assignment. It comes from Sir George Ralston, a husband of a relatively famous actress, Clarissa Lisle. Apparently, Clarissa has been receiving anonymous notes with quotations from plays by Shakespeare, Webster and Marlowe, which she appeared in. The notes are always revolving around death and can easily be interpreted as death threats, especially that Clarissa is obsessively afraid of dying.
Cordelia is supposed to accompany Clarissa for a weekend on a private island, the Courcy Island, off the Dorset coast where the actress would give a performance in "The Duchess of Malfi", staged by an amateur theatre company in a castle theatre belonging to the eccentric owner of the island. Cordelia is to protect Clarissa and see to her well-being as Sir George is unable to be present. There are very few people present during the weekend: the owner and friend of Clarissa's, Ambrose Gorringe, a collector of Victorian curiosities, some of them morbid; Ivo Whittingham, a theatre critic, deadly ill; Clarissa's cousin, Roma Lisle, an owner of the small bookstore; Simon Lessing, a teenage son of Clarissa's second husband; Clarissa's dresser and two house servants. Unexpectedly, on Saturday Sir George makes an appearance... And on Sunday the murder takes place.
The similarity to Agatha Christie lies in the novel's British style, although it is set at the beginning of 1980s, the isolated setting, narrowing the suspect circle, and the careful rendering of the character cast, each representing in an exaggerated manner a certain type. The plot is slow at first, as the background is set with detailed introduction of each character, but as it progresses, it gets extremely engrossing (I lost the track of time while reading). There is enough suspense, despite Cordelia proving useless at solving the mystery in a way satisfactory for the police and there is no formal punishment for the murderer... The literary quotations and the theatrical setting give a very neat general interest background, and the book is full of nice, postmodern allusions to mystery fiction, which are fun to discover. Other mysteries of the castle add to the charm of the novel.
A thoroughly enjoyable read for all fans of mystery!
A Book Dripping in Creepy Atmosphere!.......2006-06-22
Many people like their mysteries well balanced: Great plot; wonderful characters; terrific character development; almost indecipherable mystery; not too much blood; and outstanding writing. If that's your goal, this book isn't the best choice for you.
But if you like your mysteries to be focused in creepy circumstances with deeply flawed characters, The Skull Beneath the Skin will probably serve your purposes quite well.
I have both read this book and listened to the Books on Tape unabridged version read by Penelope Dellaporta. I strongly prefer the recording, which better captures the book's mood.
This is the second and last (for more than 25 years so far) mystery featuring Cordelia Gray who starred in An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. Since that novel, Cordelia has carved out a living running the detective agency that her ex-partner Bernie established, which agency now specializes in recovering lost pets thanks to the help of two part-time employees from Cordelia's old typing agency.
Cordelia's still having a hard time making a go of the agency. She's putting up a new plaque (that's hung crookedly) when her prospective client arrives, the husband of the fading actress Clarissa Lisle. Clarissa had observed Cordelia concluding one of her pet detective forays and saw something undefined that she liked. As a result, Clarissa has sent her husband to hire Cordelia to protect Clarissa from receiving any more death threats while Clarissa tries to resurrect her career with an amateur production of The Duchess of Malfi on secluded Courcy Island.
Cordelia is soon being stone-walled by Clarissa . . . but does succeed in intercepting several nasty notes. Also Clarissa turns out to be a pretty self-centered, unpleasant woman. As the stories are related to Cordelia, she's finding it hard to be professional about her responsibilities. The last straw comes when Cordelia is ordered not to guard Clarissa's door just before the performance. As you can imagine, someone kills Clarissa just then . . . and Cordelia feels totally embarrassed professionally. Despite a warning to "keep out" by the local police, Cordelia finds herself unraveling the twisted motives of those on the island and checking on their access to Clarissa's room at the key moment. The suspects make all of this harder by showing a preference to create a cover up.
All the time, you feel like even more of an outsider than Cordelia looking on at most unpleasant sights.
Cordelia does unravel the mystery . . . and finds herself challenged to avoid a great wrong. That crisis brings the book to a height of emotion and to a delightfully ambiguous conclusion.
Cordelia has a lot to learn about detection. Stopping murders is harder than finding wandering cats. But she has a keen intelligence and devotion to duty that serve her well.
