What a wonderful collection of delicious recipes. Chef Walker has shared his magical culinary secrets and has delivered them in a beautifully illustrated and well written book. "In Your Kitchen" tells us how to prepare some of Brennan's famous treats such as: Brandy Milk Punch, Turtle Soup and Bananas Foster. Carl Walker also shares his life experiences with his readers. After reading through the book, I feel that I know Chef Walker and his family personally. NOTE: The Texas Cornbread Pudding will become a must for your family gatherings.

Brennan's of Houston in Your Kitchen is as approachable as Chef Carl Walker himself. This cookbook guides the reader through the best Creole recipes from the restaurant in a straightforward, informative manner. Recipes are not overly simplified for the home cook, but instead are presented in an enticing and easy to follow step by step process, with lovely pictures of the final products. Each dish we have prepared tastes exactly like the food available at the restaurant. We recently visited Brennan's of Houston and were again pleased with how well the recipes translated for the home cook. What a delightful addition to any "chef's" library.

This book is so well balanced with recipes, photos, history of the place and it feels like you know the author when you read it. I've tried some of the recipes and they are user friendly, which isn't always the case for a chef written book. I've given this book to my friends for Christmas and they have loved it. The photos are exceptional and they are not intimating to me, like so many other books. If you want a touch of Creole and some just good cookbook reading it is my new favorite.
ps. I forgot almost every recipe has Chef tips and notes so you can substitute ingredients that may be hard to find and make your own creation.

I'm a die hard VW loyalist now. So when I saw this book I had to see what it was all about. Incredible story! Very well written!

It was incredible to read about all the things that went on within and without the company, it helps to understand the car a lot better :) If you're at all interested in VW's or car company history in general, this is a must read.

I'm an avid VW driver, and when I saw this book I had to read it. It's great! The VW story is incredible, I never would have guessed that there was so much interesting history there.

The references to the advertising brought back some good memories. I remember each ad and how great they were.

A dfinite must read!

J.

David Kiley's insightful tome is as charmingly idiosyncratic as his subject, the VW Beetle or "Bug." Beginning with the Bug's nasty political genesis as Hitler's "people's car," Kiley follows the methods marketers used to shape its 1960s and 1990s commercial identities. Kiley covers the Bug's marketing history, from the obtuse (managers didn't understand that it was essential to VW's U.S. identity) to the brilliant (its sales renaissance). We [...] recommend this book for its fascinating history, but also for its examples of marketing strategy and internal corporate knife-fighting that just might teach you a trick or two.

This book is #2 in Brockmann's first SEAL Team series, and it is an absolute joy to read. This re-issue of "Forever Blue" proves that Brockmann's tales of military-men-in-love are timeless stories, that can still entertain. Blue McCoy is a SEAL returning to small-town America, to bravely face an uncomfortable situation: his step-brother is about to marry his high-school sweatheart. Trained to tackle trouble with a team, he's forced to face a personal crisis without his SEAL teammates when he becomes the prime suspect in his step-brother's murder. Blue finds a new partner in a now-grown-former-tomboy named Lucy, a faithful childhood acquaintance... and Lucy finds out that the "hero" she had a crush on long ago is really just a "man" worthy of her heart's love. All-in-all, Forever Blue is a simple love story with a bit of adventure and mystery thrown in.

For those unfamiliar with Brockmann's SEAL books, she has written two separate series. "Forever Blue" is book #2 of her first SEAL Team series, which is not as complicated as her new SEAL Team "Troubleshooters" series. The first series (beginning with #1 "Prince Joe" reprinted last year and continuing with the coming soon re-release of #3 "Frisco Kid") is made up of 11 shorter novels, each focusing on one member of the team and his path to true love. I'm personally thrilled to see these books making a reappearance on book-store shelves! The newer series (beginning with #1 "Unsung Hero") contains 5 books to date --all still in print-- that are longer more in-depth novels. Unique to this new series is that each book contains a main plot involving the hero (a member of the SEAL Team) and his lady love, but each book also has another love story expertly interwoven within the pages that flashes you back to WWII. An additional bonus is the on-going personal adventures of the SEAL from Texas, Sam Starrett, whose tumultuous love interest in FBI sharpshooter Alyssa Locke makes for a roller-coaster story line providing plenty of cliff-hangers that won't climax until book #6, Gone Too Far, which is coming out mid 2003!

