Murder of a Snake in the Grass (Scumble River Mysteries, Book 4)

Book Description

Skye Denison and the rest of Scumble River is celebrating it's bicentennial in style-with reenactments, a bingo tent, and a coal-tossing contest. Best of all, the guest of honor is the town founder's great-great-grandnephew, Gabriel Scumble. But his visit turns out to be short-lived when he is found dead. The murder weapon: a pickax.

Meanwhile, Skye's ex-fiancee is back in town. But is he here simply to create turmoil in her love life...or does he have a connection to Gabriel's death?

Customer Reviews:

Another twist in the Scumble River Saga.......2006-08-11

I am really enjoying this series from Denise Swanson. The characters are so real-I think I've met these same people. The situations that come about add spice to story. Never a dull read.

Murder Spoils Scumble River's Bicentennial Celebration.......2005-07-07

The small Illinois town of Scumble River is in the midst of its Bicentennial celebration when the town's guest of honor is found dead, with a commemorative pickax in his chest. Amateur sleth and school psychologist Skye Denison tries to avoid getting involved in the murder investigation, but as usual, she helps sheriff Wally find the clues. Author Swanson does a good job of tying in the town's history in providing possible motives for the murder.

This fourth installment in Denise Swanson's Scumble River series focuses more on Skye's personal life, as she is trying to figure out her relationship with three different men in her life: her ex-finacee, Luc St. Amant, who makes a surprise re-appearance from New Orleans; her current boyfriend Simon Reid; and sheriff Wally himself. Skye is a wonderful character who really cares about her job the only school psychologist in town, and who also prides herself on doing the right thing.

The mystery in this story was a bit convoluted; I've liked the plot lines of other stories in this series better. However, the description of the town's celebration is told with such humor, for me the setting made up for the hard-to-follow mystery.

Scumble River celebrates its Bicentennial.......2005-01-08

Scumble River is all agog over its bicentennial celebration. Everyone in town is turning out for the many events which have been planned, but there's a monkeywrench in the proceedings when Gabriel Scumble, the heir of the town's original founder is late. Finally he shows up, but things get even worse when he is found dead. School psychologist Skye Denison has a hard time keeping her thoughts on the murder investigation because her ex-fiance Luc has shown up and it trying to persuade her to get back together. Skye was terribly hurt when Luc jilted her, but she is tempted to go back with him. These two plots continue in the book until at last they intersect and Luc is accused of murder. Add in the mischief caused by some of the students at Skye's school, and you have another enjoyable read from author Denise Swanson.

CHARMING AMATEUR SLEUTH MYSTERY.......2003-07-12

School psychologist, Skye Dennison has an uncomfortable past and as the history of her hometown is celebrated during the Scumble River bicentennial, hers comes back to haunt her. As Skye says, "sometimes it's better to let sleeping dogs lie, because if you disturb those canines they might wake up and bite you in the butt."

Skye left her hometown at eighteen after telling off everyone during her high school graduation. She vowed to never come back. She lied. Two years ago, after being jilted, fired, and maxing out her credit cards she came crawling back, and because it was home they had to take her in and forgive her, but they didn't have to forget.

Just as the citizens of Scumble River have begun to forget Skye's past, her ex-fiancé, Luc, shows up and makes everyone remember. He's an aristocrat from New Orleans and he claims he made a huge mistake in when he jilted her and he wants her back.

Skye tries to send him packing, but when the bicentennial guest of honor is found murder and Luc becomes a suspect she's stuck with him until the murder is solved. Although Skye tries not become involved in the murder investigation, it becomes clear she has to either figure out the real killer or put up with Luc's presence.

I enjoyed this mystery on many levels. First the setting is wonderful. It is clear the author is both familiar and fond of small towns, but that she sees the foibles as well as the charm. Next, the characters are wonderfully fleshed out. These are people you could have a cup of coffee and a piece of pie with while you put your feet up for a good gossip. Lastly, the plot is full of twists and turns. While the author plays fair and the clues are present, guessing whodunit is not easy.

But my favorite part of his book, and this series is Skye herself. She is someone with morals and values, and is fearless in her quest for justice for all. But best of all, because she is not perfect, she is utterly believable. This is a perfect summer read. Unfold your lawn chair, get your lemonade, and have a delightful afternoon.

Skye tries to get closure & ends up trying to solve a murder.......2003-07-12

Skye Denison is the school psychologist in Scumble River. Her ex-fiance, Luc, comes to town to try to woo her back. He also wants her to help him to set up a foundation for abused children. She knows that if she doesn't see him and get closure once and for all, she and Simon, the town mortician and coroner, will never have a future.

