Customer Reviews:
Loons and nothing but Loons.......2007-01-08
While writers of the southwest in particular write of the broiling heat of summer, writers of a Minnesota background seem to write about the brutal cold of the winter. That brutal cold of the winter is certainly a factor in a number of stories here but not in all of them. The stories do share a number of clues that had to be encompassed in each story. I'm not going to ruin the clue list by explaining it here but it's a good one. So too are the stories in this anthology.
Carl Brookins who, among other things, wrote the excellent comedic mystery novel "The Case Of The Greedy Lawyers" which I have reviewed here and elsewhere contributes "A Winter's Tale." For the recluse, the snowstorm is bad enough but he really doesn't need to find the lost traveler nearly dead in his barn.
For Kaye Brock, her past is known by all in "Take Me Out" by Lori L. Lake. Being an ex-con has its burdens as does living up to expectations of others.
Then, there is David Housewright's tale "A Domestic Matter". Jack is convinced his wife wants him dead. Reporter Dan Thorn doesn't believe his old friend at first and then follows the reporter's credo to take lots of notes as it's going to be important later.
This anthology also features stories by M.D. Lake, Mary Logue, William Kent Krueger, Judith Guest, Monica Ferris, K. J. Erickson, Ellen Hart, Deborah Woodworth, Kerri Miller, and Pat Dennis. In each of the thirteen stories, some of the clues are the same and yet each author goes in very different directions. While the stories share clues, they also share the fact that almost all of them are highly atmospheric noir style reads. Maybe it's the cold. Maybe it's the short daylight hours. But this is a dark read that should be savored in front of a roaring fireplace. Just make sure you can keep an eye on your surroundings while you are reading.
Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2006
Some luscious Loons, a few clunker Cormorants.......2006-05-21
Anthologies are like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. In this box of chocolate loons and a cormorant or two from the Land of Sky Blue Waters, the reader gets, as Garrison Keillor would say, the "pretty good" ( (Pat Dennis and David Housewright,) the OK (Wm Kent Krueger staying on terra mudda he knows,) and Judith Guest's ever-present Edina angst (resulting in another "Hunh?' Moment for this reader.) Each of the contributing Minnesota mystery writers tells a tale with 4 of 8 shared elements. Can you guess the common currents? (If not, peek at the list in the back.) If you can relate to M.D. Lake's assessment `of whose residents `fine dining' brought up memories of lutefisk suppers in the church basement" then bring this book up to the cabin with you . /TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer
A satisfyingly intriguing, varied collection.......2006-04-21
Thirteen tales of mystery come from Minnesota's best crime writers: while some will be familiar names, such as Ellen Hart and Judith Guest, others will be newcomers to mystery fans outside of the region. These come from a local writer's club which promotes their publications and unites the contributors in an enjoyable pursuit: each received a set of eight clues to serve as a pool, and they were asked to include at least four of these clues in their story. The creative results are wonderfully intriguing and varied.
Mystery! Suspense! Drama!.......2005-11-11
It all started with a challenge and several clues. Challenged were authors Ellen Hart, Lori L. Lake, William Kent Grueger, Pat Dennis, M.D. Lake, Mary Logue, Judith Guest, Monica Ferris, K.J. Erickson, Carl Brookings, Deborah Woodworth, Kerri Miller, and David Housewright. The challenge to each author was to write a story incorporating a certain number of clues into a story. What is presented to the reader is a collection of stories that are dynamic, intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable to read. Some stories are quirky, some hilarious and some dramatic.
There are 13 tales of mystery. Tales telling of: longtime friends who are involved in a situation that goes terribly wrong; a woman who finds her 15 minutes of fame and has to decide if she likes it; a woman taking a wrong turn in life is given a second chance from an unexpected source; a man loses the love of his life and is sent a reason to go on; a man wanting to achieve the `perfect' life; a daughter who finds an unexpected reward from a trip with her mother; and more. Each story is extremely well told and a terrific example of how the authors accepted and rose to the challenge presented to him or her.
The Silence of the Loons is truly a unique book that also issues a challenge to the reader. What is the challenge you say? The challenge to the reader is to see if they can solve the individual mysteries and find the clues embedded in each story? What are the clues you ask? Read the book and find out. It's a search the reader will be glad they undertook.
