Average customer rating:
- good thriller
- DELiCiOUSLY DARK!
- A Walk On The Wild Side
- "Cutting" social commentary
- Best novel I've read so far this year.
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In the Miso Soup
Ryu Murakami
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Out: A Novel
ASIN: 014303569X |
Book Description
From postmodern Renaissance man Ryu Murakami, master of the psychothriller and director of Tokyo Decadence, comes this hair-raising roller-coaster ride through the nefarious neon-lit world of Tokyo's sex industry. In the Miso Soup tells of Frank, an overweight American tourist who has hired Kenji to take him on a guided tour of Tokyo's sleazy nightlife. But Frank's behavior is so strange that Kenji begins to entertain a horrible suspicion—that his new client is in fact the serial killer currently terrorizing the city. It is not until later, however, that Kenji learns exactly how much he has to fear and how irrevocably his encounter with this great white whale of an American will change his life.
Customer Reviews:
good thriller.......2007-07-07
This is a good thriller, and though it features an American deranged serial killer and Japanese victims, it avoids typecasting Japanese Good Foreigner Bad by including Kenji's thoughts Japanese society. Prepare to stay up reading, be shocked and frightened.
DELiCiOUSLY DARK!.......2007-06-28
I bought this book when I was 14 because it sounded like an interesting read. I couldn't put this book down. it is surreal, gritty and chilling! In one scene in the book I had to skip over it because it was too graphic, but other than that you will find yourself reacting as if you're watching a drama cop show on TV. Also a very interesting and rarely exposed version of a different culture.
I would say you should definitely read this book, it's one of my favorites.
A Walk On The Wild Side.......2007-01-24
"In the Miso Soup" is my own first try of "the other Murakami", who is also famous for his work. I have to say that "In the Miso Soup" was a pleasant, fast paced read and one that had a lot to say.
The main characters are Kenji, a nightlife tour guide in Tokyo's seedy sex-spots such as Kabuki-cho, and Frank, a modestly dressed American tourist that sets off Kenji's alarms. Set over a 3 day period, the story follows Kenji's decent into Frank's world of violence.
Written in the first person, the book is flooded with Kenji's observations about Japan's culture, society and what he sees as the blatant woes of it all. Kenji is not one to mince words, and deals out a fair amount of criticism on everything from materialism to "compensated- dating". The wry observations often have their catalyst in Frank, or his activities. The observations and even Frank's monologues are quite insightful at times, and give one plenty of food for thought. However, Kenji offers no real solutions to the woes he observes.
While there is no mystery regarding who the killer is, there is some mystery as to what the ending will be and how Kenji and Frank will resolve things, if they do. This sense of unknown was what kept me hooked to the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ryu Murakami's journey into the dark side of life, and I was not easily able to put it down to sleep. For those craving something a little different, this is nice book. And at only a couple of hundred pages, it won't consume so much time. I, for one, will be hunting for more of this Murakami.
"Cutting" social commentary.......2006-09-01
With all of the sex and violence in In the Miso Soup, it would be easy to miss or dismiss Murakami's central purpose in writing this book - to highlight the severe problems and harshly criticize modern Japanese society. America lies within Murakami's cross-hairs as well, but Frank's function is as much to personify America's problems as it is to serve as the "outsider's eye" on Japan's issues.
Much like Coin Locker Babies, In the Miso Soup builds up to a single act of violence, and allows the reader to draw his conclusions from the aftermath. Like most other Murakami stories, violence is both destructive and cathartic, and it is in the scene at the club that the reader fully comprehends Murakami's message. Japan, like Kenji, is empty, lost, materialistic, detached, and passively voyeuristic. America, like Frank, is brutal, naive, judgmental, and schizophrenic. Both have a mutual attraction toward the other as Kenji has always wanted to go to America, and Frank is happy to finally be "in the miso soup". Both have a mutual distaste and distrust for the other as well. There is a fundamental gap between the two as well, one that surpasses language and culture, rooted perhaps in the fact that both cultures are both paradoxically fearful and ambivalent toward strangers and outsiders. It is only after the act of violence that both achieve a kind of understanding and peace, and seek the ideal that is represented by the New Year's bells.