Scumble River is celebrating its bicentennial. There are many activities, including the re-enactment of the discovery of Scumble River. Gabriel Scumble, the last of the Scumble's, has been brought from Montreal to participate in the re-enactment.

Then he is discovered dead at the bandstand. Skye once again gets involved in helping to solve this crime. This time Wally, the police chief, does not get mad that she is helping; neither does Simon.

She has her hands full with problems at the high school as well. Also, her uncle Charlie is acting strange. And then Luc is suspected of killing Gabriel Scumble. What more can go wrong?

This is small town at its best. Denise Swanson has a hit series on her hands. I truly enjoy every book and love the various small-town characters. They are so true to form. There is always something going on behind the scenes in town as well.

I feel as if I've been there. She does a great job of describing the location and characters. You can also feel the tension between the various people. Skye's mother is a real character. This book only has a few members of Skye's family really introduced. In previous books the whole family has been involved. What a group of characters!

If you haven't read one of Denise's books, I recommend you run out and buy one. Once you do, you won't be able to stop reading them!

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Scumble River Mystery Series: Murder Of A Small-Town Honey, Sweet Old Lady, Sleeping Beauty, Snake In The Grass, Barbie And Ken, Pink Elephant, Smart Cookie, Real Bad Boy (Set of 8)
Denise Swanson
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MXWQ48

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Thorndike Mystery - Large Print - Murder of a Snake in the Grass: A Scumble River Mystery (Thorndike Mystery - Large Print)
Denise Swanson
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press 2003
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MCNDZU

Customer Reviews:

Wiz is starting to lose his touch.......2006-01-13

Well, I enjoyed the other books in the series, but by the time we get to this book, I just feel like Rick Cook is really stretching his story, leaving a lot of loose ends, and not really giving a whole lot to the reader other than a "filler book" for his next book in the series. There just wasn't a lot of meat and potatoes so to speak.

Now, that being said, there were some clever references, and it was an enjoyable read. But it was one that I found I could put down throughout and pick up later when I had nothing better to do.

I think there are parts of this book that feel like a Robert Asprin "MYTH" series with the cutesy demons he starts to roll out with. Overall, the end of the book left me with an unsatisfied feeling where I might try to read the next one, but only if I can find it at the library.

If you're a fan and planning on reading the whole series, pick this up for a bargain price or find it at the library. It's not really one of his best works.

Good, light-hearted swords-and-sorcery fantasy.......2003-04-09

This sequel to Wizard's Bane picks up after Wiz's victory of the Dark League. The remnants of the Dark League want William Irving "Wiz" Zumwalt, computer programmer and worker of magic, dead and there are wizards who wish his changing of the laws of magic were put an end to. Wiz begins work to write a new magic "compiler" which will help to end the abuses of magic that followed his discovery of magical "programming," but when he suddenly (and mysteriously) disappears someone needs to finish his work. And so his wife and confidant Moira journeys to Earth to recruit a batch of computer specialist for a "secret project."

I must say that I loved Wizard's Bane, and this book is a worthy follow-up. I really enjoyed the system of magic that Robin Cook used in this book, and I must say that I enjoyed the story and characters immensely! I highly recommend this light-hearted swords-and-sorcery fantasy to you.

Programming - with a twist of magic! A winning combination!.......1997-08-12

It's an interesting premise with astonishing results. Rick Cook had me hooked through all 5 of his "Wiz" books (BTW, that's Zumwalt, not Grumwalt) - and I usually don't stick around past the third one. Looking forward to a sixth!

I enjoyed the witty dialogue and, although I am not a programmer, managed to understand most references. It also increased my desire to learn more about programming. (I actually went to the library and took out a few books on FORTH)

If you are interested in computers and fantasy, and are looking for a light read, this series is a must.

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Relax Your Way to Good Health

Helpful, but dated information

Read This Classic , Learn to Meditate, Alter Your Life

Relaxation methods for everyone

Good...but try to find an older edition.

The Relaxation Response
M.D. Herbert Benson , and Miriam Z. Klipper
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Beyond the Relaxation Response

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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 0380815958

Amazon.com

When you look at the popularity of mind-body medicine today, it's hard to understand what a groundbreaking book this was when it was first published in 1975. Based on studies at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Herbert Benson showed that relaxation techniques such as meditation have immense physical benefits, from lowered blood pressure to a reduction in heart disease. The Relaxation Response demystifies the mantra meditation used in the transcendental meditation program, explaining how anyone can reap its advantages with or without the help of a guru. If you want to understand the beginnings of today's alternative medicine movement, or if you're simply looking to learn a simple meditation technique without a lot of metaphysical trappings, this is a good place to start. --Ben Kallen

Book Description

When Dr. Herbert Benson introduced this simple, effective, mind/body approach to relieve stress in The Relaxation Response twenty-five years ago, the book became an instant national bestseller. Since that time, millions of people have learned the secret of the relaxation response--without high-priced lectures, drugs, or prescription medicine. The tremendous success of this approach has turned The Relaxation Response into the classic reference recommended by most health care professionals and authorities to treat the harmful effects of stress.

