SATISFIED WITH NOTHIN: A Novel

Amazon.com

Fifteen years after court imposed desegregation, Jamie Ray Griffin is among the first students at his Louisiana high school to integrate. Berated by many of his white classmates, Jamie channels his anger into football and lands a starring role, earning the distant admiration, but not respect, of his peers and community. The brutal assault and lynching of his cousin prompts him to enroll in a black college in pursuit of a career in football, but balancing the rigors of practice and academics proves daunting. When an injury sidelines him for good and his grades slip beyond resurrection, Jamie returns to a low-paying job in his hometown and begins to confront the truth about himself.

Book Description

In this novel, Hill chronicles the transformation of an African-American youth--"a long-awaited incarnation of Richard Wright's Bigger Thomas" ("Baltimore Sun")--from a naive athlete to a college football star at a newly integrated college to a hard-driving, cynical adult determined to succeed despite the opposition of whites and the complacency of blacks.

Customer Reviews:

Loved It!.......2006-05-06

This is a wonderful book. I read this book while attending the University of New Orleans. I was very honored to meet Mr. Hill who visited our classroom to discuss this amazing book. This book has a powerful message and I will make sure that my children when old enough will read this book also.

Touching Story.......2004-06-04

I just finished reading this book. It was kinda of slow at times, but overall it was a good read. I like reading stories about the South. It gave me a window as to what a young black man had to endure. I believe some of the same issues in the book are still present today. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I thought Jamie Ray was going to get out of Pinesboro and lead a different life. I usually don't read books by African American men, but I gave Ernest Hill a chance. He did good enough that I will read his other two books.

Good but could've been better..........2003-06-13

I read "Cry me a River" and made the decision that I would read all of Ernest Hill's books because I enjoyed that one so much. This one was cool, but that one was better. It basically went into the life of a young black man from the south and the prejudice he endured with teachers, students, and later on...fans. The book started off as a page-turner but when it got to sports techniques, I was a little bored. Then again, to be fair, I don't like sports. But when the dialogue played in, I was into the book again. Chapter 15 was VERY slow for me and that was frustrating because you usually look forward to the end. But, the dialogue was believeable, the actions were realistic, and the plot was crisp. So, I'm still going to read his other books!

Good, but sad.......2002-05-04

When Jamie goes to highschool with white students, for the first time, he's not use to all the hositily that the white student's give to the black students. When Jamie joins the football team, and becomes a star he is treated a whole lot better by his white peers. When Jamie's cousin is killed for dating a white girl, Jamie's wonders why whites get a chance to treat blacks so bad. Jamie sees football as his escape, so he goes on to college to play, and hope to have a career in the NFl. I throught this book was really good, especially since i don't stay to far from where most of the action took place, and also I love football. The only thing, i didn't like about this book, is that I throught Jamie was dealt a bad hand. The ending was sad.

One Not Soon To Forget.......1999-08-02

I read this book several years back. I am a 32 year old white man who grew up in the same community as Ernest Hill. I still live here, too. I am very proud of our community. Sure there are advances to be made socially, economically and spititually-but is there a perfect place? No. But, I believe we are much farther down the road than most communities. I can certainly identify with the racism that Ernest refers to. I saw much of it. And still see some of it. Also the plight of the young black man in our town is still uphill but this is one of the most economically depressed areas of the country. Ernest's book is a very honest account of the life and times in our community in the '70's. Hopefully, we have made progress. I recommend this book very highly. Thanks Ernest, you have made us all proud! Keep up the good work.

Average customer rating:

Satisfied with Nothin'
Ernest Hill-
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Publishers-
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PS82BG

Satisfied With Nothin: A Compelling Story of the Rural Black Experience

Average customer rating:

Satisfied With Nothin: A Compelling Story of the Rural Black Experience
Ernest Hill
Manufacturer: Pickaninny Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0963082701

Customer Reviews:

Fem Lit!.......2007-05-19

This is a great book filled with short stories showing the weakness and strengths of women. These women are not your usual women - some are soldiers, some sorceress and others just plain ole women who are thrown into an extraordinary situation and prevail, or do they? They don't all end with the typical fairy tale ending. This book is the first in a series of 21 books. My favorite story is the Thorn and Frostflower involving travel to other worlds by Phyllis Karr.