In the Miso Soup is full of the annoying blanket statements and conclusions along the lines of "We Japanese are like this" "You foreigners/Americans are like this" that will probably vex most readers (and especially those of us who lived in Japan and confronted these superficial stereotypes daily) but the points Murakami makes are well taken. Agree with them or not, Murakami has created a chilling parable where he lays bare his thoughts on the pressing social problems of Japan and the US. Whether one looks upon Frank as a mere "virus" or an agent of change also depends on the reader's viewpoint. The scenes of violence will offend many (if not most) readers, but it is my hope that people can and will read past the violence and sex to see the social commentary that lies at the core of Murakami's story.
Frank asks Kenji, "Did that scare you?" but the question stands for the reader as well. If your answer is yes, then Murakami's mission has been accomplished.
Best novel I've read so far this year........2006-06-07
Ryu Murakami, In the Miso Soup (Kodansha International, 1997)
Though it's been a few years since I regularly smoked cigars, I sometimes find myself wanting to compare a particularly fine novel to a certain type of cigar. Not that anyone but an aficionado would know what I was getting at without an explanation anyway, but I just can't resist the urge sometimes. And In the Miso Soup is a perfect analogue to a Davodiff Double R; ease of ignition, smooth draw, slow, even burn, and above all, an excellent finish, the thing for which Davidoff cigars are noted. There are a whole lot of people who can write very good books. But those books just kind of end, a lot of the time. I've begun to think, in the past few years, that what separates a good writer (let's take Koji Suzuki as an example) from a great writer (such as Murakami) is the finish. Suzuki is more a Montecristo or a Moore and Bode-- a good, solid workingman's cigar, the kind of thing you smoke after a meatloaf dinner, beer in hand, watching NASCAR. Murakami demands sixteen-year-old scotch, steak so rare it could heal on its own if left to its own devices, and, well, championship table tennis or something.
Kenji is a young, enterprising Japanese guy who's gone into business for himself. He acts as a tourguide for foreigners who want a quick trip through Tokyo's sex industry. It's two days before New Years', and things are a little dead, but an eager American named Frank has hired Kenji for three days. There's something not quite right about Frank, and Kenji starts to wonder if he's not the serial killer presently at work in the area.
While on its surface In the Miso Soup is a thriller, it's a low-key one, keeping with Murakami's seeming tradition of writing in a completely new genre for each book he produces; this reads almost like a sociopolitical critique of the Japanese sex industry with a thriller sitting overtop it. What is most surprising about this is that Murakami actually manages to make this sort of thing work; the "message" novel, by default, is trite, boring, and not at all satisfying or readable. In the Miso Soup is none of those things, because Murakami has gifted it with strong characters, a story that is usually compelling (though it does sometimes waver, as if Murakami were not quite sure where he wanted to go with it), and above all his inimitable style-- the reason one can read this and the light compedy 69 and realize they're by the same guy, and the reason that one cannot help but be slightly shocked at the book's final sentence, and yet completely satisfied with the journey.
A pretty solid choice for this year's ten-best list. **** ½
Average customer rating:
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The Book of Miso Soup (Quick & Easy Series)
Joie
Manufacturer: Milestone Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Cooking, Food & Wine
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| Baking
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| Cooking by Ingredient
| Culinary Arts & Techniques
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ASIN: 4915831930 |
Book Description
Of all the cuisines of Japan, miso-based soup may be the easiest and the most versatile dish to cook at home. Miso soup used to be , and still is, essential not only for the Japanese table, but also for people's health. This cookbook contains 110 trouble free recipes with full color photographs for each one. This book has 9 chapters classified by combination of ingredients. There is one chapter that is devoted to the techniques and terminology of the soup.