Terrific Stories I Could Not Put Down.......2005-09-10
What a cornucopia of terrific stories! I highly recommend all of them, but the ones by Judith Guest, Ellen Hart, MD Lake, Lori L. Lake, and Pat Dennis were particularly good. I had heard of most of these authors, but I hadn't read works by all of them, and this collection whets my appetite to go and look up books, especially by authors like William Krueger, Keri Miller, and Mary Logue. The Minnesota connection is well done, and the 8 clues they selected were ingeniously used by all of the 13 authors. Here's hoping for another collection soon.
Customer Reviews:
The Enchanter Returns.......2006-07-24
L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt created one of the most influential stories in fantasy. The stories of Harold Shea in THE INCOMPLEAT ENCHANTER was the first glimpse of fantasy written for adults with a system of magic that followed rules (something we might take for granted today). But these stories were more than just the first. They were also some of the best. Well, after running into the gods of Norse and Finnish myth, Spencer's Faery Queen and other places of imagination, Harold Shea is back in a whole new set of adventures.
L. Sprague de Camp has been joined by Christopher Stasheff to create the new Harold Shea stories. In the new volume Harold starts out in an adventure penned by Stasheff where he goes up against one of his toughest opponents, the Board of Trustees, as he must justify the absence of himself and his companions and still maintain his job. A good dose of reality that helps to root the series as a whole.
Harold then travels to the land of Oz in a story by de Camp. Harold appeals to Ozma to use the magic belt stolen from the Gnome King (yes, I know Baum spelled it Nome and they aren't related to the Gnomes but de Camp made the change). For the service Harold must agree to rescue the royal prince from the Gnomes.
The next adventure is another Stasheff story with Harold joining his colleague Chalmers in a search for Chalmers's wife who accidentally jumped to another wheel using the sylogismobile. Shea and Chalmers wind up in the world of the Monkey King and must solve the King's problems before they can continue on their way.
Their next stop is in a story by Holly Lisle based on an outline by de Camp and Stasheff. The pair find themselves in the world of Don Quixote but not the one described by Cervantes, but the one Don Quixote inhabits in his mind. An evil sorcerer (is there any other kind?) has Chalmers's wife and Shea must figure out the local magic if they are to rescue her.
Shea and Chalmers are then cast to the world of Virgil's THE AENEID. The pair join Aeneas in his quest to found a new city after the fall of Troy. This story is by Karl Edward Wagner and is based on an outline by de Camp and Stasheff. Now Harold and Chalmers run afoul of the Roman versions of the Greek gods but they do find Chalmers's wife. The end has them opening their eyes on yet another new world.
The stories in this volume are well written but there is a small problem with continuity. Shea's ability to perform magic varies greatly but is consistent within each story. I was a little miffed at de Camp changing L. frank Baum's Nomes to Gnomes. Baum did not intend the Nomes to have any relation to Gnomes of other myths and legends. His purpose with Oz was to create a brand new American mythos. Other than that I found the volume to be very entertaining and do recommend it to anyone who has read the original collaborations. Harold Shea's adventures continue in THE EXOTIC ENCHANTER.
High praise for a lesser known master.......2000-02-28
I have yet to read another author who tells a great story mixed with humor like De Camp.
Although, he is lesser know than some of his peers (Clarke, Asimov, and Hubbard)he has been every bit an influence to the evolution of science fiction / fantasy. The Enchanter Reborn is proof that De Camp has still a great deal of writing left in him. It is every bit as enjoyable as the first book in this series. Harold Shea returns in his role of bumbling adventurer as De Camp takes him through more worlds of myth come to life. Filled with surprising twists and De Camp's humorous delivery. The Enchanter Reborn is the perfect book for someone who wishes to escape our everyday world and dive into something with wit, humor, and of course adventure.
Book Description
The power to amaze in 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week.
Two million women have discovered Gary Heavin's secret to permanent weight loss at more than six thousand Curves fitness and weight-loss centers around the country. In thirty minutes, three times a week-and without a restrictive diet-many have been able to take off the weight and keep it off for good.
