Ripley Under Water

Book Description

Tom Ripley passes his leisured days at his French country estate tending the dahlias, practicing the harpsichord, and enjoying the company of his lovely wife, Heloise. Never mind the bloodstains on the basement floor.

But some new neighbors have moved to Villeperce: the Pritchards, just arrived from America. they are a ghastly pair, with vulgar manners and even more vulgar taste. Most inconvenient, though, is their curiosity. Ripley does, after all, have a few things to hide. When menacing coincidences begin to occur, a spiraling contest of sinister hints and mutual terrorism ensues, resulting in one of Patricia Highsmith's most elegantly harrowing novels to date.

Customer Reviews:

Losing the plot.......2006-11-07

Having enjoyed other Ripley stories, I found all the cental characters in the book unlikeley, and discriptions of Ripley and his relationships irritating and was glad to finish the book, by skimming the pages towards the finish.

The Talented Ms. Highsmith.......2006-08-11

In her fifth and what was to be her final installment in the novels about Tom Ripley, RIPLEY UNDER WATER, Patricia Highsmith has written a suspenseful page-turner that both shocks and entertains the reader. The talented Mr. Ripley, married to Heloise, now lives in France. He is the perfect friendly neighbor-- although he of course must maintain his distance from others as he is the killer of four people, Dickie Greenleaf, Murchison and two Mafia members. But Tom is no longer completely convinced that he committed all these murders. "Some remembered experiences faded, he [Tom] supposed, such as that of killing. . ." until a strange American Pritchard and his wife show up at the most inappropriate times and disrupt Mr. Ripley's placid existence.

Ripley now takes harpischord lessons, listens to Brahms waltzes, drinks gin and tonics and kirs, grows dahlias, watches videos of "Some Like It Hot," and reads Richard Ellman's biography of Oscar Wilde. He is quite the gentleman of leisure. He is also a cold-blooded killer. This writer has the amazing ability to make you root for this psychopath although you know that he possesses few if any redeeming qualities. On the other hand, it's no coincidence that the Iagos of the world are much more fascinating then the Cordelias.

The story stops rather abruptly; Ms. Highsmith apparently meant to write another chapter to Mr. Ripley's life. Unfortunately that did not happen. Nevertheless, this novel is entertainment at its best.

So much potential..........2005-03-24

Too bad that the last of the Ripley books was a bit of a let-down. A great set up and interesting premise, the book is marred by its poor resolution. What potential - two vulgar Americans who become Ripley's neighbors with a hidden agenda...the "cat and mouse" of this book should have been great, but sadly it falls short. In my opinion, Ripley's Game is the best of the Ripley sequels - this one doesn't even come close...

More intrigue from tha master of cunning.......2005-01-17

This fourth instalment in a series of five novels concerning the criminal adventures, schemes, ploys and cunning machinations of Tom Ripley, ranks as high as its predecessors.

Tom Ripley has to be one of the most interesting and memorable characters ever created in modern crime literature. A man born from humble beginnings, he has re-invented himself as a man of refined taste and breeding. Basic manners and knowledge of human nature, combined with a strong will and bloody attitude of mind, he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. What makes Ripley psychologically fascinating, is his utter lack of conscience. He can murder without a hint of remorse, and has that uncanny ability to compartmentalize his thoughts and memories in order live with his many dastardly deeds. Moreover, Highsmith writes about Ripley entirely from his perspective, giving the reader an inside look at his thought processes, rationalizations and intrigues, creating a sympathy for the man, thus we cheer when he murders and are greatly relieved when he gets away with it. We want Ripley to succeed and he always does.

In this story, Ripley's chequered past catches up with him. An American couple, David and Janice Prichard, move into a villa down the way from his chateau at Villeperce. These people know Ripley from somewhere; know aspects about his past that Ripley would soon forget and then begin to relentlessly taunt him. How much do they really know? And how can Ripley handle this strange couple without implicating himself?