Book Description
This inspiring and evocative volume is a fascinating introduction to the art of Japanese cuisine for the Western cook that will delight the eye as well as exciting the palate.
Average customer rating:
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Easy Sushi Rolls and Miso Soups
Fiona Smith , and
Diana Miller
Manufacturer: Ryland Peters & Small
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Seafood
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ASIN: 1841725781 |
Book Description
Easy recipes for making simple sushi rolls and miso soups at home. Great for healthy party food, lunches, and light snacks.
Average customer rating:
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In The Miso Soup
Manufacturer: BLOOMSBURY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GP4KWS |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 529 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Ryu Murakami. In the Miso Soup.(Book Review)
Author: Yoshiko Yokochi Samuel
Publication:
World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: 78
Issue: 3-4
Page: 88(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
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Miso soup
Ry Murakami
Manufacturer: Philippe Picquier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 2877306380 |
Book Description
We all have magic in ourselves. Join Prince Paddy, his mortal friend Daryl, and Vald the giant as they fight the evil sorcerer Xary with a magic whistle, a magic elfic cape, and a magic ring. Watch out for the poison dart! Find courage, wisdom, and friendship in the latest adventures of Paddy and Daryl in the Elfic Realm. And remember, there are no simple people when courage is present.
Average customer rating:
- Caution -- Too Little Fat Causes Gallstones
- Might work for some people, but didn't work for me
- Great diet.
- Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly
- Finally some common sense
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Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Life Choice Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly
Dean Ornish
Manufacturer: Collins
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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
ASIN: 0060959576
Release Date: 2000-12-26 |
Amazon.com
Ingeniously disguised as a weight-loss manual, this bestselling guide to preventing--and in some cases, reversing--heart disease through diet, exercise, and soul nourishing comes from renowned cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish, the first doctor to prove that there are alternatives to surgery for clearing clogged arteries--namely, diet, exercise, and stress management. Citing his own published research findings, Ornish concludes that eating a vegetarian diet with only 10 percent of the total daily calories from fat is the first step to healthier, happier living. The other key elements--moderate exercise, fostering social support, and reconnecting with the self--take more time and care. For these, Ornish offers about 75 pages of encouraging words, again backed by numerous research findings and his personal experiences.
About 250 gourmet recipes from two dozen famous chefs help ease the blow to those who view becoming vegetarian as a dramatic lifestyle change. The good news is, entrées like Polenta Alla Veneziana and Tofu Gumbo will surely tickle the taste buds; the bad news is, the sheer number of ingredients and lengthy prep time required for most recipes could send readers running back to their favorite fast-food joints. Plenty of cooking methods, tips, and food descriptions help demystify the recipes; Ornish also provides a comprehensive nutritional analysis of common foods as well as for each dish. But the great strength of Eat More, Weigh Less is in Ornish's opening sections, where he builds a solid case for curbing fat, tossing out the meat and dairy, and fostering mental and emotional happiness. --Liane Thomas
Book Description
You really can eat more and weigh less -- if you know what to eat. As this groundbreaking book clearly shows, it's not just how much you eat, it's primarily what you eat.
Most diets rely on small portion sizes to reduce calories sufficiently. You feel hungry and deprived. Dr. Ornish's program takes a new approach: abundance rather than deprivation. If you change the type of food, you don't have to be as concerned about the amount of food. You can eat whenever you're hungry , eat more food -- and still lose weight and keep it off. Simply. Safely. Easily. In this book, you'll find 250 gourmet recipes from the country's most celebrated chefs.
Unlike high-protein diets that may mortage your well-being, Dr. Ornish's diet and lifestyle program is scientifically proven to help you lose weight and gain health. People not only keep off the weight, they lower their cholestoral and reduce their chances for getting heart disease and such other illnesses as breast, prostate, and colon cancer; diabetes; osteoporosis; and hypertension. Dr. Ornish's program has given millions of people new hope and new choices.