But the real star in this book is the mood of decay, dissipation and collapse that Baroness James creates. It's very creepy!
If you were to gauge the book on the appeal of the plot alone, this would be a 2-3 star book . . . so if that's what you're looking for, keep looking. The plot is also sub-par compared to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. Cordelia's role also isn't quite as interesting as that book. For reasonably long sections of this book, Cordelia all but disappears into the woodwork.
Watch out for the many allusions to the skull beneath the skin. It's a masterful use of imagery to set a truly appropriate mood for many dastardly deeds.
James is one of the best mystery writers ever........2005-10-22
I have just recently discovered P. D. James and at my age I should have discovered her long ago. Considering the quality of the mystery writing out today by most authors, it is an
extreme pleasure to read James. I plan to read everything I can by P. D. James. I am right now on her Cordelia Gray, Detective
and it is a cant put down.
Average customer rating:
- Cordelia Gray does her thing!
- Entertaining but not exceptional English mystery
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P.D. James: The Skull Beneath the Skin (BBC Mystery Series/Audio Cassettes)
P. D. James
Manufacturer: Soundelux Audio Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
Mystery
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A Certain Justice: An Adam Dalgliesh Novel (Mortalis.)
ASIN: 1559350407 |
Customer Reviews:
Cordelia Gray does her thing!.......2004-02-01
I have listened to this dramatization several times since purchasing it in 1990 and have enjoyed this atomsopheric suspense mystery immensely. P.D. James ability to give all her characters faults, insecurities, and occasional selfishness once again serves her well in this mystery. The characters are as developed as possible in the space of a 3 hour radio play. The atmosphere created on the island is just incredible, spooky, and just what you would expect in that setting. The character of Cordelia Gray is very well developed over the course of this story and her other adventure, "An Unsuitable Job For a Woman." I consider these two stories to be my favorite P.D. James mysteries. I strongly recommend these to all P.D. Jmaes fans as cracking good yarns and very entertaining.
Entertaining but not exceptional English mystery.......2001-01-03
Cordelia Gray is hired to bodyguard a bad tempered actress who has been receiving death threats. They travel to an island off the southern coast. The notes continue. Of the group on the island, almost all have some reason to hate the actress or want her money.
This is a pretty classic closed room mystery in the Agatha Christie mold. Cordelia is a fairly engaging slueth. As best I can tell, this is the end of the Cordelia Gray series. Too bad.
The audio cassette performance is in the tradition of old time radio with multiple voices and sound effects. It's a bit confusing to keep track of who's who but not too confusing. I recommend trying to listen in one sitting, if you can.
Book Description
In The Skull Beneath the Skin: Africa After the Cold War award-winning journalist Mark Huband argues that foreign involvement in Africa - whether by colonialists, financial donors, armies, political reformers, or Cold War protagonists - has been the single most destructive element in the continent's history. He argues that the catastrophes that have erupted since the end of the Cold War are a legacy of that long foreign involvement, and that stability will be achieved on the continent only if African countries are left to find their own solutions to the problems they face. The end of the Cold War may now offer the opportunity for Africa to achieve the independence it never really achieved when the European powers departed from their former colonies.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.....Zzzzzz.....Zzzzzz.......2004-06-06
Two disclaimers:
1. I love modern Sub-Saharan African history.
2. I hate it when journalists write history books.
The problem is that the only people really willing to write about modern African history are European journalists, who I have discovered have a not-too-veiled goal of bashing the Post-Cold War American government. The Skull Beneath the Skin was a disappointment for me primarily because Huband (a Brit) tirelessly over-criticized American policy in Africa during and after the Cold War, without taking into account that Great Britain colonized and raped more of Africa in the 1800's (Sudan, South Africa) than the US. Another distractor for me was that the chapters in the book weren't very coherent. For example, Huband started with Mobutu's kleptocracy in Zaire, and then moved to other areas like Liberia and Angola; then he returned to Mobutu's Zaire a few chapters later. Also, Huband's English teacher would be quite miffed: On more than one occasion, Huband constructed an entire paragraph out of one sentence. Look, even if it was gramatically correct, it still doesn't mean you should do it - have some consideration for your reader...I also noted that some of his sources that he qoutes have no names (hum...).