This revitalizing, therapeutic approach, discovered by Dr. Benson and his colleagues in the laboratories of Harvard Medical School and its teaching hospitals, is now routinely recommended to treat patients suffering from heart conditions, high blood pressure, chronic pain, insomnia, and many other physical ailments. Requiring only minutes to learn, and just ten to twenty minutes of practice twice a day, the Relaxation Response has proven to be one of the most effective ways to relieve the tensions of modern-day living for a richer, healthier, more productive life.

Customer Reviews:

Relax Your Way to Good Health.......2007-09-08

"The Relaxation Response" is a former bestseller that is now a classic. It talks a about a very simple technique you can do, anywhere and anytime, that puts your body in a state of relaxation. This state of relaxation is called "the relaxation response" and is the opposite of the well know "fight or flight response." The best thing about it is that it is an automatic response, and if you do the technique, your body will have no choice but to respond. And let's face it, when you're more relaxed, your body feels better and runs a whole lot better. Now all you have to do now is read the book and use it daily. Also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator for people who have trouble getting motivated to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Helpful, but dated information.......2007-08-19

This book provided an invaluable synopisis of groundbreaking research into the importance of mind-body integration in medical science. However, some of the attempts at comparative cultural analyis seemed ethnocentric and just plain wrong in some instances. It remains curious that there was never any open acknowledgement that the instuctions given to elicit "the relaxation response" are precisely the same as meditation. Is this simply a renamed technique for those who, for whatever reason, are disinclined to acknowledge they meditate?

Read This Classic , Learn to Meditate, Alter Your Life .......2007-03-23

This is an absolutely priceless treatise on certain forms of meditation and their benefits. Dr. Benson demystifies meditation as an occult religious ritual and highlights all the scientifically researched practical benefits of starting and maintaining this wonderful practice. You will never purchase and read a more valuable introduction and tutorial on the subject! If you are reading this review you were meant to purchase and use this book. Just do it!

Relaxation methods for everyone.......2007-01-10

This book not only provides a detailed medical explanation of negative impacts of stress on your body, but also does a great job of explaining how to reverse it....the relaxation response. Several methods for evoking the relaxation response are included and I have found the most success with counting my breath. I have used this at home and in several stressful public situations (airport, mall, etc). Breathing is key!

Good...but try to find an older edition. .......2006-05-16

I originally read The Relaxation Response when I was serving in Somalia in 1993. There was a table of free books donated from the states and the title peaked my interest....given the environment.

The original edition outlined an amazing technique to trigger the response (alert mind, relaxed body) several times a day, a technique that only took about 15 seconds and could be repeated over and over. It so attuned me to the effects of stress that I'd catch myself clenching my jaw/tightening my shoulders/etc...throughout the day, and sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and immediately notice I was clenching my teeth, etc...)

You can probably understand the value of a technique such as this for someone who doesn't have the time, place or wherewithal to meditate during the day. This was a practical exercise that could be performed several times a day while going through life. I would do the exercise while on patrol-to keep my mind sharp.

Not so-the new edition! The new edition is about 95% a medical discussion about the effects of stress on the body with only the most general discussion on how to use relaxation techniques. There is no discussion on the 15 second technique which is covered in great detail in the original edition.

I have to give Benson credit though...this is an extremely responsibly written book, with no hidden agendas. (Unlike Bob Cooley who talks about flexibility like it is the ultimate panacea to all of life's ills.) Benson explains, based on the latest medical research, what relaxation/meditation will, and will not, do for you in terms of blood pressure, brain waves, breathing, oxygen intake, etc...

Do you know the difference between sleep, meditation, and hibernation? (if this were possible for humans) Benson explains the difference, and why one CAN NOT be a substitute for another. (Debunking the claims of TM practitioners in the 1970s who stated that 15 minutes of TM (trancendental meditation) was the equivalent of 4 hours of sleep.)

Benson also explains how other practices (yoga for example) have been proven to elicit the same benefits as the relaxation response.