Strong Stories about Strong Women Protagonists.......2002-06-14

Women read fantasy too. Beloved author/editor Marion Zimmer Bradley created this anthology in 1984 to address just that issue. At a time when women's fantasy was just beginning to make its mark, MZB created an anthology to define the emerging female protagonist. In her introduction, MZB makes it clear that she wanted to avoid the stereotypical Amazon-type heroine who ultimately gave up her freedom to win love. She didn't simply want recreate the old cliché turned upside down-where the men are subservient to women. She wanted stories that gave women new myths to identify with, powerful stories that could be worth consideration by the men and women who read them. This collection is not your average "feminist literature", these are stories that feature warriors, magic-users, healers and thieves-the women of fantasy, the kind of women to give a new generation of fantasy readers characters to see parts of themselves in, and ultimately make readers think.

MZB must have been onto a good thing. In the nearly twenty years since the first publication, there have been 19 Sword and Sorceress anthologies to date. Having read all of these anthologies, I can honestly say that this remains one of the best. The originality of the stories, the quality, the variety; all of these elements make this particular shine out from the group. Out of the fifteen stories, four are written by men, including well-recognized authors Glen Cook and Charles de Lint. MZB prefaces each story with a short blurb about the author and a few comments of her own. These paragraphs, along with her introduction, enable readers to catch the glimpse of MZB's personality and some insight into why she chose the particular stories she's included in this anthology. It becomes clear that each story was selected with care, polished and set in place to augment this anthology. There are no "filler" stories here.

Readers skimming the contents will quickly recognize quite a few of the author names; Glen Cook, Emma Bull, Charles de Lint, Jennifer Roberson and Diana Paxson to name a few. For Emma Bull and some of the other authors listed, this is their first sale. That is an additional bit of delight in these earliest Sword and Sorceress anthologies. So many writers made their first sale, or were just beginning their careers at the time. As to the stories themselves, they are as varied as the authors. For sword and sorcery duos, "The Garnet and the Glory" by Phyllis Ann Karr and "The Rending Dark" by Emma Bull are good examples. For darker, emotionally charged reads, try "Severed Heads" by Glen Cook, or "Sword of Yraine" by Diana L. Paxson. On the lighter side there is "Taking Heart" by Stephen L. Burns, "Daton and the Dead Things" by Michael Ward, and the finale of the anthology, a short-short story by Dorothy J. Heydt, "Things Come in Threes". My particular favorite story-although I admit it is hard to choose just one, all of them have had a powerful impact-is "With Four Lean Hounds" by Pat Murphy. This is a beautiful, fairy-tale-esque story that is as powerful in its message as in its unfolding adventure.

Any reader who loves good fantasy, particularly short stories will likely enjoy this. Women readers especially-but in no way exclusively will appreciate the chance to read about women as protagonists of the epic fantasy story. When this was first published, there were much fewer female fantasy writers and stories available. This has changed dramatically over the intervening two decades. Despite that, it does not diminish the quality of this first anthology-and the stories remain as strong today as they were when published. On a side note-these are all fantasy reads-MZB as a rule does not include science fiction stories in any of her anthologies, although the right story can make her break the rule just a bit. If you can find this anthology, buy it-read it and treasure it.

Happy Reading!

The book that started the series!.......2000-04-02

Sword and Sorceress is the original. This book has given rise to a series spanning 15 other books, and set the precedent for all future books in the series. All the stories in S&S I are about stong female characters, but the stories are diverse. Some are written by men, some by women. Some have only a female protagonist, others have male and female protagonists working together. The protagonist's talents range from shapeshifting, to magic, to swordsmanship. Or should I say swordswomanship? All in all, Bradley has put together a collection of stories that will entertain every fantasy reader. I was especially pleased to find so much variety and quality in one anthology. I like Bradley's novels, and as an editor she is no less disapointing. I highly reccommend any books in the S&S series!

Sword and Sorceress. I: An Anthology of Heroic Fantasy

Average customer rating:

1st of the bradley anthology series
A very good collection, possibly the best of a fine series.
Good reading, but needs to tell where to find full book.
A Very Great Book--A Classic Series
Excellent stories-don't worry about genders.

Sword and Sorceress. I: An Anthology of Heroic Fantasy
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0747231052

Book Description

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress series has always featured the best in contemporary women's fantasy, and this outstanding new volume carries on the tradition! These original stories of brave, talented, and heroic women will take readers through enchanted realms of the imagination into danger both physical and mystical, where the only way to survive is through the power of sword and spell.

