Orchid Beach (Holly Barker Novels)

Amazon.com

Talk about a bad first day. Major Holly Barker thought she was getting out of a mess when she left the army. She'd been sexually harassed by her superior, but the exigencies of the military legal system wound up wrecking her career. Orchid Beach seemed like the perfect place to start over. Though Chief Marley, an old family friend, was worried about some local increases in the drug trade, the Florida barrier island was not a crime mecca. As the new deputy police chief, Holly would be stepping on the toes of a few Orchid Beach P.D. regulars who were being overlooked for the job, but she would prove her worth in short order. After installing her trailer in Riverview, though, the bad news started to flood the Beach. The chief was found along the side of highway A1A with a bullet through the head, and his closest friend just had his skull blown apart with the chief's shotgun. Now, Holly is the acting chief in a town she hardly knows and with a police force that's full of animosity towards its newly minted leader. Just about the only consolation is that Holly has inherited Daisy, a Doberman who's about the best and most faithful friend a troubled gal could ask for; Daisy's a fierce defender of her master and she knows how to retrieve a beer on command.

Holly is a new character for Stuart Woods, and the author wastes no time getting readers into the thick of the mystery. This means that character takes a bit of a back seat to plotting in Orchid Beach, but with a mystery this fast-paced, the tradeoff is worthwhile. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

A Woman's Best Friend--and Most Lethal Weapon

New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods delivers a riveting thriller that introduces an exciting addition to the pantheon of fictional sleuths.

Forced into early retirement at thirty-seven, smart, attractive, and fiercely independent Major Holly Barker trades in her bars as a military cop for the badge of deputy chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida. But below the sunny surface of this sleepy, well-to-do island town lies an evil that escalates into the cold-blooded murder of one of Holly's new colleagues. An outsider, Holly has little to go on for answers and no one to help her--except Daisy, a Doberman of exceptional intelligence and loyalty that becomes her companion and protector. The closer she gets to the truth, the more Holly knows that it'll take one smart dog with guts to sniff out this killer--before he can catch her first.

Customer Reviews:

Thriller.......2007-04-04

cannot put it down. typical woods but at his best. a stay on track, what's next, suspense thriller that will keep you up till late at night.

Orchid Beach.......2006-11-01

Excellent. We enjoy the works of Stuart Woods very much. Somehow I missed this one, so I had to get it in paperback. After awhile you get to believing Holly and her dog Daisy are real...

Stultifyin'.......2006-10-11

I came here to see if maybe this book is going to get any better toward the middle. In order to stay awake, I had to lay it down about the time Holly encounters the dog. ORCHID BEACH is flat, even the sentence structure is monotonous, the female protagonist worse than wooden, the dialogue grade-school level, the facts dealt out like driving directions from a kind, courteous, accurate 7-11 clerk. So I asks myself, is it me? Am I jaded at my age? And I comes here to see what others think, and to find out how this author even got published once, let alone how he got famous and successful and stuff. You figure that if a novel is published, has a price on it and everything, it meets some standard of readability. But it doesn't. So I'll pitch in by tapping out this unkind one-star review, which might affect its overall rating and thereby spare a few others. *YAWN*

A few years ago, I read a suspense mystery by Stuart Woods about a town submerged in a lake. It was great! I recommend readers "new to Stuart Woods" go find that one, and skip ORCHID BEACH.

Dull as dishwater........2006-09-26

Holly Barker is Police Chief of a small town in Florida called Orchid Beach. The book starts with her fiancé being murdered on their wedding day. Crappy beginning, especially considering Jackson, her fiancé, is the only really likable character in the book! In the hunt for his killers, she runs afoul of a possible cult, some neo-nazi types and the FBI.

There is no emotion in the writing - no passion. The dialog is dry and dull - the whole thing reads more like a police report than a novel. This happens and then that happens, blah blah blah - I'm talking dull! Holly's father, Ham is the only character I cared about (other than Jackson who dies early) and the only reason I finished the book was to see what happens to him. A great plot is not enough for me (and there are holes in this one anyway). I want characterization. A plot hole the size of the Grand Canyon can be overlooked if there are fully developed characters who I can care about.

HOLLY BARKER BARKS.......2006-08-15

HOLLY BARKER NOVELS ARE QUICK AND EASY TO READ. HAVE ALWAYS LOVED STUART WOODS BOOKS AND AM NOW READING SOME FOR THE SECOND TIME.