The Curves Promise:
- A unique three-part nutrition plan that produces results quickly and shows how to maintain weight loss in order to eat normally for 28 days, and only monitor food intake two days a month
- A Metabolic Tune-Up helps deter yo-yo dieting and shows how to lose weight by eating more, not less
- Simple self-tests determine calorie or carbohydrate sensitivity, helping women individualize their food plan
- Shopping lists, meal plans, recipes, food and supplement guides, and charts to track progress and guide users through every phase of the nutrition and exercise plan - A complete Curves At-Home workout, combining strength training and aerobics and taking only thirty minutes a day-no more than three times a week
Customer Reviews:
First Diet that has actually worked for me!.......2007-07-03
I have been on a few diets in my day and this one has by far been the best. I went on the low-carb, high-protein diet, and without even starting my workout plan, I lost 8.5 pounds in 2 weeks. This is also the ONLY diet I have been on where I constantly feel full, and the food is delicious. Some days I find myslef not being able to finish a whole meal because I am just not hungry, and I am used to eating ALOT of food. I am already starting to look and feel better after just two weeks, and can see myself getting to my goal weight and staying there with this wonderful diet. I would definately recommend this diet to anyone.
helpful!.......2007-01-12
have used the Curves system for a year and love the books and the results.
I finally found the right diet for me.......2007-01-04
This diet (calorie limited choice) was just the right balance for me, having tried Atkins and Carbohydrate Addicts (unsuccessfully). The menus are easy to use, and I felt less hungry than on any other diet I've been on. Limited amounts of fruit and bread are allowed, making it easy to stay on the weight loss portion of the diet longer. A couple criticisms I had are that meat portions aren't specified as to pre-cooked or post-cooked weight. Also, the book doesn't give clear guidelines on how to eat when on the maintenance part of the diet. Only two vague statements: "you don't have to count carbohydrates" and "avoid sugar" are given.
A concept introduced by these authors is that it is possible to "raise your metabolism" by increasing your daily calories. This is accomplished by alternately increasing calories for a few days, followed by decreasing them for up to two days. This takes up to three months.
Well, when I reached the point of being about 20 lbs. above my goal weight of 145, I had hit a "plateau." So I tried this metabolism-raising technique. I kept up the chart in the book which showed evidence of my metabolism being raised, so I had high expectations I would be able to continue losing weight when finished with this technique. Sadly, when I returned to the weight-loss portion of the diet (after completing another induction phase) I was unable to lose any more weight, despite six weeks of rigidly following the diet, AND increasing my exercise.
I think that for women who have struggled with being overweight, who are in the pre-menopause stage of our lives (ages 35-45), we must be realistic that our weight won't likely reach the "ideal." But even with this disappointment, I still like the diet and have found that I can maintain my weight as long as I avoid sugar, and limit amounts of white flour.
Definitely worth buying.......2006-08-04
Contains the history of Curves, eating plan and exercise program for when you can't get to a Curves gym.
Good workout - not so good diet.......2006-02-24
Most of the book talks about the curves diet which is very similar to the south beach diet. I don't like high protein, low carb diets so I didn't follow the diet. I did like the workout though. You have to have a set of exercise bands and a stop watch to do the workout. You do 40 second exercises with the bands and walking/jogging in place between each exercise. You are suppose to be able to do two complete sets of the exercises in 30 minutes. It took me an hour to do the exercises because you have to keep changing the position of the bands. I also found it hard to keep track of when 40 seconds are up.
Book Description
The book presents in a concise and interesting format the "Curves" philosophy of losing weight and, more importantly, keeping it off permanently. It differs from most "diet books" in that it offers a realistic approach to dieting and, unlike most diet programs; it presents the reader with either a low carbohydrate or a low calorie option. In addition, Mr. Heavin's weight loss method is proven safe, effective, and nutritionally sound. At present, thousands of people have lost weight and have kept it off by following Mr. Heavin's weight loss method. I believe you will enjoy reading his book and if you apply his weight loss method, you will never feel helpless in controlling your weight.