For light reading, I recommend the first series, although admittedly, getting through the whole series is made tougher with some of the 11 books being out of print.
For in-depth, more for your money, adventurous love stories, try the new series. Either way, I highly recommend reading both in sequence.

I waited eagerly for the second book in the tall dark and dangrous series, after Prince Joe , and I was not dissapointed. It countinues the story of Seal Team Alpha Squad, another one of its elite members,Blue McCoy. It was everything I wanted in the hero the strong dangerous silent type and the heroine gutsy intelligent and she knows what she wants she is not afraid to care and love. Blue McCoy and Lucy Tait have unfinished business between them. One has a crush the other remembers how tough the other was .The same crush is now in the guise of friends , loyalty and trust is there when the chips are down and Blue is accused of murder and Lucy is there believing in his innocence even though when all the evidence points towards Blue .From there on every thing heats up between them and the chase to catch the real killer. For me this was a enjoyable book, Like I said I eagerly waited for the second book and was not dissapointed.and I am waiting for the next book by Suzanne Brockmann in the tall dark and dangerous series.

Suzanne Brockmann's sophomore re-issue with Mira after the hugely successful Prince Joe is foremost a crackling romance and a passionate salute to the Navy SEALs of America at its core like its predecessor. However this time round in Forever Blue, Ms. Brockmann notches up this saccharine romance with elements of small-town murder and mayhem when the hero, Blue McCoy is suspected of killing his stepbrother Gerry after his wedding reception. It reveals later to be a decoy to frame McCoy given his former attachments to Gerry's soon-to-be-wife Jenny Lee. Lucy Tait, who harbours a teenage crush on the SEAL is implicated when she is assigned to investigate. She takes him in when the community at Hatboro Creek repudiates him and accuses him of cold-blooded murder. Sexual tension arises with their closed proximity and as Blue comes to terms with his love for his ardent tenacious worshipper. Yet Lucy is reluctant to believe that this fairy-tale romance could ever come to fruition with the more beautiful Jenny Lee as a rival.

This wildly schmaltzy tale, coupled with a to-die-for brooding hero and a feisty rookie, is a top-notch dazzling romance. What with the frenetic pacing of action and twists to compliment the soaring romance, this book under Brockmann's glorious pen vows to enthrall and leave you swooning with passion.

Have you ever had a book that you bought, and a non-fiction one at that, which you started reading the moment you paid for it and had it in your hands and you had a hard time putting it down, even when doing things around the house or on a walk or even in the car? Well, this is one of those books. And being a major book buyer and reviewer I bought it because I had bought via Amazon.com The Committed Life: Principles for Good Living from Our Timeless Past by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis and I had seen this book mentioned as "Customers who bought this book also bought:" and this books was amongst the four other books listed.

So I clicked the book title on and began to read reviews and then noticed that Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis was recommending the book. Then as I sometimes do I did a google.com search and discovered even more positive remarks and knew this was a book I wanted to read and re-read and read over and over again. And I am not at all disappointed.

The book is nothing short of awe inspiring and as I read it (am re reading it now) I find myself cheering the author on, as well as savoring the details of his growing up, and the wonderful changes he chose to make in his life. And I love how he has a healthy (in my opinion) balance of pride and humbleness which shows his humanness. I say this because as I struggle with my own beliefs and path to G*d I admit I do not want or need some preachy holier than thou book that would make me feel worse than I do.

Anyway ... the book would be an inspiration to Jew and non-Jew (righteous gentile) and I think its a great book for challenging people to think about their heritage, what they may be running away from and what they should be running to. And its a book that I think any mature teen-ager to any elder amongst us, would find value in. It isn't an easy read. And with Mothers and Fathers Day coming up as well as Graduation, engagements and weddings it would make a wonderful thought provoking gift.