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Orchid Beach

Manufacturer: Harper Mass Market P
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0788729152

Product Description

6 Cassettes. As action-packed and inventive as Swimming to Catalina and Dead in the Water , Orchid Beach leads listeners on an adventure fraught with murder and mystery. In this latest thriller, New York Times best-selling author Stuart Woods introduces his fans to a captivating new sleuth. A victim of sexual harassment, Major Holly Barker is forced to retire early from the military police. She accepts a job as deputy chief of police, but when she arrives in Orchid Beach, she finds the police chief has been brutally murdered. Surrounded by a police force she dares not trust, she finds an unexpected ally in Daisy, an intelligent Doberman. Theres something sinister hiding in this sleepy coastal Florida town, and now its Hollys mission to find it. George Guidalls masterful narration adds an element of entertainment and suspense to what is already an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Enjoy an interview with Stuart Woods at the conclusion of the book.

4 Titles in Holly Barker Series - Orchid Beach - Orchid Blues - Blood Orchid - Iron Orchid

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4 Titles in Holly Barker Series - Orchid Beach - Orchid Blues - Blood Orchid - Iron Orchid
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LPHNNG

Product Description

4 massmarket paperback Titles in Holly Barker Series - Orchid Beach - Orchid Blues - Blood Orchid - Iron Orchid

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Orchid Beach
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: HarperPaperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OL8Z70

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Orchid Beach
STUART WOODS
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Children's Book Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H3C8GE

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Orchid Beach
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WS7GCU

Orchid Beach, By Stuart Woods, Unabridged Library Edition 6 Audio Cassettes, 9 Hours, Read By Jonathan Marosz

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Orchid Beach, By Stuart Woods, Unabridged Library Edition 6 Audio Cassettes, 9 Hours, Read By Jonathan Marosz
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: Books on Tape, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000JLAM0I

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Orchid Beach, Unabridged
Stuart Woods
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000KHN9LK

Product Description

Unabridged: 8 CDs

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ORCHID BEACH: A NOVEL
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J3R7MW

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Loved this book! Orchid's Beach
Love Story Gone Wrong

Orchid's Beach
Teresa Tracey Louise Stanisha
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413702775

Customer Reviews:

Loved this book! Orchid's Beach.......2004-04-05

I felt the tension and the power plays between the characters. The whole story kept me guessing. I wasn't sure what was going to happen at the end and it definitely surprised me.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and look forward to reading more from Ms. Stanisha.

Love Story Gone Wrong.......2004-04-05

Ah... the things we do for love. While some are ready to die for her, Collin only wants Sarah for one thing... business. The psychological factors in this book definitely keep you guessing. There were thing even Sarah should have seen coming, but some twists in this very tangled plot were completely unexpected. The story makes it possible to get through the books obvious shortcomings. I like how the end left you hanging.
Recommendation: NOT REALLY RECOMMENDED
Ashley H. is a reviewer Poet and content editor.

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Consolidation of the 2nd Three Garrett Books
Garrett, P.I. (Old Tin Sorrows/ Dread Brass Shadows/ Red Iron Nights)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: SF Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Garrett Investigates (Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, Faded Steel Heat)

Garrett Files(Sweet Silver Blues/ Bitter Gold Hearts/ Cold Copper Tears)

Garrett on the Case (Angry Lead Skies/whispering Nickel Idols)

Whispering Nickel Idols: A Garrett, P.I., Novel

Faded Steel Heat (Garrett Files)

ASIN: 0739436082

Product Description

Omnibus edition of 3 Glen Cook novels: Old Tin Sorrows Dread Brass Shadows Red Iron Nights

Customer Reviews:

Consolidation of the 2nd Three Garrett Books.......2005-11-05

Since most of Cook's Garrett books are long out of print and very difficult to come by, you might end up having to buy this consolidation to find the individual stories. This book, "Garrett, P.I.," is the 2nd of 3 consolidations (so far). The others are "The Garrett Files" and "Garrett Investigates." This book contains the 2nd three stories in the Garrett series: "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," and "Red Iron Nights." "The Garrett Files" contains the 1st three: "Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," and "Cold Copper Tears." "Garrett Investigates" has the last three so far consolidated: "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat." The remaining two books ("Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols") still appear to be in print on their own. As was the 1st consolidation ("The Garrett Files"), this book is well bound, has good quality paper, and is well cut. As a pure average of my ratings for the three contained stories, I rate this book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. My individual reviews follow:

"Old Tin Sorrows:" Excellent 4th in Cook's Garrett Series. If this isn't the best of the whole Garrett series, it's right up there fighting for the slot. For all intents and purposes, there's no Dead Man in this book: it's all Garrett, with some support from Morley and a couple of appearances from Saucerhead and the Dojango triplets. It's got good pacing and keeps you scratching your head trying to figure out what's going on all the way to the end. It's also one of the darkest books in the series. Nasty stuff. But, it explains why Garrett is so fixated on his picture of Eleanor in later books. Excellent, excellent book. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.

"Dread Brass Shadows:" Very Good 5th in Cook's Garrett Series. Unlike the previous book, this one has a lot more Dead Man in it. Unfortunately, as a counterbalance, the pacing is a bit uneven (nothing horrible, just noticeable). This book also introduces Winger. Alas, Cook's portrayal of her is inconsistent. From scene to scene, she varies from competent to incompetent at specific tasks. For instance, in one scene, she's not all that good at hand-to-hand combat. Yet, in another scene, she defeats someone whom Garrett would be afraid to tackle. Ditto for her tracking ability: at one point, she's essentially blind to what's going on around her. At another, she's picking out people Garrett misses. It's a shame, since she plays such a large part in the book (basically replacing Morley and Saucerhead). Given that, I rate the book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

"Red Iron Nights:" Very Good 6th in Cook's Garrett Series. It's a good book, but the pacing could use some work. Also, Cook introduces several minor plot elements and does very little with them until the end. One of them, having to do with Morley, he doesn't do anything with (like explain it) at all. Regarding recurring motifs in the series, in this book, Cook introduces Chodo's daughter and the Parrot. His introduction of the Parrot is disappointing considering its prevalance in later books (if you don't know to watch for it, you'd miss it entirely). But, still, overall, a very good book. I rate it at 4 stars out of 5.

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Dangerous Reading
Very Good 5th in Cook's Garrett Series

Dread Brass Shadows (Garrett Files)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451450086

Customer Reviews:

Dangerous Reading.......2006-10-12

When Tinny, Garrett's on again off again sweetheart is stabbed in a case of mistaken identity, Garrett goes on the rampage. Tinny survives, but if TunFaire's most accident-prone detective has his way the perpetrators are doomed. It's all about a book, and a plethora of redheads, who show up in various states of undress, and wizards, witches, and wannabees. Everyone is in this game for keeps, and with Tinnie healing; Garrett discovers that it is his own skin he should be worrying about.

In a castle a ways from the city a lord lies waiting for a death that never comes. And his wife has locked herself in her tower to make a book of dreams and wait for the time when her curse has run its course. For witches a book of dreams is a special think. Each page is a spell to turn the caster into someone else. A dwarf into a king, a housemaid into a lady, or an idiot into a wizard. Everyone wants the book and Garrett realizes that nothing good can come from a magical tool that has that much power.

So, once again Garrett is off trying to save the world, the Dead Man is trying to keep Garrett alive, Morley is playing both ends against the middle, and Winger is trying out an entirely new wardrobe. After the darkness of Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows is a relief. Glen Cook returns to the edgy, wisecracking style that makes this series good reading. This is a wild tour through TunFaire at its craziest, with enough action to make the book hard to put down.

Very Good 5th in Cook's Garrett Series.......2005-11-04

This is the 5th in Cook's Garrett series ("Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," "Cold Copper Tears," "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," "Red Iron Nights," "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat," "Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols"). Unlike the previous book, this one has a lot more Dead Man in it. Unfortunately, as a counterbalance, the pacing is a bit uneven (nothing horrible, just noticeable). This book also introduces Winger. Alas, Cook's portrayal of her is inconsistent. From scene to scene, she varies from competent to incompetent at specific tasks. For instance, in one scene, she's not all that good at hand-to-hand combat. Yet, in another scene, she defeats someone whom Garrett would be afraid to tackle. Ditto for her tracking ability: at one point, she's essentially blind to what's going on around her. At another, she's picking out people Garrett misses. It's a shame, since she plays such a large part in the book (basically replacing Morley and Saucerhead). Given that, I rate the book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

BTW: At the time of this review, this book is long out of print. It's tough to find anywhere. As an alternative, look around for the SFBC's "Garrett, P.I.." This book is part of that collection.