Customer Reviews:

1st of the bradley anthology series.......2000-06-06

An anthology can be ruined by one or two stories. Bradley has a knack for picking the finest. She sets a standard for this anthology which she keeps throught the whole series. This series has led me to sample further works by the authors inside. I discovered Jennifer Roberson, Dianne Paxson, Robin Bailey, and many others through their stories in the series and the intros by MZB. I only which the amazing Charles Saunders was more prolific. Buy it, sit back and enjoy.

A very good collection, possibly the best of a fine series........2000-04-11

The Sword And Sorceress series is a series of collections of short stories, of traditional "sword and sorcery" style, but with women as main protagonists. Marion Zimmer Bradley always explains in her introductions that she began the series because in traditional sword and sorcery, what female characters are to be found are invariably "bad conduct prizes" for the (male) main characters.

It's a fine series, and this volume may just be the best; there was not a bad story in the lot, although I wasn't really taken with "Shimmering Scythe", by Vera Nazarian, and had serious doubts about the ending of "A Matter Of Names", by Cynthia Ward. But I WAS very taken by "Oaths", by Lynn Morgan Rosser, perhaps the best of a very good lot, and there were also a number of stories that continued the exploits of characters found in previous volumes, all of which were a pleasure, a renewal of old friendships: "The Sick Rose", by Dorothy Heydt, continues the adventures of Cynthia, the witch of Syracuse; "Skin Deep" by Heather Rose Jones, continues the stories of Laaki, Asholi, and Eysla the skin-changers; "Spring Snow", by Diana Paxson, the adventures of Bera, apprentice Norse wisewoman; and "The Dragon's Horde", by Elisabeth Waters and Raul S. Reyes, the adventures of Princess Rowena and the dragon. If you've enjoyed any of the other collections in this series, you are more than very likely to enjoy this one; if you're not familiar with the series, this is as good an introduction as any.

Good reading, but needs to tell where to find full book........1999-06-24

I really liked the book, but was a little surprized when I tried to find the whole book of one stories and couldn't. I even searched here, on Amazon, and couldn't find it. I thought you could find the book and read the rest but there was nothing that said these were only stories and not clips of full length books. If you can help me I'd really appreciate it. The clip I wanted to read more of was "Gate of the Damned" by Janet Fox.

A Very Great Book--A Classic Series.......1998-11-17

Reading this book, I found it difficult to put down. I really enjoy a good short story, and I rarely find a book in which I like ALL the short stories. An Excellent read!

Excellent stories-don't worry about genders........1998-04-24

This is a great compilation of stories. Period. It's nice to see good writing with main characters as women, but it is the overall quality of the writing that has drawn me back to series, not the theme of it.

Book Description

A lonely astronaut stumbles upon a disaster in the making: the Earth will be turned into a crater-pocked ruin and millions of people will be killed, unless she can convince someone to take preventive action.

But she has a huge problem. After all, who would believe an ordinary young woman who said such a thing, especially if there is no record she is an astronaut…and especially not if she also claims to have come from a different solar system?

Only the U. S. government does, and hunts her with all the forces it can muster. Terrified and with few resources, she tries desperately to disprove people's low opinion of what a young woman is capable of.

And what about her earthly boy friend? Would he believe her, or sell her out?

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But she has a huge problem. After all, who would believe an ordinary young woman who said such a thing, especially if there is no record she is an astronaut.and especially not if she also claims to have come from a different solar system?

And what about her earthly boy friend? Would he believe her, or sell her out?

Customer Reviews:

Close Encounter of the Fifth Kind.......2007-01-05

Is it really? The Fifth Kind is supposed to denote communication with an alien. The Barbie doll who plays the lead in this screenplay waiting to happen is not actually an alien being. She is a human from another planet, and she does one helluva job at communicating! Remember the wonderful magic you felt the first time you saw Spielberg's Close Encounters? Literary author Al Past makes us feel that way again. You will fall in love with an alien all over again, just like you did when you met E.T. The author of Distant Cousin takes you to one of those places we all seek when we encounter a delightful, memorable novel like this one. Mr. Past shows us the majestic beauty of the mountains near Alpine, TX, and he takes us for an exciting ride to other locales both inside and outside the U.S., but those are merely logistical issues that complement the plot. The real story is found in that magical, mysterious place within our hearts.

Romance fans will enjoy this book as much as SciFi bugs. The storyline never encourages you to get out the hankies or bores you with technical mumbo-jumbo. It just blasts along the highway of your first big love affair. Like that affair, you may find a few bumps in the road in the form of grammatical typos, but I assure you they will never give you a flat tire! The characters and plotlines are all first-rate. There isn't a single wasted page or a single slow spot that you just have to wade through to get back to the good part. You will love the lead characters so much that you will be casting in your head for the Spielberg movie long before the end. Don't worry about there never being a sequel: it's already out. This is quite a book. When do we get to see the movie?

