On Beulah Height (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

On Beulah Height (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)
Average customer rating:

Simply stunning!

Highly-Literate, Mystical, and Ambitious

Disturbing, moving, and well worth the time

Community Cover-Up

Way too long.

On Beulah Height (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)
Reginald Hill
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Wood Beyond (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

Recalled to Life (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

Bones and Silence (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

Asking for the Moon (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

ASIN: 0440225906
Release Date: 1999-09-07

Book Description

Into thin air...

Three little girls, one by one, had vanished from the farming village of Dendale. And Superintendent Andy Dalziel, a young detective in those days, never found their bodies--or the person who snatched them. Then the valley where Dendale stood was flooded to create a reservoir, and the town itself ceased to be . . . except in Dalziel's memory.

Twelve years later, the threads of past and present are slowly winding into a chilling mosaic. A drought and dropping water table have brought Dendale's ruins into view. And a little girl has gone missing from a nearby village. Helped by Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe, an older, fatter, and wiser Dalziel has a second chance to uncover the secrets of a drowned valley. And now the identity of a killer rests on what one child saw . . . and what another, now grown, fears with all her heart to remember . . . .

Customer Reviews:

Simply stunning!.......2007-06-20

I think that is one of Hill's best in the Dalziel and Pascoe series. He has created a story that is eery and mystical. The story begins with three little girls going missing from a small town called Danby. At the same time as these girls are being searched for by a much younger Andy Dalziel, the whole village of Danby is preparing to be submerged in water as a reservoir is being constructed on the old townsite. This is what makes this book so tantalizing. We keep slipping back to when the village of Danby was drowned and all the terrible things that happened then (which is 15 years before the setting for this book), and a new horror has occurrred in the present time when another little girl goes missing. Dazliel and his crew are trying to solve both cases, and Pascoe is dealing with a personal issue that threatens his very existance. How Hill manages to keep all these balls in the air, and the tenuous strings that he has intertwined between the many different plots in this book is pure genius. I would consider this book to be a masterpiece of writing. There are so many things at play here that it's hard to classify this novel. Is it a psychological thriller? Yes, but it is so much more - a mystery, a ghost story, a dramatic story and another wonderful stop in the lives of these people that I care about so much by now - the many-layered Dazliel, and the scholarly and introverted Pascoe.

Highly-Literate, Mystical, and Ambitious.......2006-08-09

This highly literate detective mystery is part of the firmly established series featuring Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe series. It is a particularly rewarding story because Hill invests his detective story with a sense of the mystical in this engrossing and emotionally poignant ghost-story, of sorts. Even better, Hill further develops his ace Andy Dalziel in an arrestingly affecting manner by allowing him to show his softer side as Dalziel puzzles through his encounter with old and dormant spirits.

Drawn back to old haunts by the recent disappearance of a seven-year old girl, the super-masculine and hyper-capable Dalziel is thrown back upon the remembrance of past failure when he returns to a locale that he knows quite well, although perhaps not yet well enough. The new mystery has so many overlapping markers with the old, that Dalziel is compelled to return in an apparent quest for a vindication of the past.

Wending his way through a reality that sometimes appears to flirt with magic and logic that seemingly melts into fantasy, Dalziel brings his experience to bear on both the familiarity of the mystery and the equally changed realities that have as much to do with staging as they do with real transformation. Our hero has to pierce the façade, erected like a Potemkin Village, of new relationships as he finds many of the new and old actors in the drama to be playing surprisingly tragic roles - caught between preserving the broken past and the impulses to bury it - as he finds which connections exist between the new disappearance and the ghosts of those old disappearances, newly awoken.

Hill weaves this story with great skill and the emotional subtlety in the psychology of his characters is admirable. Particularly effective is how Hill structures Dalziel's major reckoning around a commonplace human experience that the detective has yet to experience. Namely, Hill allows the old bachelor Dalziel to vicariously experience the hopes and anxieties of parenthood through the agonies of others. The insights that Dalziel thereby cobbles together display his emotional depth and development throughout the novel - rewarding aspects in any piece of literature and especially in a mystery series.