I'd recommend this book to anyone, but try to find an older edition explaining the 15 second technique. Given the brevity of these books, try to get both editions: the new edition with the latest scientific findings, and the older edition for the actual relaxation response exercise.

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Zoned Out
Groundbreaking
Save your time and your money!!!
Straight Forward and Sensible
Fascinating as well as Practical

Beyond the Relaxation Response
Herbert Benson , and William Proctor
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0425081834

Book Description

Focuses on meditation as an integral part of a healing and self-help regime.

Customer Reviews:

Zoned Out.......2007-05-07

I had read the first book on the relaxation response, but it just didn't "do it" for me. It taught me the basics but I already knew the basics. If you don't know the basics you really should read it first.
This book was awesome. I have so deepened my meditation. He encourages you to tap into your own belief system and that made such a tremendous difference in my meditation experience.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanted to learn the art of meditation.

Groundbreaking.......2006-12-02

Quite simply Herbert Benson, through the Relaxation Response and Beyond the Relaxation Response, put meditation on the map for the medical profession and for interested laymen who weren't adepts of some guru, yogi, maharishi or other spiritual master. This he did by providing an easy to follow, non-religious based program for eliciting a meditative state AND by validating the results through science. Yes, the book is a little dated now. But, if the content seems familliar, it's beacause there are so many imitators.

If you liked these books, you may also benefit from John Kabbat-Zinn's "Full Catastrophe Living" .

Save your time and your money!!!.......2006-01-19

I have read natural, alternative, holistic books for many years now, most I have recently purchased through Amazon. I rely on the reviews of others to a great extent so when I received this book and was beyond disappointed with its contents I felt annoyed enough to respond with a review of my own to prevent anyone else from this waste of time and money. I am studying to be a relaxation therapist and taking spiritual counseling courses at the same time and both this book and its predecessor, The Relaxation Response, were included on the book list for these courses, so I was really expecting them to provide new, exciting, helpful information, maybe expecting them to make some heretofore unmade connections for me? The two elements I guess worth pulling out of this book are 1) It provides a relaxation method, however, even this is not new nor particularly advanced? and 2) It introduces the addition of one's belief as being an element which intensifies the method?....well...duh...The only way that I even allow for these points is sheer kindness and not real honesty about the value found in the book as there is none! Granted the publishing of this book is a little dated but even for 1984 this information was really lame and old. I cannot fathom why these books are still being added to reading list which include books that far surpass the information found here? No personal offense to Dr. Benson but the book reads like sitting in the company of one who has been isolated for a long period of time and in desperate need of company so they bore their guests to tears and won't be quiet. It goes on and on and on with no real substance at all....

Straight Forward and Sensible.......2004-12-21

A good, simple read that's also entertaining. The book discusses the possible effects of adding faith to the relaxation response. It would appear that the original 'relaxation response', while good, has an even more profound impact if coupled with a persons personal belief system.

In brief: a good, useful book with easily accessible information.

Fascinating as well as Practical.......2002-10-31

Originally I read this book as a text that I chose as part of a book review assignment I had for a psychology class I was in. For some reason this book really grabbed my interest right away since he was writing about something I knew very little about.

The author describes various accounts of myths and stories of some of the amazing feats that Asian Buddhists have acheived in the past. They do things such as leaping (almost flying) great distances upon rocks, and also being able to increase their body temperatures during meditation. It's said that pious monks can be tested by wearing garments that were drenched in ice cold water, and within a short matter of time the garments would be completely dry. He decided to research these things first hand by performing experiments on their meditation techneques. He even provides the actual experimental results and conclusions from all of the various temperature readings he performed. It's interesting to hear about his interactions and impressions on the Dali Lama as well.

For a more practical usage, this book is great for anyone who wants to learn some realistic and effective step-by-step relaxation and meditation techneques.

Overall, his research is very well organized and stated enthusiastically in an informative manner. This book is valuable in terms of the cultural analysis, the scientific evidence, the psychological studies made, and the practical exercises described within.

Average customer rating:

Scientifis Meditation

The Relaxation Response
M. D. Herbert Benson
Manufacturer: Avon Books - Self Help
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KAGYJ6

Customer Reviews:

Scientifis Meditation.......2007-03-05

is a classic in it's field: an oldy, but still amazingly relevant goody. We have all heard of the fight or flight response but few have heard of the opposing, involuntary, calming response. Benson was one of the first researchers to investigate the relaxation response as a mechanism for meditation.

Benson begins by giving a description of the physiology of stress and its bad effects on the body particularly expressed in high blood pressure and heart disease. He notes the life events that cause stress and the internal signs of stress.