Roy Neubergers book is part biographical, part inspirational tome and part road map for those seeking the way back to their Jewish roots. The author nicely weaves a long series of spiritual short stories in his book as he makes his way from living a secular life in the suburbs, to a spiritual life based on the timeless truths of Judaism as written in the Torah. The authors enthusiam for his subject really shines through as does his hope for anybody seeking genuine fulfillment in life. One comes away thinking that coincidence is often G-d's way of trying to tell us something. The book is truly inspiring in that the author is able to convey his sense of mission to help others return to their Jewish roots without being overbearing. A marvelous and easy book to read that tugs at the mind, the heart, and sometimes the funny bone too!

Roy Neuberger's personal story has a strong message even for non-Jews and for people who are not religious. His personal search for God is very moving and is written in a charming, conversational style. I was especially taken with his numerous stories about he and his wife, Leah, helping so many people from various walks of life. There are important messages in this book that will help all of us to live better and more enriching lives.

I first read this book when it came out about 7 years ago & am just now getting around to reviewing it. I remember the story as if I'd just read it last week-5 frat boys who became Big Men On Campus, their stories are true and there's never a dull moment. It's all here, the keg parties, the football games, the protests, etc. The book would've made a great tv mini-series, providing they let Larry Colton write the screenplay. Anyway, if this ever comes back in print you should make it a point to buy it. Highly recommended.

I read Goat Brothers in 1993 after being intrigued by an excerpt in Esquire Magazine. I am a busy writer/teacher/mother/feminist, and any time I'll read 500 pages by a man who recounts and laments all the doofus things he and his frat brothers did in their coming of age -- well, that's fancy writing. I cannot understand why this is out of print, underappreciated. I think I'll call Oprah. (Do not read this book if you hated She's Come Undone.

As a white female who matriculated in the'60s,I wondered what the white males of the 60s were up to. I found it astonishing that Larry Colton found the key to get his goat brothers to talk about their motivations (or lack thereof). I was fascinated by his drive to succeed as a writer when previously he was more physically- than artistically-driven. I could not wait to finish this book. I want to know how Larry continued his life. Why hasn't every Kerouac fan read this book?

Turn away. Turn quickly away. My first instinct upon glancing at this title was consistent with Middle Class America's natural reaction to social despair. Cautiously intrigued, I reached to the top shelf in my suburban neighborhood's local library, and pulled down into my comfortable suburban world an enlightening pictorial in brief. With mixed horror and wonder, increasingly awed at these victims of circumstances, reading "Flophouse: Life on the Bowery" was a real look, a first look, into sunken faces and disheveled lives. Black and white photos say the thousand words their subjects never will. The human condition, bare, innate, is plainly presented without pretense or censoring. How very similar, how frighteningly normal, were the lives of these men before the loss of job, wife, or sanity deposited them here, teetering on the brink between life and death, heaven and hell, New York City's Bowery. Read this book, count your blessings and your spare dimes.

This book is an intimate look at the inside world of life on the desolate Bowery. It is as much intriguing, as it is mind-blowing. I have to admit, this book, is something to be read, not necessarily as a bedtime story, but more of a quiet, alone story. I suggest this book completely. wonderful!!! GOOD JOB DEAR FATHER! ATTA BOY DAVID!

Flophouse is a collections of pictures and words by and about people (mostly men) who ive in the dwingling number of flop houses on the bowery in New York. There are some 50 or so snapshots of these man the spread throughout four hotels, The white house, the providence, the andrews and the sunshine hotel. Don't let the names of these hotels fool you they're no four seasons. The men come from various races, creeds and generations. Some are old men who've lived on the bowery for tens of years and don't want to live to younger men who have hit rock bottom and are trying to get back on their feel again. Each man featured tells his own story about how they got to the bowery. Most of their stories are sobering and the pictures are even more powerful. Many of these men were woking productive members of society until something happened to them to throw them off track. It is hard to leave a book like this one unaffected. If your only opinion of the homeless and destitute is that they are lazy, mentally deranged or drug addicted men this book may change your perceptions. I left this book feeling very somber about how fragile life is and how easily it can be taken for granted yet also feeling uplifted in a strange way. Many of these man despite their conditions still continue to keep on living their lives and keeping a postive attitude. The men in flophouse are a dying breed of america's growing underclass.