One good quality was the account of Rwanda. Not only is it a harrowing account of the blood-drenched countryside, but he also deals the UN a stinging blow right across the face for its inaction during the 1994 genocide.
Overall, the book is a nice, dry bore. Berkely's "The Graves Are Not Yet Full" or Gourevitch's "We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families" are MUCH better. The Skull Beneath the Skin is a book that you begin to read at night in bed and you can't finish the chapter...Zzzzzz
Expected Better.......2004-04-19
My expectations on buying this book were that it contained an up-to-date factual synopsis of sub-Saharan Africa in the aftermath of the Cold War. Unfortunately it turned out to be a rather dull collection of obscure political snapshots from the early 1990's and before, presented in mind-numbing detail. It is difficult to work up much of the interest required to follow Huband's desultory meanderings, from 1960's Burundi to 1980's Zaire, which don't seem to have any unifying theme, other than the prosaic anti-Americanism favored by foreign journalists.
The book was published just prior to 9/11, when it was fashionable to criticize the U.S. for being overly obsessed with international terrorists (which Huband actually does). Other mistakes abound, such as claiming that the killing of Pakistani troops proved a non-Islamic motive for Somali opposition to the UN, which would have come as a surprise to the thousands of Muslim soldiers and policemen who lose their lives to such fundamentalists every year in a broad range of countries, including Pakistan.
The U.S., which has never colonized a square inch of Africa, is nevertheless criticized for every ill affecting the continent. As Huband tells it, there is not a single American endeavor that was neither negligent nor malicious. Even obviously well intentioned efforts, such as the Somali relief operation are deemed misguided, though not because of the corruption and religious bigotry that obviously fueled the resistance, but rather due to the fact that Americans are too arrogant to listen to people like Mark Huband, who would evidently provide splendid leadership if they so deigned.
Other than an interesting chapter on French intervention, tacked on as kind of an afterthought, there is nothing that would inspire me to recommend this book. It comes off as neither current events nor history, but rather just another young and egotistical journalist taking easy potshots at those who had the courage to act without his benefit of hindsight.
The Ramifications of the Cold War Upon Africa.......2002-04-13
Huband's investigative book on the travails of post-Cold War Africa is a good demonstration of the evolution, especially within the journalistic environment, that has occurred over the past decade; the discussions on touchy issues such as "ethnic" conflict (especially in Rwanda) and corruption are more refined, and the accusations of "great powers'" meddling more scathing.
The chapters are arranged in a way which cannot fail but to reveal to the reader how Africa, as an idea, is really more a series of loosely connected "sub-regions" - North Africa, the Great Lakes, Southern Africa.
I found that reading Mahmood Mamdani's enlightening, though slightly repetitive When Victims Become Killers (Princeton UP) before tackling Huband's book was quite helpful, as it, too, addresses the concepts of "race," "ethnicity," and lack of democracy (with the attendant corruption within state institutions). Reading both around the same time is sure to provide the reader a nuanced and in my opinion honest perspective on Africa.
What I find utterly annoying in Huband's book, however, are the numerous quotes in French, most of which are plagued with misspelled words, over capitalization, and bad syntax. These quotes are superficial (the translations, which always follow within parentheses, would have sufficed) and give the reader the impression that the author is attempting to impress us with his (amputated) command of the French language. A consequence of this is that the errors they contain are downright distracting to those who, like myself, know French.
There are better, more complete, books in which to learn the histories of the various conflicts that have plagued the African continent since the Cold War. But as an analysis of the political ramifications of the great power chess game upon the African people, Huband's book is worthy of our undivided attention. Moreover, his emphasis on corrupt, undemocratic governments in Africa is a powerful corrective (though he doesn't address this issue directly) to those in favor of debt forgiveness for highly indebted poor countries (HIPC).
Product Description
Four paperback books in a slipcase from 1987.
Product Description
Set 2 Cordelia Gray Titles : An Unsuitable Job For a Woman The Skull Beneath the Skin. Two mmpb books.
Average customer rating:
- Well researched and excellently written!
- Exceptional work and a compulsive read.
- Good book about the Rom (if you're a DeLint fan)
- Extremely well written and researched and RIVETTING
- Well Researched on the subject of the Rom!!!