Customer Reviews:
Caution -- Too Little Fat Causes Gallstones.......2007-09-18
I thought I'd done sufficient research when I went on this diet. In fact, Ornish's theories have been proven wrong. When you don't eat a moderate amount of healthy fats (olive oil, EFA's, etc.), the bile produced by your liver sits in your gall bladder instead of being used to digest fats. It becomes increasingly concentrated, until the cholesterol in the bile forms into...gallstones. This = extremely painful attacks and either surgery or very intense cleansing diets. Ornish's diet does NOT include enough fats; it is too extreme and based on faulty assumptions. Watch out! Unfortunately, I had to have my gall bladder removed because I meticulously followed his diet, only to learn later that this was a common experience for many people. Save yourself the agony of gallstones and research other diets; I have had much better success with Jorge Cruise's diet plan, but I imagine there are other good ones, too.
Might work for some people, but didn't work for me.......2007-06-30
I bought this book when it first came out, and followed the diet faithfully for three months. I was already a vegetarian, so following this diet wasn't as hard for me as it is for many people. I ate vegetables, fruit, beans, grains -- and essentially nothing else -- for three months. I even avoided things like soybeans and oats, because they have more fat than other beans and grains.
The problem is, this diet didn't work for me. I lost only a few pounds, despite the extremely restrictive eating plan. Worse, I developed problems with high blood sugar. And, if that wasn't bad enough, my cholesterol actually went UP a little (from 210 mg total cholesterol to 215 mg), despite following the strictly vegan, low-fat diet that Dr. Ornish claims will reverse heart disease.
In my case, I have long-standing problems with insulin resistance. At the time this book was first released, low-fat diets were being recommended even for people with diabetes and insulin resistance, but there is now increasing awareness that such diets have too many carbs for people who don't have a normal insulin response. My body just couldn't handle all the carbs on this diet. The Ornish diet may work for some people, but it didn't work for me -- I'm still looking for the right diet for me.
Great diet. .......2006-04-11
Wonderfully healthful diet, and with a little exercise (my wife and I walked for about 25 minutes, three times a week) you'll lose like crazy. We added fish to the diet (not fried) and still did really well. One thing: the recipes in the book are a little tough. We recommend his everyday recipe book to solve the problem.
Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly.......2006-03-18
I'm familiar with Dr. Ornish's other books. This one did not come up to standard.
Very disappointing.
Finally some common sense.......2006-02-25
Some of the reviews I read before I bought this would make you think Mr. Ornish is a Nazi. In a society where we are looking for a pill to cure everything instead of using a little self discipline I suppose you could think that. This book is a simple straight forward approach to eating the way nature designed us instead of the way fast food has trained us. If you're looking for a healthy life and maybe to drop some pounds too, and you are ready to be realistic about it, buy this book and his cookbook. The food is great and you won't miss the stuff you give up.
Average customer rating:
- A Must Have - One of my Favorite Cookbooks of All Time
- Best Soup Book Out There
- I love this book!
- Soups to die for
- Awesome recipes
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Soup Makes the Meal: 150 Soul-Satisfying Recipes for Soups, Salads, and Breads
Ken Haedrich
Manufacturer: Harvard Common Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Bread
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ASIN: 155832187X |
Book Description
The book is divided into 50 menus, each including a soup, a salad, and a bread recipe.