Now, Hill clearly had a fabulous set of ideas for the development of the story and his development of Dalziel is executed well, although not entirely seamlessly. For example, the attempts to tie Mahler's Kindertotenlieder to Dalziel's internal journey - instead of merely to anchor the agonistic conflicts experienced by the parents - seems somewhat forced, even if fair game. The near-deification of Dalziel conveyed by his subordinates is somewhat excessive, even if meant to suggest that Dalziel's paternal aspect is projected through his professional associations, rather than to his intimates. Peter Pascoe's New Age Man routine is a little forced in this book as well, veering too closely to a caricature, as if Pascoe needed to dim in order for Dalziel to shine ever more brightly.

But overall, these are minor complaints and perhaps are more like noticing that the welding between two joints isn't as clean as it could have been. This is a worthwhile novel with plenty of ambition behind it. It reaches out to include important elements of classic tragedy while advancing the reader's understanding for an established and charismatic character in this series. The underlying puzzle is well-crafted and Hill has packed highly entertaining components within the story that enhance the arc generally described in this review. On my decimal scale, I would give this novel a 4.1 out of 5.

Definitely a satisfying story, whetting the appetite and curiosity about what Reginald Hill will try next.

Disturbing, moving, and well worth the time.......2005-12-20

One of the more disturbing books in the Dalziel and Pascoe series, in part because of the theme of serial child killing, but also because it shows that there are no easy answers. It's a complex and thought-provoking story, and one that easily supports re-reading. There is the mystery, yes, but there is also the psychological study of a village traumatised both by a series of unsolved child murders and by its forced relocation after its valley was drowned by a new water reservoir. It's also beautifully written by a master of prose. Hill brings his characters to full and vivid life, and they will linger with you for days.

Ideally the series should be read in order, and I think regular readers already familiar with the characters will get more out of this book, but it can be read as a standalone. For those familiar with the series, Hill continues to develop the story of his ongoing characters, deftly weaving it into the main plot of the book. Note that there are references to events in the previous book (The Wood Beyond) which are slight spoilers for that book.

Community Cover-Up.......2005-07-31

This was my first Reginald Hill book. I don't read mysteries anymore because they are mindless, formulaic and bloody. But the cover of this book caught my attention, as did the story synopsis on the back cover. The complexity of characters, setting, conflict, and resolution made for a thought-provoking read that affected me on many levels. I especially enjoyed the theme surrounding the drowning of the small village--the reactions of the citizens, the preparation, the feelings of the children, the move, and the actual drowning. [The idea of "drowning" an entire village is eerie in and of itself, no matter what the reason!!] Mr. Hill spends his literary skill on the story, characters, and conflict NOT on graphic descriptions of murder, blood, and perversion. Beware that the story line is sensitive--missing and dead children--but the action centers around the family's reactions and not on the actual murders. "On Beulah Height" is definitely a notch above the typical suspense novel. Already looking for the next one!

Way too long........2005-04-10

Being this was the first Hill I've read, I definitely felt the lack of history with the characters. I found myself wanting to know them better. But they were the best part of the story. Except for particular bits, I found the plot not over interesting and the book way over long.

Average customer rating:

On Beulah Height
Reginald Hill
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0002325268

Average customer rating:

ON BEULAH HEIGHT
REGINALD HILL
Manufacturer: COLLINS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S57Q3Q

Average customer rating:

On Beulah Height
Reginald Hill
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0007716745

Average customer rating:

"Following the Shepherd"
Virginia E Moss
Manufacturer: Beulah Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00088PQSA

Average customer rating:

On Beulah Height

Manufacturer: HARPER COLLINS 1 PAP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GLXKG4

Average customer rating:

On Beulah Height
Reginald Hill
Manufacturer: Collins Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8S8UW

On Beulah Height (Dalziel & Pascoe Novel S.)

Average customer rating:

On Beulah Height (Dalziel & Pascoe Novel S.)

Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GLN618

Book Description

Many legends have emerged from the shadows of Ironhall, yet surely none can surpass the greatness and glory predestined for Sir Beaumont—possessor of the purest and strongest of hearts, and a mind as quick, keen, and accurate as his sword. But the day he sets out in the service of the elderly Lord Wassail turns to a black one, and young Beau's journey ends in horror and blood . . . and disgrace. Banished from the King's Blades, he now faces a grim future as a homeless pariah, a creature to be shunned and despised. But redemption can come from unexpected directions and in unrecognizable guises. Approached in secret by the legendary Durendal, now Grand Master of the Order, the dishonored paragon is offered one last chance to win back his weapon and his place among his brothers in arms. But to do so, Beau must ride alone back through the icy gates of Hell . . . and do battle with the Devil himself.

Download Description

Many legends have emerged from the shadows of Ironhall, yet surely none can surpass the greatness and glory predestined for Sir Beaumont -- possessor of the purest and strongest of hearts, and a mind as quick, keen, and accurate as his sword. But the day he sets out in the service of the elderly Lord Wassail turns to a black one, and young Beau's journey ends in horror and blood ... and disgrace. Banished from the King's Blades, he now faces a grim future as a homeless pariah, a creature to be shunned and despised. But redemption can come from unexpected directions and in unrecognizable guises. Approached in secret by the legendary Durendal, now Grand Master of the Order, the dishonored paragon is offered one last chance to win back his weapon and his place among his brothers in arms. But to do so, Beau must ride alone back through the icy gates of Hell ... and do battle with the Devil himself.

Customer Reviews:

Barely good, but interesting enough.......2007-01-15

Well theres alot of good reveiws for this book.
a few things I didn't like about Paragon Lost:
-Beau is more than slightly unbelievable in his planning of ALL the events of the Novel. He seems to be in control of almost every event that comes his way.
-The moral laws of Duncans laws are quite pathetic and absolutly unrealistic. He seems to imply that sexual relationships shoud never be questioned, and if questioned, it is wrong to do so, which does not add up to reality as every sexual relationship has in itself a consequence involving not just the participants but all those arround them.
-The magic is a wee bit too easy, unexplained and quite boring
what is commendable:
-Intersting political intrigue.
-Some very memorable characters
-Great swordplay

Great Continuation of the series.......2006-04-14

Paragon Lost by Dave Duncan starts another set (three) of book dealing with King's Blades. The first set, A Tale of the King's Blades dealt with a central theme and, for the most part, story line. The next three books I believe are stand-alone novels that deal with events after the first set of books. I think to really understand the events of this book you should read the first set of books before tackling these books. The best order to read the first set is: Gilded Chain, Lord of the Fire Lands, and Sky of Swords. Then move on to this set of books. I only say that because the back story will make the events in this book much more enriching. However, if this is the only Duncan book you can track down you won't be too lost reading this first.

This book follows the style that Duncan fans have come to know and love. Again Duncan weaves a tale where both the plot and the characters are equally important. Just when you think one will trump the other, the other rears up and takes over. It's flawlessly done and makes for yet another fantastic read and one that is definitely hard to put down.

The plot of this book is rather simple, but done in a way that adds depth and intrigue to the entire book. The plot is basically a disgraced bade is given a mission that no one else could do. However, in between finding out what the mission is and the culmination of the mission, Duncan gives the reader a look into this disgraced Blade's past and shows the reader why he is in the position he is in. Along the way there area few side-plots as well as an epic battle. At times, some authors put in side-plots and they often feel forced or rushed, however, with Duncan they flow well and become more enriching to the story.

The characters in this book are just as crisp and likeable as any other character I have read from Duncan. He truly does have a knack for writing characters that readers can not only identify with, but care about as well. I wish I could describe more, but I don't want to spoil anything for potential readers.

I would recommend this book to any fantasy fan who is looking for a lightly different twist of traditional sword and sorcery books. This is truly a diamond in the rough series of books that I think the vast majority of people would really enjoy. I can't say it enough, people need to get a hold of these books and read them!

Still solid gold .......2005-05-10

Very good once again an old fashioned fantastic adventure that is light on the magic (thank god). The book follows a group of Blades as they leave their country of origin and go to a country that in a lot of ways mirrors medieval Russia.