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Mulengro: A Romany Tale
Charles de Lint
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
De Lint, Charles | ( D ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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The Little Country
ASIN: 0441544843 |
Customer Reviews:
Well researched and excellently written!.......2001-11-14
I purchased this book a while back, read the first chapter, then promptly misplaced it. A few months later, I did a lot of research into the Romany culture. Then a couple of months ago, I found my copy again - joy! I re-read the first chapter, now understanding more as I knew quite a bit more about Romany. This is a more difficult read in some ways than other de Lint works, but worth the effort. You can tell he did a lot of research, although I found some of the aspects of Rom culture he used to be a bit stereotypical - people who don't know about Rom probably wouldn't notice. In the afterward he comments about the book having been written during a time when "culture borrowing" wasn't as politically incorrect as it is these days - and to those people who have a problem with a non-Rom writing a book incorporating the culture... hmmph! I see nothing wrong with it in small doses, so don't worry about it, Charles! Overall, an excellent read!
Exceptional work and a compulsive read........2000-03-05
Mulengro like all of Charles De Lint's novels speaks to the enigmatic, mysterious and magical in an utterly believable way. But perhaps more than any other of his books, the magic in Mulengro is dark and disturbing. Horror fans would not be disappointed but it is far more sophisticated than even the finest horror story. There are even elements that would appeal to lovers of Crime and Thriller books. More accurately, however, Mulengro is a tale of two opposing cultures, peoples, moralities and ways of life that are forced by circumstances to face the unthinkable together. Mulengro is a journey of the soul into the dark, the light and the nether world between. I would be surprised if the reader remained untouched by the experience of reading Mulengro. I thoroughly recommend it.
Good book about the Rom (if you're a DeLint fan).......1999-10-12
Charles DeLint's 1985 novel, Mulengro, is worth reading for one of two reasons: it allows a DeLint fan to compare his older writings to his current works and it offers a (somewhat simplified) insight into the contemporary life of "gypsies" in North America. Unfortunately, the book also suffers from a villain-driven plot (an all-too-common device of DeLint's), too many characters to allow full or almost any character development, blatant manipulation of emotions (having a man ripped apart by rabid dogs in front of his wife and child reminded me of Corman at his worst)and, finally, there were far too many trite expressions. When a reader compares this work to DeLint's three brilliant short story selections or two of his latest works such as "Trader" or "Someplace to Be Flying" he or she can be confident that the author has certainly honed his craft since the last decade.
Extremely well written and researched and RIVETTING.......1999-08-29
One of the very best 'stories' I have ever read. Haunting, remembered after only one reading. It is available again through an English press. Look for it, find it and BUY It. Worth every penny.
Well Researched on the subject of the Rom!!!.......1998-08-02
I was pleased & delighted to read a novel dealing with the Rom Spiritual point of view, without either making them out to be criminals or a people to be pitied.
Customer Reviews:
Let's scream again, like we did last summer.......2003-10-26
I just watched a montage of some of the cheez-iest moments in "Doctor Who" history, in a special "40th Anniversary" montage on the new DVD release of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth". This is the way "Doctor Who" was meant to be seen -- rapid-fire clips of men in rubber masks; BBC-repertory actors gesticulating wildly; random shots of the Doctor pumping his fists; cheap special effects and wobbly models. The last chapter of "Psi-ence Fiction", if filmed, would look an awful lot like something out of this montage. There are strobe lights, shouting villains, and Tom Baker yelling out characters' surnames.
The rest of "Psi-ence Fiction" is clearly meant to be contemporary, not retro. Author Chris Boucher, who wrote three scripts for "Who" back in the seventies, populates his English university with lots of modern-day pop culture references: "The X-Files", Kevin Williamson-style horror movies, and the Doctor reflecting nostalgically on the works of Charles M. Schulz. But I could never decide if Boucher was writing this story on a modern day, Russell T. Davies-sized budget... or for that old, studio-bound, Seventies "Who" feel.
The best parts of "Psi-ence Fiction" involve Leela and the Doctor. One of the great things about "Doctor Who", that has sustained it for forty years of ongoing adventure, is that the adventure is never really done. Louise Jameson the actress quit the TV show in 1978, but here's Boucher in 2001 still generating new insights into Leela the character. The Fourth Doctor, likewise, still has a zany head to be explored, and Boucher has fun parroting his thought processes.