This book was difficult to put down in many ways. Because Ripley is such a fascinating character, the pages seemed to turn themselves to discover his next move against these people. There is a particular scene in Tangiers at a shady café, where Ripley confronts Prichard, and without warning, in a series of dangerous blows, knocks the vulgar Prichard unconscious. In fact, Highsmith's writing is so good, that I found myself cheering as Ripley pummelled him to the ground. This type of scene, really, has become Ripley's trademark: surprise with lethal violence, applied without mercy or second thought.

The Ripley novels are unique in modern crime fiction. Patricia Highsmith was not recognized in her native America, and was forced to move overseas to write, where she became a respected and best selling author. It is only in the last ten years, almost a decade after her death, that she is receiving the acclaim that is so well deserved.

A Stalking Nemesis Looms.......2004-11-08

If you have enjoyed the Ripley series of books, you will undoubtedly want to read the final book, Ripley Under Water.

This book is a continuation of the story line of Ripley Under Ground, as the title suggests. This book is, however, less engaging and dramatic than Ripley Under Ground.

What Makes Ripley Under Water noteworthy is its boding sense of menace and paranoia. What would it be like to be stalked by someone who wants to do you harm? How would you feel? Those are the themes that are well developed in this book.

An American couple in their thirties, David and Janice Pritchard, move into Tom Ripley's neighborhood. Tom has a slight recollection of seeing them before somewhere. Soon he begins receiving strange telephone calls from someone claiming to be a person Ripley killed many years before. The Americans invite Ripley and his wife for a drink. Ripley goes alone and finds that the couple is obsessed with him, and knows quite a bit about his past misdeeds. The man even threatens Ripley. Soon thereafter the couple is seen outside of Ripley's home taking photographs.

Ripley's annoyed, but trying to stay cool. But when the man shows up in Morocco during the Ripley's' vacation, it's too much. Ripley begins to fight back in typical Ripley fashion. Events escalate when Ripley and Pritchard return to France.

My main complaint about the book is that the end doesn't live up to the suspense that leads up to it. As a result, I was left feeling dissatisfied with the story.

On the good side, the psychological development is very fine. In addition, the book is full of subtle puns and ironies . . . such as Ripley, who has killed so many men being freaked out by having to be in the kitchen while live lobsters are cooked.

Even if you are paranoid, remember that someone may really be after you!

The American system of water purification by means of I.--Artificial aeration under pressure: II.--Assisted precipitation by coagulants. III.--Mechanical filtration under pressure

Average customer rating:

The American system of water purification by means of I.--Artificial aeration under pressure: II.--Assisted precipitation by coagulants. III.--Mechanical filtration under pressure
Albert Ripley Leeds
Manufacturer: Stettiner, Lambert & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008CKOHO

Book Description

Thousands of years ago, the mad emperor Lokan controlled the Nightsword--and imposed his twisted desires on all that lived. Then Lokan mysteriously vanished behind the Maelstrom Wall, into the quantum chaos of the galactic core. But legend says that somewhere behind the Wall, the Nightsword is hidden, its awesome energies waiting to be used again . . . for good or evil.

When Earther astronaut Jeremy Griffiths donned the Mantle of Kendis-Dai and became blessed--and perhaps cursed--with infinite knowledge, he learned the exact direction of Lokan's ill-fated route. And now the secrets stored in his head have made him the target of everyone who has ever coveted the Nightsword for their own ends. Griffiths wants only to get his crew safely home to Earth--and to impress the bewitching, bewildering Merinda Neskat. Yet he is caught firmly in the middle of galactic agendas beyond his control, and this new quest will prove to be the challenge of a lifetime . . .

From the Paperback edition.