Its sort of a back story for the events that were chronicled in "the gilded chian" so some of the characters are very familiar. It is good to see most of them in their prime. It is still wonderful but it is my least favorite book of all of the David Duncan books that I have read.

Overall-Still, just buy the book and thank me later.

Another exciting adventure with the King's Blades.......2004-11-03

Duncan's "The Gilded Chain" is one of my favorite books of all time, and while the other two books in that Tales of the King's Blades trilogy were both quite endearing, no character was as enchanting as the original Blade, Durendal, and thus they did not quite measure up, while still managing to be fantastic reads on their own. "Paragon Lost" however, introduces us to the delightful Beaumont and a story that whips from present to past and back to the present again, as he easily charms everyone around with his wit and wonderful ideas.

The Blades are loyal warriors to whoever has the king's permission to stick a sword through their hearts for the magical "binding", and Beau ends up being bound to an older man who is going on a quest of folly for his king to far off lands that resemble the bleakness of Russia's historical past. Rumors of a Czar's madness and hounds the sizes of ponies are dismissed as tavern gossip fodder by some, but what really lies in store? Is the princess they are on the journey to bring back to the Chivian lands really the nymph-like creature the king expects as she was portrayed? Or will Beau's ward and fellow blades make the journey intact without losing their heads in the treacherous countries inbetween? Read it and find out.

Rave reviews!.......2004-02-18

I've never claimed to have a favourite author before, my taste in literature tends to shift with my mood and the elements so while one day may find me reading Anne Bishop the next will dawn to immersion in Jane Austen.

All that has changed. I discovered the King's Blades series about a year ago and the first had me rushing out to get the second.. and the third. When that one was finished I found myself despairing, it appeared that the author was known for trilogies and I was afraid there would be no more tales of this wondrous land and the events that transpire there. Last week on a trip to the mall I discovered Paragon Lost and to my utter joy (YES I let out a cheer in the bookstore and earned myself some rather odd stares from the other patrons.) also learned that there would be yet another after this one.

At thirty-four years of age, I didn't expect to find a favourite author.. really wasn't looking for one.. But I am happy to admit that if someone were to ask, I would actually be able to answer that "Yes, I do have a favourite author and his name is Dave Duncan!"

The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep
Average customer rating:

Invaluable health info

Wonderful work

Important reference, too long, a bit dated

The Best! My insomnia has been gone for years now

Thoroghly and well written by The Man of Sleep himself.

The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep
William C. Dement , and Christopher Vaughan
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Sleep Disorders | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Sleep Disorders | Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Sleep Disorders | Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed At Harvard Medical School

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Sleep Disorders for Dummies

The Body Clock Guide to Better Health: How to Use Your Body's Natural Clock to Fight Illness and Achieve Maximum Health

ASIN: 0440509017
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Amazon.com

"We are a sleep-sick society," says William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. According to Dr. Dement, "sleep science" has yielded a great deal of scientific knowledge about sleep--yet the general public, and even doctors, aren't aware of it. Sleep disorders are routinely misdiagnosed or ignored, sometimes resulting in medical tragedy and death, frequently leading to chronic exhaustion. In The Promise of Sleep, Dr. Dement aims to remedy that by making the latest sleep information accessible to health professionals and lay readers. He describes the sleep cycle and gives a short history of sleep research. Then he dives into clear and detailed explanations of concepts and conditions we've all heard about, but that few of us understand: sleep debt, biological clock, circadian rhythm, insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy. He discusses why we need sleep (sounds obvious, but it isn't) and the role of dreams. After 300 pages of sleep facts, Dr. Dement teaches you how to "reclaim healthy sleep" in your own life. You learn to assess your personal sleep situation by keeping a sleep diary, measuring your sleep debt, and evaluating your risk of sleep disorders; find appropriate treatment; manage sleep crises; and adopt a "sleep-smart lifestyle." A three-week "sleep camp" program at the end helps you put all the strategies together. This book will put you to sleep--and that's meant as praise! --Joan Price

Book Description

Sleep better, live longer with the groundbreaking information and step-by-step program in this revolutionary book.