The story itself is a bit thin, and the cast is small. Oddly, the lack of death in this story takes some edge off the horror sequences: no-one ever dies on-screen. The order of the day instead is witty banter: five college kids insult each other with winks and nods; a couple of policemen tease each other in a way that Briscoe and Logan would never have tolerated.
It's all fun in small doses, but there's that budget factor again: this all would have played badly in the Seventies, with hammy actors interpreting the scripts. It would look flashy today on a Hollywood budget, but every time I was ready to picture Gwyneth Paltrow as Chloe, the nominal female protagonist (who's described as a "leggy blonde" and who's fetchingly nude for pages at a time), she kept devolving into Elisha Cuthbert. Maybe watching all that "Doctor Who" has rendered my theater-of-the-mind incapable of thinking big.
Not much Dr. Here.......2003-06-02
The Doctor is marginally involved and solves the dilemma in "the last three minutes". Leela is still a savage and you get bored with hearing her pedigree every time she's mentioned. The university types are shallow and the evil not defined enough. "Check the water" even fails. But read it on a rainy day when there's nothing else to do and you'll be entertained.
Paraspsychology and Who.......2002-12-28
Seances, Ouija boards, demons, graveyards, haunted woods, sensory-deprivation tanks, telepathy, smart-alecky college students, well-meaning professors, confused coppers, a savage companion, a loopier-than-usual Doctor and bottled water.
How it all comes together is a fun ride, but the end is rushed and just a bit dissapointing. The Leela passages were very enjoyable, as was the Doctor's interaction with the cops.
All in all, a fun read, with no nutritional value whatsoever.
A Build up to Nothing...!!!.......2002-11-12
The TARDIS lands the Doctor and Leela in the middle of a forest due to a time distortion affect. In the search to uncover what is going on, they must deal with murder, dangerous university experiments regarding ESP, annoying students and dodgy water.
From the outset you can tell this isn't going to be one of the greatest WHO novels around as it introduces us to a bunch of 5 university students who has a love/hate comedy routine that, at the beginning was quite fun, but when it continues on until the end of the novel with every scene including them, becomes very annoying and monotonous.
Character development in practically nil except for the two main characters of the Doctor and Leela. The Doctor is acting a bit (not much though) more quirky than usual (due to the effects of the time distortion thingy) and doesn't really do anything proactive for the first 2/3's of the novel. Leela is the most interesting character in the novel, as in the other Boucher books, you get to see what is going on in the warrior's mind and her ways of thinking and trying to break free of her 'primitive' reasoning's. Something the tv series would find hard to do. (Unless they had her talking to herself which would look stupid).
The book did have potential with it's 'hauntings' and 'other realms' aspects, which were kind of creepy but s essentially let down by the discovery of who/what is responsible at the end. The ending is also a huge let down - the whole story builds up to it's height and is then over in just 2 quick short, mildly confusing pages. (Maybe he was late for his deadline or something?)
I would recommend this as a no brainer, no stress read, but be prepared to be disappointed.
Out of the Tardis...and into the frying pan........2002-08-08
Although Peter Davison (believe it or not) is my personal favorite DOCTOR WHO (this because of childhood nostalgia I won't go into any further- red) I also am a big fan of Tom Baker's fourth doctor. It's been said he's the ultimate Doctor Who and tv story highlights like GENESIS OF THE DALEKS, PLANET OF EVIL and REVENGE OF THE CYBERMAN are proof of that.
So, it was an immense delight for me finding out that PSI-ENCE FICTION featured Baker's fourth doctor and his pre-Xena like female warrior sidekick Leela.
The book is about our favorite characters winding up in modern day England on the campus of a university, were a quirky professor has started all kinds of experiments involving a group of students and their so called 'psychic' powers.
I won't spoil the plot but it involves murder and a device that may be able to destroy the universe (talking about painting yourself a broad canvas, but since it's DOCTOR WHO, I wouldn't expect otherwise). I also loved the pop culture references to THE X-FILES, The MATRIX and, yes...XENA, WARRIOR PRINCES.
This is an enjoyable romp, not to heavy on characterisation and almost pulpy in parts. It passes the time and I myself really got a kick out of the murder mystery subplot. Boucher even has one of the main characters saying: 'I'm a sucker for a locked room mystery' at one point.