Customer Reviews:
Sketchy information and hard to decipher.....................2003-06-16
I'm not a proponent of low-carb diets, so this book really wasn't for me...but for those who are, it's a good book. It's a little hard to follow his plan and distill it down to a workable plan. The calorie restricted plan is also carbohydrate restricted, so a little misleading to say it includes both a carb sensitive and calorie sensitive plan. Truly, both are low carb diets. For some, this may be just what they are looking for, but I prefer a more well-rounded diet myself.
Very easy to read and understand.......2001-01-18
This book is written as if Mr. Heavin were talking to you, so it's easy to understand. I read it all in one sitting, but read it again to review the key points. I was only trying to lose the weight from having my daughter, but the diet and the Curves for Women workouts got me into better shape than I was BEFORE I had my baby! If you can, look up a Curves to do the workouts with the diet because the all-over strength training is what did it for me!
Permanant Results.......2000-09-04
I am a firm believer in the book : Permanent Results Without Permanent Dieting . The author, Gary Heavin is one wonderful person . He knows what women need and the way we need to be taught to achive our goals in life with excercise . His franchise ; Curves For Women , has made permanent results for me and has made me a better person for myself .
I LOST OVER 50 POUNDS ON THE CURVES WEIGHT LOSS METHOD!.......2000-09-03
I've read almost all of the most popular diet books written in the past 30 years and have found them boring and unrealistic in their recommended diet programs. Mr. Heavin's book IS the exception. First, it was interesting to read and he got to the point quickly on how to lose weight and keep it off permanently. Mr. Heavin explained, in LAYMAN'S terms, the causes of obesity and how to change one's metabolism. The net result is one's body becomes a fat burning machine and not a fat producing machine. Where his book really stands out is his weight loss maintenance program. It is the only maintenance program that EVERYONE can follow because eventually one only has to diet for a few days a month to remain slim forever!
Product Description
Workbook for the program.
Amazon.com
As its name suggests, the Slow Food movement, founded in Italy, is dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional foodways--to protecting artisanal food producers and the pleasures of eating well. Corby Kummer's The Pleasures of Slow Food introduces readers to the movement and its goals, while acquainting them with some of the producers worldwide who embody its spirit and objectives. Thus we meet the likes of Cindy and David Meyers, whose Vermont dairy makes exceptional cheeses, and Germany's Torshen Kramer, producer of fine cured meats and sausages. The artisans also share with Kummer the stories of their work (of their early cheese-making efforts Cindy Meyers says, "The bleu wouldn't turn blue ... I buried a lot of cheese in the manure pile").
Most excitingly, perhaps, Kummer has included 40 recipes from chefs and everyday cooks whose approach to food and cooking also represents the Slow Food ideal, and in this Kummer has excelled. Not meant for weekday cooking, but easily doable if, in line with the Slow Food ideal, people will put aside time to produce truly gratifying food, the recipes are hits that just keep on coming. Whether it's a simple Chicken Cacciatore with Baked Potatoes from the Piedmontese farm of Elena Rovera; Fried Plantains with Chipotle Ketchup, courtesy of Steve Johnson at the Blue Room restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts; an extraordinary lamb stew from master chef Daniel Boulud; or Alice Waters's caramelized Apricot Tart, the recipes are universally superb. With an introduction by Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, and marvelous color photos by Susie Cushner, the oversize book offers a thoughtful introduction to the movement, as well as culinary thrills to those willing to take it slow. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
In a world increasingly dominated by fast food, The Pleasures of Slow Food celebrates heritage recipes, artisan traditions, and the rapid evolution of a movement to make good food a part of everyday life. Slow Food is defined by how it s made: if it s allowed to ripen before it s harvested, prepared by hand and enjoyed among friends, it s Slow Food. It s a philosophy, a way to farm, a way to cook...a way to live. It s also the name of a 65,000-strong international movement, numbering among its members some of the most distinguished names in the food world. The Pleasures of Slow Food showcases over 60 recipes from the world s most innovative chefs for dishes that feature local handmade ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Premier food writer Corby Kummer also profiles Slow Food s luminaries, such as Italian cheese maker Roberto Rubino and Canadian Karl Kaiser, who makes sweet ice-wine. Pairing fantastic recipes with engaging stories, The Pleasures of Slow Food brings the best of the food world to the kitchen table.