Healthful sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity. And yet we are a sleep-sick society, ignorant of the facts of sleep--and the price of sleep deprivation. In this groundbreaking book, based on decades of study on the frontiers of sleep science, Dr. William Dement, founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center, explains what happens when we sleep, when we don't, and how we can reclaim the most powerful--and underrated--health miracle of all.

Taking us on a fascinating tour of our sleeping body and mind, Dr. Dement reveals the price we have paid for ignoring sleep--an epidemic of heart disease, 33 percent of traffic-fatigue-related accidents, and immeasurable mental and psychological disadvantages. And he offers a hands-on prescription for vibrant good health and longevity, including...self-tests to determine how much sleep you really need...the role of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids...the latest research on how sleep affects the immune system...how to combat insomnia, snoring, and jet lag...plus information on sleep disorder clinics nationwide, Web sites, and more.

Taking readers on a fascinating tour of our sleeping body and mind,

Dr. William C. Dement reveals the price paid for ignoring sleep--an epidemic of heart disease, traffic-fatigue-related accidents (responsible for a full third of all traffic accidents), and immeasurable mental and psychological disadvantages. Offering a hands-on prescription for vibrant good health and longevity, THE PROMISE OF SLEEP includes self-tests to determine how much sleep you really need, full information on the role of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids, the latest research on how sleep affects the immune system, helpful methods for combating insomnia, snoring, and jet lag, plus information on sleep disorder clinics nationwide, sleep disorder Web sites, and more. -->

Customer Reviews:

Invaluable health info.......2007-07-22

The author is one of the pioneers of sleep research, totally in command of his subject and it's surprising exactly how important sleep is in a healthy lifestyle. My only complaint: I would have preferred more sleep research results and less sleep research.

Wonderful work.......2007-01-19

"After all the research I've done on sleep problems over the past four decades, my most significant finding is that ignorance is the worst sleep disorder of them all."

A half century of work combined to create a unique perspective. The first chapters deal with the basics: what sleep is and what we know about it. The next chapters deal with biology and sleep debt; causes: such as insomnia, apnea, narcolepsy, and fatigue; the effects: on the immune system and mood; dreams; personal needs; children; lifestyle. The appendix contains a list of sleep centers in each state.

"People need to change the way they sleep and live."

My sleep problems were brought on by personal troubles and trying to run a business 24/7; simplification was the answer. Excellent book; highly recommended, even for those just interested in the subject.

"Healthy sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important determination in predicting longevity."

Wish you well
Scott

Important reference, too long, a bit dated.......2007-01-09

If you have just become interested in sleep disorders and want to know the foundations, this book is likely a must read by a pioneer in the field. The author makes a strong case that the medical issues of humans during the night is much undervalued in current practice. However, the book is too long, and is written in an inefficient and chatty style that doesn't have an obvious organizational structure to it. This makes it hard to use as a reference for the serious reader and a bit too ponderous for the casual lay reader. Furthermore, after reading other references and recent sleep and medical literature, it is likely that the author's rigid theory of a sleep deficit, and other major conclusions, are matters of current debate. The book, therefore, is a bit dated.

The Best! My insomnia has been gone for years now.......2006-11-21

I had a bad case of insomnia which after reading this book and following its principles has never returned

Thoroghly and well written by The Man of Sleep himself........2006-11-03

Dement tells us himself how the study of sleep got started and took off, but then how scientists now are not giving sleep the attention it deserves. Sleep deprivation leads to depression, listlessness, lack of motivation, decreased alertness, and possible involuntary sleep episodes (falling asleep at the wheel, sleep apnea, etc.). Missed sleep is not made up by sleeping more the next day/night but rather accumulates over days and months until one has a vast accumulation of "sleep debt". This is proven through scientific studies as Dement iterates in his text. Helpful and informative, this is the book for anyone suffering from lack of sleep and is the foremost book on the subject of sleep for psychological courses focused on sleep & sleep disorders. Also includes Freud's and Jung's explanations of why we dream.