Amazon.com
For every occasion there seems to be a suitable soup: chicken soup for when you're under the weather, chili for the big football game, cheese soup for après-ski. Author and food writer Ken Haedrich relishes and highlights the unique character of soup in Soup Makes the Meal: 150 Soul-Satisfying Recipes for Soups, Salads, and Breads. His soup and salad recipes feature fresh, interesting, and, in many cases, seasonal foods. The recipe choices are meant to appeal to all appetites: they can be hearty enough to satisfy the hungriest meat eater or observant enough for vegetarian tastes or stylish enough for more elegant affairs. Find Chilled Creamy Peach Yogurt Soup for the summer months paired with Blueberry Lemon Scones and Tomato, Feta, and Peach Composed Salad garnished with Peach Vinaigrette. The yeast and nonyeast breads included are both interesting and unique. Jeff's Whipped Cream Biscuits are a rich accompaniment to Deborah's Bulgur Buttermilk Herb Soup, and the Molasses Soda Bread with Curried Pumpkin is the perfect winter's night companion to Haedrich's Cheddar Bisque. A well-known and experienced food writer, Haedrich offers the reader a bountiful harvest of choices that he recommends mixing and matching. This impressive collection should lead to a near-endless supply of satisfying combinations and possibilities. --Teresa Simanton
Customer Reviews:
A Must Have - One of my Favorite Cookbooks of All Time.......2007-10-05
What a joy to own this book. I feel so fortunate to have found it amid so many cookbooks out there today. This book really is a must have because of so many delicious recipes. I have made almost 1/3 of the recipes in this book and not one came out bad. They are fantastic for any night or to share with others. They never disappoint and are always all-around satisfying. Not only that, recipes are simple to follow, ingredients are easy to find, and it's perfect for the beginner and advanced cook!
Best Soup Book Out There.......2005-12-13
I love soup and have several soup cookbooks. This is the best by far. The breads and salads to serve alongside the soups are also fantastic. Must try recipes (my favorites) Vegetarian Split Pea (the addition of BBQ sauce instead of meat is genius); Cabbage Paprikash, and the slow-roasted tomato foccacia. You will not be disappointed by the soup book for all seasons. Haedrich has a gift in recipe development!
I love this book!.......2005-09-11
I'm a soup junkie- I literally eat soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a regular basis - and I'm so happy with this book! Every recipe has turned out well, and so far none are terribly time-consuming (yet they still all have a nice homemade-with-love vibe to them). I also appreciate the variety of salads- I'm always trying to add more veggies and more variety into my family's diet and this book has really inspired me. I have not tried the breads yet, mostly out of bread-making fear, but they don't really look too hard, and I'm actually gearing up to try one right now. The author has a nice folksy tone that makes the book pleasant company in the kitchen as you wait for your veggies to "sweat" and the menus are well-organized by season, though he encourages you to mix and match as taste and availability of ingredients dictates. A great addition to any cookbook collection, and a must for fellow soup junkies!
Soups to die for.......2004-11-16
Bought this book in Shipshewanna IN in getting ready for football tailgating. Was the hit of the Saturday soups. The Curried Pumpkin and Cheddar Bisque is to die for -- and I had a lot of people who agreed. Can't wait to try the Garlicky White Bean and my husband's favorite, Scallop & Crab Bisque. Will be looking for more books by Ken Haedrich! Well written, easy to follow, ingredients available and fun to make!
Awesome recipes.......2004-03-09
I cook often, but I own very few cookbooks. I get tired of buying cookbooks and finding only a few recipes worth making. This book is definitely an exception. Every recipe I've tried has been terrific, and there are so many others I'd like to try, I've decided to give the library back their copy and purchase my own. The biggest plus for me is that the recipes are all very healthy and the menus are well-balanced. Yes, he uses butter and cream in some recipes, but he balances them with amazing whole grain breads and large amounts of vegetables and fruits in the soups as well as the salads. What impresses me the most is that his whole grain breads taste so terrific - you'll wonder why you ever ate white bread! Best of all, the recipes make enough for leftovers, but not so much that you're eating soup all week. Best Bets: the Split Pea soup menu is my favorite - the bread is terrific and the split pea soup is the best I've ever tasted.
Books:
- Jane and the Wandering Eye: Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery
- Judas Burning
- Kiss Me, Judas: A Novel
- L.A. Dead (Stone Barrington Novels)
- Larceny and Old Lace (Den of Antiquity)
- Love for Sale (Grace & Favor Mystery Series, No. 4)
- Man in the Queue
- Moth and Flame: A Benjamin Justice Novel (Benjamin Justice Novels)
- Mrs. Jeffries Weeds the Plot (Victorian Mystery)
- Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (Mrs. Pollifax Mysteries)
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