Nightsword: A Starshield Novel (Starshield)

Average customer rating:

Not as good as the first in the series.
A unique gem of unknown number of facets
Can't wait for more!
Better than the first!
wild Mix

Nightsword: A Starshield Novel (Starshield)
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 034542462X
Release Date: 1999-08-03

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as the first in the series........2005-06-22

While "Starshield" was exciting and interesting, Nightsword seems like an attempt to pacify fans of the Weis and Hickman Dragonlance series by setting the action in a fantasy zone with Dragons and a Pirate Crew made of mythical creatures. The main characters of the first novel are now on the run from the Omnet a combination CNN/CIA to which the Heroine Merinda Neskat belonged and which now consider her a renegade. The human Jeremy Griffiths has found the first of the three articles of power of the lost Kendais empire, the Mantle of Kendais Dai and has used it to find the second article the Nightsword, a weapon that can change physical reality.

Hot on their heels is the evil Tarq of Gandry the head of Omnet who covets the artifacts of the lost empire for himself. The characters go thru many adventures and at the end it is hinted that the Starshield itself will be found on a primitive backwater planet called "Earth".

Alas, due to contractural reasons, Starshield:Starshield will probably nevr be written and our heroes and heroine will hang out in time stop forever.

This is terrible because Starshield showed so much promise and there was even a online interactive group started by Tracy Hickman www.starshield.com where you could create your own stories in the midst of the Starshield Universe(the lost carrier mentioned in one of the Omnet newscasts in Darksword was my own CSS Ark Kansas). Perhaps one day Tracy will write a non fiction book detailing the trials and tribulations of his own dot com bust.

A unique gem of unknown number of facets.......2002-12-31

The first Starshield novel introduced us to a galaxy that was beyond our wildest imaginations, literally. Fantasy stories that have come close to integrating technology into the story line is such stories as the Darkover novels. But, even Darkover used psionics and crystal lattice technology. This new "Starshield" universe is one that starts out with a bang that is followed by the sonic boom in its wake. It integrates the principles of "mysticism" and "technology" to create a universe that is at once both magical and technological. In this world, you can have the technologically savy spy and also have the great sorcerer in the same person. Combining the aspects of fantasy adventure with the grand space fleets of space opera. This is a collaborative book and somehow I think that the authors used everything they learned from their previous 9 book series, "The Death Gate Cycle", to improve upon their new series.

Explaining how such a "universe" composed of both magic and technology is difficult, but not impossible. This book certainly requires a new level of belief, that the fantasy or sci-fi genre has already created.

The second book of the Starshield series starts off with a prologue of events 53 years before the end of the first book. Then it continues immediately after the first book in the Chapters of Alpha. The Mantle of Kendis-dai is real and therefore logically the Nightsword and the Starshield are real also. This is a story of the mad and somewhat enigmatic quest of 6 factions striving to retrieve the Nightsword in its last resting place. Along the journey, the book recounts various tales and legends which fill in the gaps left out in the history of the first book. Various questions about the "quantum wave fronts" are answered like how exactly does one travel from one quantum wave to another with several types of engines? The story is along the same lines as a treasure hunt, with secret maps with the X that marks the spot, to various betrayals for the treasure. Except this is a treasure that everyone wants, the power to shape reality itself. This book also explains why Griffiths, one of the protagonists of the story, has met only humans among the stars so far. The hands of various contributors are seen in this story, in addition to the authors. The people at the Starshield website has helped add their own views to the story, thereby enriching it. Many subtle mysteries are in this story, which replaces the gap caused by the rather lack luster plot line as compared to the first book.

A fine sequel to "The Mantle of Kendis-dai".

Can't wait for more!.......2000-07-29

This second installment of the Starshield series is a stunning achievement. Now that the reader is familiar with the nature of the Starshield universe one can fully appreciate the story.

While not as well known as Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance saga, this series has all the promise of being as epic on a stellar level.

The secrets revealed in the final pages of this book are such that I cannot wait to read the third installment. Unfortunately, I have heard no news of the next book being written. It would be a shame to kill the series on such a power and gripping novel.