THE PROMISE OF SLEEP-A PIONEER IN SLEEP MEDICINE EXPLORES THE VITAL CONNECTION BETWEEN HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND A GOOD NIGHT'S SLE

Average customer rating:

THE PROMISE OF SLEEP-A PIONEER IN SLEEP MEDICINE EXPLORES THE VITAL CONNECTION BETWEEN HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND A GOOD NIGHT'S SLE

Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HF4F0E

The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and A Good Night's Sleep

Average customer rating:

The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and A Good Night's Sleep
William C. Dement; Christopher Vaughan; Narrator-Jeff McCarthy
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000QY5NRA

The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking
Average customer rating:

Follow the methods and you can't fail

Every female in your family needs this one!

Lots of info

I remmeber momma

Extremely High Quality Resource

The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking
Courtney Taylor
Manufacturer: Quail Ridge Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
South | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1893062708

Book Description

This how-to manual explains the fundamentals of southern cooking and includes advice about kitchen equipment and choosing fresh produce, plus over 200 of the South's most treasured recipes. Especially nice for new cooks.

Customer Reviews:

Follow the methods and you can't fail.......2007-09-20

A must have cookbook for anyone who's interested in learning to cook Southern food. The methods section of this book takes you step-by-step though making the all the staples, such as cornbread, gravies, biscuits, etc. and you'll find recipes for many of the favorite Southern dishes.

I've tried a lot of the recipes in this book and they have all worked out great.

Every female in your family needs this one!.......2006-07-30

Southerners pour so much heart and soul into their food that sometimes they forget to measure. They are notorious for attempting to teach their offspring recipes while using vague terms like, a pinch of this, or a dab of that, or "til the dough feels right"(Thanks Mama!). Sometimes passed down recipes list ingredients without telling us exactly how to prepare the dish or maybe the author really didn't want everyone knowing their "secret". Courtney Taylor's The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking clears up these fuzzy areas for you. Not only will you have some scrumptious tried and true recipes, you will also learn some basic old fashioned skills that will help you apply today's tools and methods to all of your old recipes.

If you haven't prepared this type of food in a long time and you need to brush up on your skills, this book is for you. If you have never made a biscuit from scratch but would like to know how, this book is for you too. This is a must have cookbook for anyone who loves southern cuisine.

I highly suggest that Courtney Taylor's The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking be added to your shelf. Do your female family members a favor and order them copies as well. They will need it to translate your secretly coded index cards that make sense to you, but not to them.

Lots of info.......2005-06-02

This book covers all the basics that I grew up with, from mom's meatloaf, to the real secret to great cornbread. It is full of useful information regarding techniques used in the south and to some extent the southwest (I grew up in Texas and this is the food we ate) The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is the lack of pictures.

I remmeber momma.......2005-04-03

I am a 59 year old male in search of receipes that will yeild the memories of my childhood in Alabama. I have found it in the
Southern Cook's Handbook. This cook book is the answer to "how did they do that?". I thought I knew how to bake a ham, but then I tried the step-by-step guide to baking a ham, and boy what a difference it made. The spiral cut ham I baked for Easter was tender, moist, and flovoralbe. I tried the corn bread step-by step instructions and the corn bread turned out terrific( I didn't think my corn bread could get any better, but it did). This is a cookbook that will be used and past around. Thank you Courtney Tayor.

Extremely High Quality Resource.......2004-06-27

As a chef and food writer deeply interested in Southern cooking, I turn to this book first, again and again. It's easy to wax eloquently about this cuisine, or even write songs about it, but the fact is, traditional American cuisine suffers from a lot of bad writing. Not so with The Southern Cook's Handbook. The book is superbly organized and very well written. Recipes, with commentary, are clear, and they work. The authors succeed in their efforts to organize the book first with basics (choosing equipment and seasonal produce) then an important section on methods (making stock, gravy, etc.) before giving us the recipes, also well organized as to type. This is by far the best book to buy in a crowded field.

Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com

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