Garrett, P.I. : Three Books in One : Old Tin Sorrows; Dread Brass Shadows; Red Iron Nights

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Garrett, P.I. : Three Books in One : Old Tin Sorrows; Dread Brass Shadows; Red Iron Nights

Manufacturer: Science Fiction Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000HXIP2K

Book Description

If you're either taking, or thinking of taking, vitamins or herbs along with your prescription and non-prescription medications, then you and your family must have this book! Millions of people, just like you, use both without knowing that some combinations are beneficial while some can be downright dangerous.
Based on the information from Healthnotes Online database, the A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions is written by a highly respected team of natural medicine experts --medical doctors, naturopathic physicians, and pharmacists-who have created a natural health information resource that is both comprehensive and user-friendly.
The A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions helps you learn which drugs can deplete your body's essential nutrients; which supplements can help your prescriptions work better, or reduce drug side effects; and which herbs and drugs should never be taken together.
Did you know that:
·Along with bad bacteria, antibiotics kill good bacteria that need to be replenished?
·Birth control pills deplete the body's stores of folic acid?
·Asian ginseng may help your flu vaccine work better?
·Ginkgo can help reduce Prozac-induced sexual dysfunction?
·Vitamin K can destroy the drug action of Warfarin®?
"The A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions is presented in a very clear and concise manner—making it accessible to both health professionals and consumers. It is an indispensable resource for people who take medications, as well as those who prescribe or dispense them—and it's especially useful for anyone concerned about nutrition and herbal therapies. It will be an essential resource on my bookshelf ."—Joe Graden, MS, Author The Peoples' Pharmacy
"This comprehensive review of drug-nutrient interactions—by far the most exhaustive of its kind—is an invaluable tool for all consumers and professionals, integrating the worlds of conventional and alternative medicine." —Julian Whitaker, MD, Editor, Health & Healing newsletter
"The use of this excellent book can do so much to improve a person's general health and knowledge. Putting into practice the easy-to-use information in this book can help avoid many potential problems and can greatly increase good health and well-being." —James M. Brodsky, RPh, Instructor, University of Southern California College of Pharmacy
Recommended by the Today Show.

Customer Reviews:

Good but not current enough for me........2007-07-13

I am taking a medication that isn't BRAND new to the market but isn't by any means OLD either. It has been released within the last 4 years. I was hoping it would be in this book as I am also taking herbal supplements, but it wasn't. There were other drugs that were supposed to be for the same conditions, but since they are different chemicals the interactions were potentially different, so I didn't find this helpful.

That said, there are plenty of maintstream medications like antibiotics, etc. included in this book so it might be helpful to some folks. I just think that drugs, like computers, change so quickly that books like this can't cover everything. I am on the fence with my recommendation on this one.

Good book !!!.......2007-05-12

Very comprehensive book which helps you to have a thorough picture on medication matters. I suggest it to anybody who wants to have an updated medical library.

Be safe with supplements.......2007-02-21

I purchased this book as I have fibromyalgia and wanted to try some alternative therapies, and ensure their safety with my prescription medications. I feel that it is an excellent guide for that, and actually is quite useful as a simplified prescription medication guide. It is easy to use, easy to understand, and does a great job of listing and describing medication/herbal/vitamin/supplement interactions. I purchased one for my parents, and my sister purchased one as well. Very useful book if you take any medications and any other type of supplement.

Includes just about every medication available, with the exception of those released after its publication.

Doesn't list everything.......2007-02-13

Book is 2006, yet doesn't list some of the RX's I take. Hard to use, also. Some RX's are only listed generically, so you need a computer to check the brand name first.

Straightforward and Comprehensive.......2004-10-20

The book is large but set out in a series of straightforward sections: the first one on drugs themselves (under generic names - useful if you're British !) with each entry having a general paragraph on the drug (or group of drugs) but then goes onto talk of how it/they interact with herbs and vitamins whether helpful and unhelpful interactions.

There is then a large section on the vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements simply showing which drugs they interact with. The final two sections appear to be for medical professionals only as one is listing the drugs by pharmacist classification and one is a 'book/article source listing' giving the medical sources about each of the drugs.

I'd never realised it wasn't a good idea to take a codeine pain killer compound with tea before - the tannins inhibit the uptake of the drug ! Very interesting.