Customer Reviews:
frank bruno .......2004-12-21
this book is a waste. the few simple recipes can be found in any monthly food magizine for alot less money. at best they are not even correct. example pg, 128 has you soaking dried cod for 1 hour. I can make many italian jokes about the procedure in the book. but cod, normally is soaked three days. unless you like a mouth full of pure salt with cardboard. of the more then 300 books I own this is the worst.
Very Good Essay on Slow Food. Little use as a cookbook.......2004-12-13
`The Pleasures of Slow Food' is edited by Atlantic Monthly editor Corby Kummer in that the half of the book contains recipes collected from European and American chefs prominent in the Slow Food movement. The first thirty pages of the book are taken up by a preface written by the founder of the Slow Food movement, Carlo Petrini, a Foreword written by Atlantic Monthly colleague (and author of the best-selling `Fast Food Nation') Eric Schlosser, and with an essay by the author on a description of the history and activities of the Slow Food organization. Eleven (11) essays take up the next fifty pages on various artisinal food producers. After the recipes is a very nice two-page table of contacts for the Slow Food movement in Europe and the United States and for contributors to this book.
The most important question to a prospective purchaser of this volume is `Do I want to shell out $40 for a collection of recipes by Rick Bayless, Deborah Madison, Alice Waters, Judy Rodgers, Paul Bertolli, Daniel Boulud and ten other notable American and European chefs'. The question becomes more acute if you, like me, already own twenty cookbooks by these contributors. I will soon point out some observations that make this decision even easier.
The `Slow Food' moniker for Carlo Petrini's movement is really a serious misnomer, as the primary objective of the movement is not as an adversary to MacDonalds, even though the projected startup of a MacDonalds at the base of Rome's Spanish steps was the precipitating act which set the movement in motion. As Allison Janney's character C. J. Craig said in a `West Wing' episode, `We need an enemy on this issue'. Fast food restaurants are not so much evil in themselves as, like Gresham's law, they threaten to drive out the things which this movement wishes to preserve. These valuables are artisinal foods and methods, most of which have been used and practiced for centuries, and are in danger of disappearing as much through the action of large food processors and government regulations as they are by the presence of a McDonald's in Rome. This is not to say Fast Food is not evil in its own right, as Schlosser points out, a typical fast food hamburger is a virtual soup of overprocessed, underflavored, artificial ingredients with an unpleasant aftertaste. But this is really a different battle than the preservation of valuable food traditions.
The Slow Food movement was founded in Italy, which still has the largest participation. In the early years of the movement, the leading country outside of Italy was Germany. France came to the table very late, and in the last few years, membership in the United States has been leading the charge alongside the Italians. This is largely due to the synergy between the movement's objectives and the vision of American culinary leaders such as Rick Bayless, Deborah Madison, Alice Waters, and Waters' apostles Judy Rodgers and Paul Bertolli.
The movement has three principle initiatives. These are the Ark, a directory of endangered foods around the world, the Presidia or local organizations which work at preserving Ark foods, and the Slow Food Award which brings attention and assistance to agricultural activists who work with Ark foods. The most visible activity of the movement is the Salone del Gusto, a multi-day conference on the activities of the movement. But back to the book.
As an introduction to the Slow Food movement, this book is much better than the two earlier books I have reviewed on this subject by prominent authors Paula Wolfert and Joyce Goldstein. Had I known of the information in this book before I reviewed Wolfert and Goldstein, I would have had a much better take on their books. Still, this book may be less valuable in the long run than the cookbooks by Wolfert and Goldstein. My first reason for saying this is that for $40, you are getting nothing more than 80 pages of recipes from a very wide variety of different voices. Since almost all cookbooks are, by their nature, reference books to which one goes when you need a recipe to fit a particular situation, this book is poor, as there is no central theme to the recipes. There is no question I can think of which would make me pull this book from my shelves in preference over any one of a dozen other books.