Well, so am I. And the solution is something that comes as totally unsuspected.
As you might have guessed I'm really into WHO books (I even try to hunt down one of Virgin's WHO adventures once in a while). PSI-ENCE FICTION passes the grade for a 'WHO-geek' like me. I just don't know if it's worth reading for somebody else though.
I'd give it a little more than three stars, it's just not good enough to receive four. You'll have to read anything by Mark Gatiss, or maybe David McIntee if you want that good a WHO story.
Amazon.com
Twenty years ago, Paula Lambert was just your average Texas housewife. But when she became addicted to fresh mozzarella while traveling in Italy only to return home and find there was no fresh mozzarella in Texas, both an entrepreneur and a cheese factory were born. In The Cheese Lover's Cookbook, Lambert shares the vast knowledge she's garnered in two decades at the helm of the successful Mozzarella Company, which now boasts 35 types of cheese and twice as many awards.
Lambert's passion for cheese shines in enticing recipes that draw on her Southwestern, Italian, and Southern influences. The book flows effortlessly between such down-home favorites as Cowboy Cheese Dip (made with Velveeta!) and more adventurous treats such as Baked Gnocchi with Sage-Parmigiano Crust or Blue Cheese Quesadillas with Mango Salsa. Chapters cover brunch through dessert, including appetizers, salads, soups, pastas, vegetables, meats, and breads. For brunch, Ricotta Pancakes with Banana-Pecan Syrup--a moist, fluffy, invitingly rich concoction reminiscent of the famous New Orleans dessert Bananas Foster--fits the bill. Crustless Cheddar Quiche with Onion and Bacon Topping (more like a savory flan than a classic quiche) would be equally satisfying for brunch or lunch. Entrées range from the vegetarian Layered Vegetable Gratin Provencal bound by strongly flavored Gruyère, to tangy Poached Salmon with Feta Mayonnaise, to succulent Rack of Lamb with Goat Cheese Crust. An array of inviting desserts, from the intensely chocolatey Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies to the wonderfully refreshing Cinnamon-Ricotta Sorbet, rounds out the recipe section.
But this is much more than just a cookbook: it's an informative guide that details the history of cheese, provides nutritional information, and offers tips on how to buy, store, and serve cheese. For the truly ambitious, Lambert includes step-by-step instructions for making both fresh and aged cheese at home. A chapter on pairing wine with cheese takes the mystery out of finding just the right match, and indispensable charts expertly guide those interested in substituting or experimenting with more unusual cheeses. For any cheese lover, this practical and wonderfully entertaining guide is a truly comprehensive resource. --Robin Donovan
Book Description
Paula Lambert is a godsend to cheese lovers everywhere. She so yearned for delicious cheese that she built her own factory, the Mozzarella Company, in Dallas, Texas. The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide is her indispensable resource on buying, storing, cooking, and serving cheese, and even making your own cheese at home. In more than 150 recipes, Lambert presents a down-to-earth approach to cooking with many varieties, whether it's Gruyère, Camembert, or just tried-and-true Cheddar. Learn to put the cheeses you love into every meal, from appetizers like a Savory Herbed Cheesecake to such desserts as an Orange-Ricotta Almond Tart.
With so many wonderful cheeses available, it can be difficult to choose among them. To help navigate this abundance of riches, The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide contains descriptions of a hundred cheeses by taste, texture, country of origin, and type of milk used to make them, as well as suggestions on selecting cheeses and putting together a cheese course when entertaining.
Reflecting various influences -- Southern, Mexican, Southwestern, and Italian -- The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide is at once international and familiar, and always full of flavor. Because Lambert is a cheesemaker, she is not afraid to experiment in the kitchen, and she shares her delicious results. From the bold and unusual Artichoke, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Spring Rolls to the delicious and traditional Fettuccine ai Quattro Formaggi, cheese is the main focus in each of these artfully creative recipes. She also includes recipes for courageous and unintimidated cooks to make their own Crème Fraîche, Fresh Cream Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Mascarpone, Ricotta, Queso Blanco, and Aged Tomme at home.