Amazon.com

M. F. K. Fisher sees life stomach first. The New York Times said "She spit Puritan restraint out like a dull wine and made a life of savoring the slow, sensual pleasures of the table." And between meals, she savored the pleasures of men and travel, too. She recalls California in 1912, life in France in the 1930s, and traveling solo to Mexico in 1941. Her first oyster is a beautiful story, about adolescence and the glory of the briny mollusk, and her humor is as forthright as her taste at table.

Book Description

In 1929, a newly married M.F.K. Fisher said goodbye to a milquetoast American culinary upbringing and sailed with her husband to Dijon, where she tasted real French cooking for the first time. The Gastronomical Me is a chronicle of her passionate embrace of a whole new way of eating, drinking, and celebrating the senses. As she recounts memorable meals shared with an assortment of eccentric and fascinating characters, set against a backdrop of mounting pre-war tensions, we witness the formation not only of her taste but of her character and her prodigious talent.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous Personal Story.......2002-09-02

Fisher recounts her life through her intimate association with food, growing up, travelling alone to meet her formidable uncle (knowing when to order consomé,) eating blue point oysters at a sorority banquet, falling in love with her first husband, living with him in 1930s Dijon at a boarding house where the landlady made ananas au kirsch, divorcing him, nursing another sick husband, being wooed while still married, travelling on cruise liners, watching the rise of the Nazis in Europe, and finally travelling to Mexico in her widowhood. Fisher reveals food as a civilizing force, revelling in its sensual pleasure while remaining starkly aware of a world going wrong. She writes real characters; it's journalism in a short story style, using that technique of fiction. With remarkably serene prose, delicate and sensuous, Fisher shows herself to be a singular woman who understands all too well the foibles of humanity and gracefully counteracts them with an almost pious devotion to the riches and possibilities of elegant cuisine.

who else?.......2001-07-24

no one could have turned the culinary world into literature. she shames these narrow consumer-oriented marketeers like martha stewart. this is an artist and craftswoman at her best.

liked it but had mixed feelings.......2001-02-16

like many of the other reviewers, i found that ms. fisher's account of some events exquisite while others were confusing. as a food lover myself, i really enjoyed her descriptions of meals in various countries. but as an autobiography, i found that i didn't necessarily know more about ms. fisher after reading the book. the essays jumped around different years, and i felt that some of the most important events in her life lacked the background information for the reader to truly understand the significance they had on ms. fisher's life. all in all, i *did* enjoy the book, however. it made for quick reading, especially since every essay was a story onto itself. it inspired me to read more of ms. fisher's essays in hopes of finding out more about her.

I loved it in spite of myself.......2000-09-30

First I should admit I'm not a usual fan of MFK Fisher. I find her rambling and neurotic style a bit unsettling. Even in this book, one minute she's a snob and the next minute ... well I don't want to give it away. Nonethless, I loved it through and through. Much less neurotic or rambling than her other stuff. Marvelous stories. Wonderful points of view coming through. I really loved the story about that cook in her childhood who ... okay, I won't tell. If you like autobiography, this is a good one.

A great book for readers of all backgrounds!.......2000-03-09

Do the former critics not read Tolstoy because he was a Count? I was born into a working class neighborhood in New York, and this is one of my favorite books. Being a gourmand is an enlightened point of view, a matter of personal taste. In my opinion this is Ms. Fisher's very best book. The writing, and the personality, are exquisite. Especially in the chapter about her Father and a childhood journey, and the discovery of her crush on a fellow boarding school student (female) and her love of oysters, at the same time! Am I the only one who feels that I've shared all of those wonderful meals with her when I put down this book? Great to pack along when you are traveling, even if you've read it before!

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The gastronomical me
MFK Fisher
Manufacturer: North Point press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WZ2G4G

THE ART OF EATING. Five complete books in one volume: How to cook a Wolf; Consider the Oyster; Serve it Forth; The Gastronomical Me; An alphabet for Gourmets

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THE ART OF EATING. Five complete books in one volume: How to cook a Wolf; Consider the Oyster; Serve it Forth; The Gastronomical Me; An alphabet for Gourmets
M.F.K. FISHER
Manufacturer: MacMillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SPWCIA

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The Gastronomical Me
M. F. K. Fisher
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K9WF4A

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The Gastronomical Me

Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HEQB2A

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