Laura Ingalls tells about her childhood experiences as her family travels from Minnesota to settle in South Dakota. She gives an account of how their lives changed from living in a more settled area in Minnesota compared to living in unsettled land which later becomes De Smet. Mary, Laura's older sister, has lost her sight to scarlet fever, and Laura hopes that she will someday be able to attend a college for the blind. Although Laura works very hard she rarely complains. She enjoys singing with her father as he plays the fiddle. Ingall's gives clear pictures of what life was like for a girl growing up in early American History. As an adult this was my first experience reading one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books; I found it most informative and enjoyable. This book is a great way for children to learn what life was like during the pioneer era.

This book is probably the best book for kids other than Holes! It is about a girl named Laura and her sisters Mary,Carrie and baby Grace also Ma and Pa. She has to move to a new homested on Silver Lake. Her family has just gone through a very hard time-Mary got blind! She has many adventures-one of her scariest would be when a wolf almost atacks her! This is one of MY personle favorites!

In this next book in the landmark "Little House" series, the Ingalls family decide to leave their farm by Plum Creek to find a new homestead on the prairie. The grasshoppers and poor crops in Minnesota were a little too much for them. In addition, some bad times appear for the Ingalls family in the time period between this and the previous book in the series. The whole family had been stricken with scarlet fever and the oldest daughter, Mary, is now blind because of it. In addition, although it is never mentioned in the books, Laura had a little baby brother at this time (Charles Frederic, "Freddy") who died before his first birthday (1875-1876). And, a new baby sister has been added to the family, Grace Pearl Ingalls (1877-1941). Laura's father gets a job acting as a storekeeper for the Chicago and North Western Railroad who are laying tracks through the Dakota terretory. While working for them, he finds a new homestead on the prairie and brings the rest of his family out. There is concern as to whether he will be able to file his claim on time; but, he does. The Ingalls family are among the first to live near the new town of De Smet, South Dakota (although South Dakota doesn't become a state until 1889). The time frame of this book is 1879-1880 and Laura Elizabeth Ingalls is 12-13 years old. The book was a 1940 Newbery Honor Book (that is, a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best contribution to American children's literature. And, it deserved it! Near the end of the book, Laura gets her first glimpse at the boy who will later become her husband, Almanzo Wilder.

Murray Rothbard once again cuts through the popular dogma and conventional knowledge which government would prefer we all simply take on faith. In this case, the subject is money and the creation of it. Rothbard, an exceptional economist, showcases his ability to set aside the technical jargon and higher mathematics of the profession in favor of language accessible to everyone. In "The Case Against the Fed," Professor Rothbard examines the roots of money, as a commodity with subjective value which, because of wide-spread acceptance and other desireable qualities, becomes a medium of exchange for a people. Furthermore, he exposes the government's, via the Federal Reserve, monopolization of money. Rothbard shows how the Fed uses the power of the printing press to tax the people via inflation, to redistribute income, and to artificailly lower the interest rate leading to the infamous "business cycle" and the roller coaster of depressions and booms which our eceonomy is regualraly subjected to. Anyone who is concerned about the purchasing power of their income and about the unemployment which the business cycle regularly brings should read this book. Professor Rothbard portrays the federal government as what it is: the self-proclaimed, legitimate counterfeiter

Ever since the creation of the Federal Reserve Board ("the Fed"), the American economy has been subject to a cycle of boom and bust. Most recently, we saw a bubble in technology stocks in general and telecommunication stocks in particular, fueled by the creation of credit. But no one wants to blame the culprit -- the Fed. Why has an institution that was created allegedly to bring stability to the economy caused such havoc? Equally importantly, why is an institution that has so much power so unaccountable?