For home chefs and anyone interested in learning more about the delicious world of cheese, The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide is ideal. Every cheese lover will be thrilled with the mouth-watering results.
Download Description
The owner of The Mozzarella Cheese Factory in Dallas shares recipes and instructions on how to buy, store and serve favorite cheeses, and includes additional chapters on how to make cheeses at home.
Customer Reviews:
Everything you wanted to know about cheese and more.......2007-03-09
This is an exremely informative book. It gives a history of the development of different cheeses, how to make many of them at home, the uses of various cheeses and recipes. I got a little bogged down in the history of cheese, and don't really plan to make my own, but it was great for giving me more information about the uses of various cheeses. If you want to learn about cheese, this is your book.
Wonderful and Informative addition to your cookbooks!.......2006-07-08
This book isn't just technical info about cheese, it's mostly a cookbook with really great cheese information. It's perfect for a beginner delving into the world of cheese (outside that of processed and plastic wrapped slices). The recipes are simply laid out, easy to make and the pictures are fabulous! This is a keeper and would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys cooking.
IF YOU LOVE CHEESE, YOU MUST GET THIS BOOK..........2001-07-07
I love cheese. A world without cheese is almost unimaginable. I have never met a cheese I didn't like. It is one of the most delicious and flavorful foods on Earth, as well as one of the most versatile.
You can have cheese as an appetizer, a soup, a salad, a main course, or even as a dessert. If you should have any doubt about my somewhat sweeping declaration, you need only open this book. It contains over a hundred and fifty eclectic, mouth watering, delicious recipes, where cheese is a prime ingredient.
I came upon this book at a school auction, coupled with a lovely cheese board. I placed a silent bid on the set, and to my surprise, I was the successful bidder. I took the items home, and being a bookaholic, began perusing this book.
To my surprise, I discovered it to be much more than a cookbook, as it gives the reader precise instructions on how to buy, store, and serve just about every conceivable variety of cheese. All this information is imparted in a conversational tone, making for easy reading.
The author tells the reader how her love of cheese motivated her to start her own cheese factory, the very successful "Mozzarella Company". She also starts the reader from scratch, telling one what cheese actually is. She also gives the reader a fascinating overview on the history of cheese, as well as a chapter on cheese and nutrition.
The author goes to great lengths to describe the various types of cheese, categorizing it by texture, flavor, and country of origin. She gives tips on buying and serving cheese, as well as tips on what to do with leftover cheese. She also gives suggestions on what wine to pair with certain cheeses. For those who are ambitious and so inclined, the author even has a chapter on making your own cheese at home.
While these extras are all well and good, the recipes alone are worth investing in the book. My own personal favorites are the "Bruschetta Topped with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes", "Green Salad with Apples and Goat Cheese", "Crustless Cheddar Quiche with Onion and Bacon Topping", "Uptown Get-Down Macaroni and Cheese", "Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Ricotta, and Jarlsberg", and "Carrot-Ricotta Pudding".
Of course, the recipes I like are all fairly basic and easy to put together. There are also many, more ambitious and delicious sounding recipes for those with an affinity for cooking. They reflect a variety of diverse influences. Contemporary in feel, ranging from the gastronomically creative to the traditrional, they are international in scope. There is simply something for everyone. It is not just for cheese lovers only.
Cheese Intrigue!.......2000-11-28
The flavor of cheese can be buttery, rich, pungent, sharp, salty or delicate. Cheese is made from nutritious milk. The type of milk adds subtleties to each cheese and makes it unique. I enjoy Mozzarella made from buffalo milk. While I am hardly a Turophile (A connoisseur of cheese), I may soon become one after reading this book. "Tyro" is Greek for Cheese and "-phile" means "lover of."
If you are a border-line Turophile or are just curious about cheese, I recommend this book very highly. This is so much more than a cookbook. It is a love affair with cheese! There is a concise overview of cheesemaking, a collection of over 150 eclectic cheese-based recipes and a comprehensive list of sources for your favorite cheeses.
After working in a specialty store, I decided to try a different cheese as often as I could. I learned to love smoked Gouda, creamy Havarti with dill, Pecorino Romano from sheep's milk, blue-veined Roquefort in salad dressing, Provolone in an Italian salad, Ricotta in lasagna, and lately Mascarpone in Tiramisu. In "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide," Paula Lambert provides many unique recipes using Mascarpone, but how is Marscarpone made? Believe it or not, there is a recipe on page 73.