I highly recommend this book.

Better than the first!.......2000-06-28

A gorgeous book all the way through. You know those really rare evil characters that have a past that makes you want to cry? Targ's one of them. Unlike many evil characters, he is very deep and not technically evil. Jeremy Griffiths is starting to get the hots for Merinda Neskat, which leads him to make some pretty stupid mistakes.

After reading the first book, I had to read this one. While the first book was only good after the first half, this one was sweet from cover to cover. It's a must-read for all sci-fi lovers--and for all you others, too.

wild Mix.......2000-01-06

Margret and Tracy did a weird mix of tech and magic... It was an enjoying book i would recomend any of their books if you read one of their books you will want to read more of their books

Average customer rating:

Nightsword: A Starshield Novel
Margaret Weis , and Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0679460403
Release Date: 1998-05-01

Book Description

Join bestselling authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, world-builders extraordinaire, as they triumphantly return to their epic galaxy-spanning fantasy adventure that began in The Mantle of Kendis-Dai. Enter a remarkable universe where science and magic co exist in uneasy equilibrium. A cosmos populated by elves, dragons, minotaurs, and synthetic minds. . . where ultimate power rests in a fabled sword able to bend reality itself to the will of whoever wields it . . .

Thousands of years ago, the mad emperor Lokan controlled the Nightsword--and imposed his twisted desires on all that lived. At his slightest whim, whole worlds were destroyed, and entire races were transformed. Then Lokan mysteriously vanished behind the Maelstrom Wall, into the quantum chaos of the galactic core. But legend says that somewhere behind the Wall, lost amidst the ghost ships of Lokan's doomed fleet, the Nightsword is hidden, its awesome energies waiting to be used again . . . for good or evil.

While most dismiss the legend as fairy tale, others believe, and hunger for such godlike power. Though no one knows the course Lokan's fleet followed millennia ago, several have tried to track it, only to perish in the treacherous quantum fields behind the Wall. But when Earther astronaut Jeremy Griffiths donned the Mantle of Kendis-Dai and became blessed--and perhaps cursed--with infinite knowledge, he learned the exact direction of Lokan's ill-fated route. And now the secrets stored in his head have made him the target of everyone who has ever coveted the Nightsword for their own ends.

A man with unrivaled magical abilities and insidious instincts, Targ of Gandri yearned for the Nightsword to rule the universe once and for all. His protégé and now-nemesis, Merinda Neskat, believes the sword has the power to restore the ancient empire of Kendis-dai--the goal to which she has dedicated her life. For the mysterious Sentinels of the Order, the artifact would ensure the success of their rebellion and grant them victory in their long struggle for total domination. Caught in the middle, Jeremy Griffiths wants only to get his crew safely home to Earth--and to impress the bewitching, bewildering Merinda Neskat. Yet he is caught firmly in the middle of galactic agendas beyond his control, and this new quest will prove to be the challenge of a lifetime . . .

Starshield: Nightsword is a dazzling addition to Weis and Hickman's interstellar epic of magic and adventure--a series destined to stand with Dragonlance® and Death Gate as classics of modern fantasy.

From the Hardcover edition.

Average customer rating:

Nightsword: A Starshield Novel
Tracy Hickman Margaret Weis
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVEG28

Average customer rating:

A refreshing slap in the face...

Same old news

If you need some motivation...read this book!

A whole book on low carb recovery???

Belongs on every low-carbers book shelf

The 7-Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan: For Every Low-Carb Dieter--On Any Program--Who Needs Real Help--Right Now
Rachael F. Heller , and Richard F. Heller
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Hardcover | Heller, Rachael & Richard | Authors, A-Z | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The Carbohydrate Addict's Cookbook: 250 All-New Low-Carb Recipes That Will Cut Your Cravings and Keep You Slim for Life

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The Carbohydrate Addict's 7-Day Plan: Start Fresh On Your Low-Carb Diet!