Murray Rothbard (1926-1995) provides in this book an outstanding discussion of money, banking, the Fed, and U.S. monetary policy. As usual, Rothbard sees the "big picture." There was no need for a central bank, however the Banksters ' in combination with Big Business and Big Intellectuals -- pushed for the creation of the Fed. Rothbard's discussion of the battles between the Rockefellers and the House of Morgan is fascinating. (See his Wall Street, Banks and American Foreign Policy for a more elaborate discussion of this great "conspiracy" in U.S. history.)

The foundation for this work is Austrian economic theory. Through fractional reserve banking ' which is little more than legal counterfeiting ' banks are permitted to print new money, thus creating inflation. Yet the central insight of Austrian theory is that this creation of money doesn't simply increase prices, but distorts the cycle of production as it works its way through the economy. This creates the boom and bust cycles that have plagued our economy.

For a more detailed discussion of many of the issues raised in this book, the interested reader should consult Rothbard's The Mystery of Banking.

This book, written by Murray Rothbard, an economist and historian of fairly well known repute, is a scathing attack on not only the Federal Reserve, but the interests that created this institution. Rothbard is an adept writer, as he takes a concept that can be fairly daunting and makes it accessible to the those readers without an economics background. I considered trying to earn a degree in Economics, but abandoned it when I found out that most of it is tied to higher mathematics. I'm more interested in the conceptual side. Rothbard cuts out math and focuses on the real meat of the issue, the concepts that govern money supply and inflation.

The book starts by discussing the biggest problem with the Federal Reserve system, which is fractional reserve banking. Rothbard explains how this system is only functioning because people believe that it works. If there was a run on banks tomorrow, the entire financial system would collapse, because there isn't enough "real" money in reserve to cover all of the bank notes in circulation. Rothbard believes that it is the Fed that causes inflation, and that the Fed is the sole source of inflation in society. It can be a confusing issue to explain, but Rothbard makes it easy.

The rest of the book is a detailed history of the creation of the central banking system. This part can be confusing due to the numerous names that Rothbard flies through as he traces the events leading up to the creation of the Fed at Jekyll Island in 1911. Several interesting points are made during this history. Rothbard says that the Progressive movement in American history was essentially engineered by the money interests to help destroy competition. The little guy couldn't afford to put up with all the regulatory laws passed by the government. This opened the way for the giants, such as Morgan and Rockefeller to monopolize industry. Another point that Rothbard makes is that the history of the United States from after the Civil War to World War Two has essentially been controlled by two financial camps, Morgan and Rockefeller. In this way, he supports views held by many that the big money trust controls the country and owns all of the politicians, an issue that is very much in vogue today, and can be seen in the minor success of Ralph Nader's run for the White House. The book winds up by saying that the only way to restore sanity is to go back to the gold standard, where all money is backed up by an equivalent amount of either gold or silver.

I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in finance and economics. This book is good for anyone who just wants to understand what fractional reserve banking is and how it works. Rothbard died in 1995, but he has left a good account of himself behind for all to enjoy.

This is THE resource you need to plan your gay wedding ceremony. My partner and I are planning a ceremony in Maui this winter, and this book was incredibly helpful. The book "thinks" of all the details you would have forgotten until it was too late! And it helps you stay organized and relaxed about the whole thing. A sense of humor can be so important sometimes. Ann Landers sensibility and Martha Stewart style.
Well, it's time for us to buy rings soon. Let's see what The Guide has to say . . .

My partner and I are planning a commitment ceremony -- (Why didn't somebody warn me about how much work this would be?!)-- and being two guys, albeit gay ones, we really didn't have any idea about what we were doing. We looked at several straight wedding guides and planners, but they weren't very helpful for planning an alternative wedding. We could have made it up from whole cloth, but we needed some idea of the basic do's and don'ts of a wedding. Finally, we found and purchased THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LESBIAN AND GAY WEDDINGS. What a godsend! It takes you through the whole process from engagement to honeymoon and beyond, step by step with in depth descriptions, explanations, and alternatives to tradition. The authors present what might have been rather dry material in an engaging, entertaining manner that keeps it interesting and fun. I found myself reading sections that didn't really apply to us just for the heck of it. They liberally sprinkle personal anecdotes and first-hand experiences from gay and lesbian couples who have tied the knot throughout the book. An invaluable resource for anyone planning or even dreaming about a same-sex ceremony.