Does your mind crave explanations for how cheese is made? Do you wonder about how cheese was invented? Will Paula tell you? Yes, and she will also lead you through your own discovery of cheese making
Finally, you will know the secrets of Crème Fraîche and discover how easy it is to make homemade cottage cheese. Yes, Paula Lambert is ambitious and creative. She has the heart of an artist, the soul of a chef and the spirit of a cheese artisan. "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide" is truly filled with a passion for cooking with cheese.
Paula Lambert also loves to travel. After spending five years in Perugia, she learned to love fresh mozzarella. Her search to learn how to make fresh mozzarella resulted in the founding of "The Mozzarella Company," a cheese factory in Dallas, Texas. With the guidance of a cheese professor, Paula immersed herself in the cheesemaking process and went on to produce thirty-five different types of cheese. These cheeses are now distributed to restaurants, gourmet stores and directly to individuals throughout the United States.
Paula Lambert has become a renowned cheese maker. Her cheeses have earned over seventy awards for superior cheese flavor and consistency. In order to perfect traditional cheesemaking techniques, Paula traveled to many countries. Her enthusiasm shows how fascinating the art of cheesemaking can be.
I loved her section on Cheese Classification. She divides cheese into over 15 categories and illustrates them with common and exotic cheese varieties. Did you know that Mozzarella is classified as a Pasta Filata Cheese? I didn't either.
Paula also includes a nutritional breakdown for many cheeses, a cheese-buying guide, a list for substituting cheese by type, a list for selecting cheese by flavor and finally a list for selecting cheeses by country of origin. She includes a helpful section on mail order cheese sources, complete with Web site information, which is very thoughtful.
There are also many international cheeses you will want to try. No longer will the cheese section be a daunting place. You will go to the store with a new confidence and walk right past Velveeta Ville. You may find yourself asking for Boursin from France (a cheese flavored with herbs and garlic), Cambozola or maybe even Liederkranz. You will know the difference between a ripened aged cheese and an unripened fresh cheese. You will know how to select the freshest cheese and how to store them. When they are just little piece of leftover cheese, they can start a new life as a wonderful "fromage fort." (Cheese with garlic, cream, herbs and pepper.)
Most cooks agree: If you find one memorable recipe in a new cookbook, it is worth the price. In this cookbook, you will find so many recipes you will love! The picture of the Ricotta Pancakes with Banana-Pecan Syrup may just inspire you enough to make it the first recipe you want to try. I made them and they are delicate and almost cake-like. The heavenly sauce is a combination of pecans and bananas sautéed in butter with maple syrup. I used real maple syrup.
Most of the recipes are influenced by a prominent culture or are influenced by "fusion" cooking. The "Cheddar Cheese Grits with Roasted Garlic" is definitely Southern." The "Risotto with Asparagus and Parmigiano" reminds me of Italy. The "Ultimate Cheese Omelet" is very French. Since Paula lives in Texas, she also has a flair for using local ingredients. "Southwestern Chile-Cheese Corn Bread" is an example. Paula's recipes have a touch of sophistication and are easy-to-make gourmet treats.
Each recipe is presented on its own page, or two. You hardly ever have to turn a page to complete a recipe. The headings are bold, the headnotes are interesting, and the instructions start with a few words in a gold text, which is quite pretty. Paula's writing style is easy-to-read and her precise instructions are very helpful. The hints on decorating are wonderfully unique. I loved the dragonflies made from bell peppers on the "Savory Herbed Cheesecake." These are the types of recipes you will want to add to your kitchen repertoire. The 16 full-color photo illustrations will inspire you to go shopping for cheese.
Some of the recipes are modernized classics. "Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Scones," "Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust" and "Grilled Shrimp and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza" are good examples. Many are perfect for entertaining. "Baked Brie with Mushrooms, Walnuts, and Dried Cranberries," will be spectacular. There are soups for winter and salads for summer. I just made the Bed & Breakfast style "Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Scones." They will have you saying: "More Cheese Please!" This is truly a dreamy cookbook for all cheese lovers. Thank you Paula, you are an inspiration to us all!
~TheRebeccaReview.com
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