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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0525948414
Release Date: 2004-04-22

Amazon.com

The 7-Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan The word "miracle" isn't in the title, but perhaps it should be. In The 7-Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan, The Drs. Heller (The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet) have designed a tremendously simple week-long "jump start" for anyone who wants to give low-carb living a shot--or even a second try. With their emphasis on lean proteins and plenty of fiber, rather than plain "slabs of meat" at every meal, you'll actually be adding food to your daily regimen for the first days of the program. As you continue the week, carb-heavy foods will be moved to the end of meals; partially removed; and removed entirely. A generous handful of recipes are included, all of which include plenty of spices and flavor, from the mushroom garlic dip to the sesame pork with garlic cream sauce. Some, like a flour-free "crepe," can be made ahead in stacks and frozen for later munching. The remainder of the book is helpful even to those who are doing a decent job sticking to your plan during typical days, but have problems when faced with holidays or dinners out with friends. The Hellers detail a few typical experiences we all encounter--waiting for friends at a bar and "rewarding" ourselves with sugar-laden desserts is one--and then demonstrate how to avoid typical pitfalls. Repeated urgings to "take care of yourself first" and deal with emotional issues behind food aim at long-term solutions, while methods of polite refusal will help those who feel they simply can't say "no" to a full bread basket at a restaurant. Whether you're picking up where you left off or just looking for some new techniques for keeping your weight stable, chances are you'll find them in this upbeat, encouraging book. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

Drs. Rachel and Richard Heller, authors of the revolutionary New York Times bestselling Carbohydrate Addict's books, are renowned for their ability to motivate readers with their own combined 200-pound weight loss success. Drs. Heller understand the physical and emotional reasons why people struggle to stay on their low-carb diets—or fall off them completely.

Now comes the right help at the right time—a plan to put the low-carb dieter back in control—without deprivation—in only a week or less!

Holidays, vacation, stress, boredom, and daily emotional wear and tear are all factors that can chip away at the most sincere diet commitment. What starts out as a simple "cheat" often leads to bona-fide failure. In the end most low-carb dieters are left to watch helplessly as their eating spirals out of control and the pounds creep (or rush) back on. Drs. Heller know that once someone has fallen off any low-carb diet, they need help to get back on, and stay on.

Now there's a day-by-day, scientifically-based motivating and empowering program that will immediately reduce cravings, satisfy the body's need for carbohydrates, and help low-carb dieters regain control over their eating and their weight.

The 7-Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan includes:
- 7-Day Jump-Start Plan: Goes to work immediately to help eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and insulin levels, and put you back in charge—without asking you to give up your favorite food.
- Five Clues Low-Carb Diet Doctors Miss: What you don't know could kill your diet. What you need to know to ensure success.
Taming the Hunger Hormone: How to spot the slip-up before it happens—and regain your self-control on the spot.
Hidden Carbs Waiting to Pounce: Did you know that two stalks of broccoli are equal in carbohydrates to a chocolate-covered ice-cream bar? You have to read this chapter!
Troubleshooting: Simple solutions to plateaus, time crunches, the breakfast dilemma, holiday and party minefields, constipation, spousal sabotage, and more.
Restaurant Tactics: Surprising strategies for eating out, enjoying the food you love, and staying on your plan.
Rescue Recipes: When you're facing temptation, legal food that satisfies at your fingertips.

The 7-Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan is the essential lifeline of hope for low-carb dieters who have lost their way, or who simply need a helping hand in getting back on track.