I really did not know what to expect when I bought this from Amazon, but I knew that my partner and I needed some help in planning our commitment ceremony and I didn't want to read the standard bridal magazines or wedding planners (they didn't exactly look like a great resource for two guys). This book was the perfect solution -- it covers all the issues and questions that a gay couple faces when planning a wedding from making the announcement to taking the honeymoon. Want to know what stores are gay-friendly with their registry services? Or where to go for a same-sex couple cake topper? Or suggestions for your vows? This book has it all. Beyond exceptional content, it is also well-written, well-designed, and is full of interesting and entertaining bits of trivia about gay marriage. The back of the book includes a thorough index of other off-line and on-line resources to help as well. A great resource.

Please, please do not pass over the other fine stories in GO DOWN, MOSES and go straight to "The Bear." This gem means much more when illuminated by the other parts of the text, and only by reading the entire book can you fully understand the meaning of Ike's repudiation of the McCaslin land. I recently completed a Faulkner course, and of all of his "genius" novels--"As I Lay Dying," "Light in August," "Go Down, Moses," "The Sound and the Fury," and "Absalom! Absalom!"--I believe that this one has the strongest emotional core. Read the whole thing; your experience will be much richer.

I read Go Down Moses in 1996 before taking a trip to Mississippi. I had never read Faulkner before and had only one criterion for picking a book of his: it had to take place in the mythical Yoknapatawpha County. I picked this one off the library shelf.

For any non-southern American whose sole exposure to what happened there was from history books, this should forever shatter the pat preconceptions and simplistic black and white (no pun intended!) formulas they were taught.

The book plunges you into a vast panorama of ambiguities and contradictions. It was clear to me from the first paragraph that Faulkner was a genius. In the whole history of literature, he surely stands among a select few at the very pinnacle of greatness.

Go Down Moses is a tremendous struggle to get through. Some parts are straightforward and easy, but there are others that you can't hope to make literal sense of. You're bombarded by its twisted grammar. Its frantic confusion. Its endlessly unresolved sentences. But through these, Faulkner ultimately conveys the pain of history -- past and present. The emotion of that pain seems more real to him than the specific incidents it sprang from. Why else would a book begun in pre-Civil War Mississippi -- entirely skip it -- picking up again a generation later?

This book is about the South. Having read it, Faulkner walked beside me every step of the way I took through his state. But this book also has a sub-theme that should not be overlooked. Faulkner was a profound environmentalist, although sharply contrasted with how we usually think of that term. Hunters don't much fit the mold of environmentalism -- and Faulkner was an avid one of that lot. So, in that sense, along with all the sociological, he can shake you up pretty good! Go Down Moses contains some of the most wrenching descriptions you could hope to find on the loss of wilderness. There is nothing ambiguous in his portrayal of that loss. Faulkner may confound everything you thought you believed of Southern sociology, but in an environmental sense, he leaves no room for confusion. Leave those trees standing!

This book will grip you; I can't imagine it having a lesser effect. Like all truly great art, it should change you forever.

It becomes quite clear after reading Go Down Moses why many critics call this William Falkner's most mature book dealing with race. In Go Down Moses, the black characters are not only as well represented as may be possible from a white author, they are believable and easy to relate to. The main character "Uncle Ike", the grandson of an influential plantation owner, comes to represent everyone who struggles with identity in the miserable face of racism. The style of the book itself was confusing for readers and critics when first published, as it makes use of a series of chapters, each with its own title and numbered sections. Faulkner resisted having the book called a collection of short stories and most modern readers should have little problem with its nonsequential chapters and its sometimes, seemingly, unrelated characters. If you have read some Faulkner, especially A Light in August or Absalom, Absalom or if you enjoy authors such as Toni Morrison and Richard Wright you must read this book to get an idea of just how far Faulkner came toward wrestling with race in his time.