Next we read a description of the physiology of various methods of relaxing mind control, including Transcendental Meditation, Zen and Yoga and hypnosis.

Benson describes a scientific method of meditation which is stripped of all the religious elements, such as the need to use the word Ohm as a mantra. Surprisingly there are only four simple, easy to understand, basic elements to meditation.

The book is written by a doctor but reads very easily and entertainingly. It includes an extensive bibliography if you want to find out more about the subject, though you will have to look elsewhere for up to date research.

Where the mind meets the body: Type A, the relaxation response, psychoneuroimmunology, biofeedback, neuropeptides, hypnosis, imagery, and the search for the mind's effect on physical health

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Where the mind meets the body: Type A, the relaxation response, psychoneuroimmunology, biofeedback, neuropeptides, hypnosis, imagery, and the search for the mind's effect on physical health
Harris Dienstfrey
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Diseases | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060165707

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Scientifis Meditation

THE RELAXATION RESPONSE

Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

The Relaxation Response

ASIN: B000HF8ILG

Customer Reviews:

Scientifis Meditation.......2007-03-05

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Scientifis Meditation

The Relaxation Response

Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HDJNJO

Customer Reviews:

Scientifis Meditation.......2007-03-05

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Beyond the Relaxation Response
Dr. Herbert Benson
Manufacturer: Tape Data Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000WN7KIK

Product Description

One cassette Book based lecture. A beneficial program that may help you: Reduce stress, lower blood pressure, relieve headaches and backaches, decress anxiety, lower cholesterol level.

Beyond the Relaxation Response/Audio Cassette/Tdm 0581

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Beyond the Relaxation Response/Audio Cassette/Tdm 0581

Manufacturer: McGraw Hill/TDM
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0886901669

The Effect of EMG Biofeedback and Relaxation Training on Police Personnel Responses to Occupational Stress -

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The Effect of EMG Biofeedback and Relaxation Training on Police Personnel Responses to Occupational Stress -
James Anderson -
Manufacturer: James Anderson Publisher -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OC9WP8

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Scientifis Meditation

The Relaxation Response
Herbert Benson with Miriam Z. Kliper
Manufacturer: Fount Paperbacks / Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M0YGNK

Customer Reviews:

Scientifis Meditation.......2007-03-05

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book review

Herbs & Spices

"Flavor Affinities" a huge help

Packed with information - and recipes too!

Field Guide to Herbs & Spices: How to Identify, Select, and Use Virtually Every Seasoning at the Market (Field Guide To...)
Aliza Green
Manufacturer: Quirk Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market

ASIN: 1594740828

Book Description

Herbs and spices make everything taste better but can you tell your thyme from your sage? Do you know the difference between dill and rosemary? Where can you find hyssop or rose geranium?

Field Guide to Herbs & Spices is here to help. With color photographs of more than 200 different international seasonings, you'll soon be flavoring your dishes like a pro. Award-winning chef Aliza Green shows the basic history of these spices (saffron used to be worth more than gold!), its season (if applicable), names in other languages, a recipe featuring the seasoning, and much more. This handy field guide will make all of your meals complete!

Customer Reviews:

book review.......2007-03-14

the book was very easy to read, had a lot of information in it.

Herbs & Spices.......2006-08-06

This is a very nice book and especially so for visual people.

"Flavor Affinities" a huge help .......2006-07-17

My favorite feature of this guide is the flavor affinities list for each item. The affinities list helps with menu planning and gives you more options for the spice or herb's use. The fact that this book has actual recipes rather than serving suggestions is a bonus. I have a couple of other herb/spice guides, but am most taken with this one.

Packed with information - and recipes too!.......2006-05-11

Part of a series which also includes guides to Produce, Meat, Cocktails and Stains, this useful and attractive little book contains a wealth of information on herbs from Angelica to Wild Lime Leaf and spices from Ajwain to Wasabi.

Set up like a field guide - with color plates in the center, along with the guide to the icons - each entry includes Other Names, General Description, Season, Purchase and Avoid, Storage, and Recipe.

Anyone who glances at this will find a place for it on the kitchen shelf. The recipes alone are likely to win you over, from Creole Mustard Sauce (mustard seed), Carrot Currant Salad (rosemary) and Veal with Myrtle. For those who want to try Shrimp with Calamint, say, or Indian Naan with Negella Seeds, online sources are listed at the back of the book.

The entries themselves are packed with information from origins and history to special preparations and seasonal considerations. A truly terrific little book.

--Portsmouth Herald

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Field Guide to Herbs and Spices
Aliza Green
Manufacturer: RANDOM HOUSE INTERNA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K2JJSW

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