Customer Reviews:

A refreshing slap in the face..........2007-06-20

I just picked up this book from the library and it was a God send to me- I read and followed Dr. Atkin's books and lost an amazing 60 pounds in 4 months before a trip to Mexico. When we returned home, I wanted to just take a break from watching everything I ate, and within 5 months I had gained the weight back. I don't know how it crept up so fast, but I just couldn't get back on track. Going back on induction made me gag- I couldn't stand the thought of eating that way the rest of my life. But after reading the steps in the Heller's book, it makes sense to me now. I don't feel like all carbs are evil, and the reward meals are so great! It makes me feel like a real person again- like I can go out to dinner or lunch with my friends and eat a normal meal! I can even have a little dessert if I play my cards right! I think this is a wonderful, wonderful book and I think it is a realistic look at the low carb lifestyle in full view. With Atkin's, it was not this clear to me. Now I understand how to eat and what order to eat the foods in! If you don't want to spend the money, go to the library and check it out like I did- I finished the entire book in one day- It is an easy read and worth your time! Good luck!

Same old news.......2007-02-07

There was not much original in this book. I was very disappointed in it - maybe everything about low-carb eating has already been said. Save your money.

If you need some motivation...read this book!.......2006-06-11

I picked this book up on a whim and am thankful I did. The quote that grabbed my attention was on the back cover, "If you can't face one more slab of meat or chicken...[This book]can help." This book just may have been written with me in mind! What I like best about this book is that it is informal, light, and is an easy read. I appreciate that people on any low carb diet could benefit from this book. I see how this book would help people who are just beginning to diet, or who have fallen off track, however, this was not my case. I was really just looking for some added motivation. I did read the chapter about just starting or getting back on track but especially loved the later chapters about continuing success and hidden carbs. This book left me feeling more knowledgable and charged to continue on my way to a lighter me!

A whole book on low carb recovery???.......2006-03-13

This book shows you how to get back on the low carb bandwagon. But they have spent and entire book on something that could've been a magazine article. Basically over 7 days just adding back in more protein, then salads and low carb veggies, and weeding out the bad carbs that you have let creep back in. It is not rocket science but for people that need a boost back on the wagon it may be helpful. Actually it could help someone get on low carb eating for the first time easier than doing it cold turkey.

Belongs on every low-carbers book shelf.......2005-04-23

Once you've fallen off the low carb wagon, getting back on track can seem a daunting task. This book offers a sensible, gradual plan for easing back into the low carb life. It worked to get me successfully into a struggle-free induction when induction was always a major challenge before. The information about hidden carbs, artifical sweeteners, and other challenges low carbers face regularly is also a great asset. I've only tried a few of the included recipes so far, but they've all been very good.

Average customer rating:

Not just a recipe book

Fine content shameful binding

The basic GO-TO book for beginners to gourmets.

R-e-a-l Chinese Food

good information & nice photos

The Chinese Kitchen: A Book of Essential Ingredients with Over 200 Easy and Authentic Recipes
Deh-Ta Hsiung
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Chinese | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312288948

Amazon.com

The Chinese Kitchen is equally useful whether you are selecting your first Chinese cookbook or adding to an already substantial collection. This encyclopedic volume is crammed with detailed information, recipes you know yet probably have not made at home, and color photographs from China that bring the culture and culinary interests of the country compellingly to life. Opening with a useful explanation of the fundamentals of Chinese cooking, you learn how all food is viewed for its seasonal, medicinal, and nutritional values; how color, aroma, flavor, shape, and texture must be balanced in each dish; and how today's cooking goes beyond the classic five flavors. Two-page spreads for more than 100 ingredients include the name in calligraphy and Western letters, the Latin name, and entries for how the item is grown or produced, how to judge its quality, how to store processed foods as well as fresh items, and both medicinal and culinary uses.

In the recipes, precise directions help even beginners get good results: for instance, "Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices the size of a large postage stamp." Recipes make dishes as they would be in China, so Spareribs in Sweet and Sour Sauce are pleasantly pungent without chunks of pineapple, carrot, or onion. From Fujian province, the Stir-Fried Chicken with Cilantro is a delicate combination of sliced breast and ginger, scallions, and coriander. Adventurous cooks will comfortably discover Bean Curd Skin and Asparagus Soup, a simple dish with appealing flavor. For dessert, Chinese Fruit Salad, combining fresh or canned lychees, cubed melon, and other fruits in the scooped out melon, which is nestled in crushed ice, lets you bring the care of Chinese presentation to the table easily.