But wait a minute. Isn't this book supposed to be all about slow food? Yes, but the recipes in this book do not really exemplify the slow food objectives, as they simply do not focus on artisinal ingredients and techniques. And, unlike Wolfert's and Goldstein's books, the recipes range in style from Germany to Mexico. So, while a lust for something Italian may take me to Goldstein's book, nothing will suggest I go to this book. The only thing connecting the recipes is the recipes' authors are all active in the movement.
By far the most valuable contribution of this book is in its informing us of the various families of Ark foods to which we can give allegiance and to help support. The most famous issue for Americans may be the case of raw milk cheeses. As the government may at any moment tighten up on their ban on importing raw milk cheeses from Europe, creating these delights in the United States becomes more and more urgent.
While the book was written by a professional writer, I was surprised at the number of cases of poor usage and exaggerated metaphors I found in the text. It is really a bit much to say that a plate being passed from one person to another is white hot. My recollection from physics is that white-hot is about 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. But, this is not the real issue.
You may want this book if you need a good description of the Slow Food activities and objectives.
join slow food usa.......2002-11-20
I recommend this book to anyone who is worried about the unhealthy dominance of fast food and global agribusiness in the world today. This beautiful tomb, while not sponsored by Slow Food, heighlights a number of families around the world, who are sustaining the production of foods that give us choice in the marketplace, and a foothold against those who produce products that look great , ship well but are without taste.
Bravo, Atlantic Monthly for promoting this most profound Slow Food movement that is reawakening us to the politics and business of food. Buy this book, look at slowfood.com, and buy locally grown and artisan foods .
Well-written (and beautiful) book on important movement.......2002-11-15
I think that "The Pleasures of Slow Food" is a remarkable book with something for everyone. You can enjoy the engaging stories of farmers, food artisans and cultural preservationists from around the world, written in Kummer's delightful manner. Alternatively you can relish in the sheer beauty of the photography. It's even a cookbook if you want to try the recipes of world reknown chefs. But what I liked best was the understanding I gained from it about the Slow Food movement. I'd never heard of it before. When I bought the book I thought it just referred to slow cooking. Instead it is a truly important effort that combines the fight against the loss of traditional ways of growing and preparing foods (as big business assumes more and more control of agriculture) with the desire for healthy, realistic (and delicious) alternatives to a fast food, high fat diet. Who knew you could join a movement that was both making the world a better place while allowing you to nurture your palate? Rush to get this book and to support what it represents.
Not much here, even for a slow reader.......2002-11-09
I heard about this book on the radio and was very excited, since I love cooking and hate fast food. This book is overpriced and overproduced. The information about "slow food" is interesting, but could have been a long magazine article--just doesn't warrant oversized full-color treatment. There are very few recipes. I recommend the recent regional Italian cookbook, Rustico, by Mikol Negrin, a real treasure trove of slow recipes.
Books:
- Sins of the Fathers: An Inspector Wexford Mystery (Formerly Titled : a New Lease of Death)
- Southern Discomfort (Deborah Knott Mysteries)
- Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)
- The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century (The Best American Series)
- The Binding Chair: or, A Visit from the Foot Emancipation Society
- The Body in the Attic: A Faith Fairchild Mystery (Faith Fairchild Mysteries)
- The Bridge Betrayed: Religion and Genocide in Bosnia (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society , No 11)
- The Burglar on the Prowl
- The Case of the Glamorous Ghost (Perry Mason Mystery)
- The Chatham School Affair
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- Black Rose: In the Garden Trilogy
- Achieving Sustainable Freshwater Systems: A Web Of Connections
- Andrew Wyeth: The Helga Pictures
- American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New
- California Dreaming: Reforming Mathematics Education
- Better Homes and Gardens Home Canning and Freezing
- Palaces of the Sun King: Versailles, Trianon, Marly--The Chateaux of Louis XIV
- 25 Tropical Houses in the Philippines
- Quitters, Inc.
Anthologies
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Resort to Murder: Thirteen More Tales of Mystery by Minnesota's Premier Writers
Tar Heel Dead: Tales of Mystery and Mayhem from North Carolina
Twin Cities Noir (Akashic Noir)
A Kudzu Christmas: Twelve Mysterious Tales
Inner Passages (Michael Tanner Mystery)