Though Deh-Ta Hsiung tells little of how he traveled from Beijing, his birthplace, to London, or how he acquired his masterful command of cooking, bits of his personal history weave through The Chinese Kitchen. In all, he is a most welcome teacher. --Dana Jacobi

Book Description

There's no cuisine more rich with flavor, color, texture, variety, and tradition than Chinese cooking. From the familiar to the exotic, this comprehensive and stunningly illustrated sourcebook, organized by ingredient, is a master chef's catalog of what makes this centuries-old cuisine so vibrant today.

Complete with historical background, information on buying and storing ingredients, and exquisite recipes, The Chinese Kitchen is a must-have for everyone's Chinese kitchen. Entries include: Bean Sprouts - Black Bean Sauce - Chinese Cabbage - Dumplings - Eggplant - Five Spice Powder - Ginger - Lotus Root - Peanuts - Plum Sauce - Shrimp Paste - Soft-Shell Crab - Straw Mushrooms - Tofu - Tea - Wontons - Water Chestnuts and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Not just a recipe book.......2007-04-07

There are probably books with more recipes - recipes aren't really the focus of this book. It's a treatise on the ingredients that go into Chinese cooking, an encyclopedia of what goes into the food and how to find it, how to use it, and where it comes from. I found it delightful reading, and I can now go to the local markets without always feeling that I have no idea what I'm looking at. I bought it as a gift for my son, read it before handing it over, and think I'm probably going to have to get one for myself. It's beautiful to look at, too.

Fine content shameful binding.......2005-01-23

The background and recipes are quite good but the paper back book is a disgrace. My copy is less than a year old but nearly every page has separated from the "perfect" binding. The publisher should give a[...]to anyone who has bought this. Five stars for the author, [...], so a two overall.

The basic GO-TO book for beginners to gourmets........2001-10-04

This book presents all the basic ingredients for a Chinese kitchen. If you think you "kinda know" but not really, here is your reference book. The three things that strike me are the accurate descriptions, beautiful photos and pragmatic use of each of the items.
The recipes factually represent authentic old time use.
I would buy this book for the younger Chinese so that they won't forget "what, why and how".

R-e-a-l Chinese Food.......2000-09-09

I have always enjoyed Deh Ta-Hsiung's recipes. They are simple to follow & difficult to get wrong, even for a novice cook like me! The recipes he shares range from tasty family dishes to making your own Peking duck or roasting your own barbeque pork which are difficult to come by in most Chinese cook books. Mr Deh also takes time to explain how different types of ingredients come together, and offers to the uninitiated, methods of preparing an ingredient, and photographs which makes me want to dog-ear all the pages with the recipes I plan to try! Most of all, Deh's cooking leads to the most authentic tasting Chinese food!I'm glad the author has finally released an US edition!My only complaint is there just aren't enough recipes!

good information & nice photos.......2000-09-05

Deh-Ta Hsiung is a British-based mainland-trained chef whose polite opinions keep this nicely organized and illustrated book interesting. Although he ignores much of the Cantonese-style cooking that is prevalent in many Chinese cookbooks available in the US, his information is traditional, accurate, and all of the 10 or so recipes I've tried so far have been good. Ingredients such as tofu, oyster sauce, malt sugar, five-spice powder, and Sichuan peppercorns are presented individually with Chinese characters, Pinyin, English, and Latin (for the plants) and photographs of the ingredient and recipes and photos of one or two representative dishes. There's also information provided on how the ingredient grows or is produced or packaged, what it looks and tastes like, how to buy and store it, some basic medicinal uses,...and recipes! I like to use the book in combination with Nina Simonds' and Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's books--taking the best of each.

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