A very human approach to science fiction.......2006-03-24

Distant Cousin is a fascinating novel that captivates the reader with the pull of a neutron star. Al Past accomplishes this, not with a lot of pseudo-scientific claptrap, but through the development of a convincing story line with characters who are intriguing and genuine. The reader is almost afforded the illusion of being a part of the novel itself, and characters take on the aspect of being more like personal friends than just people in a story.

Distant Cousin is sublimely entertaining, though the author occasionally uses it as a vehicle to comment on the societal and cultural state of Planet Earth. These observations are keen, insightful, and all the more so since they are seen through the eyes of an impartial alien observer. In a similar fashion, he is also able to portray occurrences that we normally take for granted, such as eating or taking a walk, with the freshness that only an extraterrestrial would perceive. Since the book takes place in several geographic locales, this ability to create moods, atmospheres, and even the sensation of taste, serves him in good stead throughout the work. BUY THE BOOK! READ IT! ENJOY!

A most enjoyable romance, built upon a bit of science fiction - couldn't put it down!.......2006-03-15

This book really engages the reader and manages to keep a refreshingly upbeat tone in spite of the protagonists' struggles, without falling prey to the "...and everyone lived happily ever after" syndrome. The narrative kept my interest level high with a range of believable characters and experiences throughout the book, including plenty of action and plot twists, in settings which spread from West Texas to points East and West in the USA, and beyond - including the Caribbean, across the Atlantic, and into the Southern Hemisphere.

Past writes in a very picturesque style, without becoming lumbering or boring, and he occasionally gives the reader an extra bonus by pausing to paint an especially wonderfully-detailed mural to be enjoyed with some of his characters. The locales in the book really jumped out at me. This may be in part due to the fact that I have actually been to many of the places described, but even so I think that it requires skillful writing to invoke such feelings of nostalgia as I experienced. Warning to some of us (we know who we are): I often found myself craving some really fine food and wine, during the course of reading this novel!

What I want to know is, where can I buy the next volume in this series? Surely, this is Part I of a much bigger story!

Good book from a new author.......2006-01-23

This book kept my interest from the very beginning through the end. Mr. Past's descriptions of the Texas/New Mexico areas are very accurate. His characters seem real and have notable personalities. The story is innovative and believable. A good science or general fiction book.

Awaiting sequel!.......2006-01-21

This is a remarkable and well-written story that grabs you on Page 1. The author is articulate and imaginative and writes with a combination of ardor and humor that make this inspired novel a thrill to read! Unusually vivid characters and the mesmerizing story of this author's debut novel make for a riveting read and leaves you breathlessly awaiting a sequel!

Average customer rating:

Yuppie opinions on kitchen gear found at the mall store

Everything I Wanted

Alton Brown's Gear Book

Shogun Of The Kitchen, Thy Name Is Alton Brown!

Spend a little to save yourself alot

Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen
Alton Brown
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

I'm Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking

I'm Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0

I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking

I'm Just Here for the Food : Kitchen User's Manual

Emsa Perfect Beaker Measuring Beaker

ASIN: 1584792965

Amazon.com

"I think cooking is a lot of fun and I hate to see people not having fun doing it just because they don't have the right tools--which is not to say they need the prettiest, best, most expensive tools. They just need the tools that are right for them." Such is the organizing principle of Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen by the selfsame Alton Brown, star of Food Network's Good Eats as well as award-winning author of I'm Just Here for the Food. It's an interesting, effective principle. It comes from a guy who serves pie with a four-dollar mortar trowel he picked up at the hardware store.

Brown's opening challenge is a 60-day, four phase process of ridding your kitchen of all things unused and insignificant--easy on the surface, but tough in the doing. That leaves room for essential gear. And to help make those choices, Brown looks at pots and pans, sharp things (not just knives, but graters, mandolins, and cheese slicers, too), small things with plugs (as in small appliances--from food processors to coffee makers to deep fat fryers), kitchen tools unplugged (those items that fill drawers), storage and containment, and safety and sanitation.

If this were just an encyclopedia, what an unwholesome bore it would be. But Brown turns this relevant information into a romp. He's talking about the tools he uses, after all, and has no fear of naming likes and dislikes--based on his own experience. He also includes unending side chatter about cutting corners, saving money, and actually putting good tools to work. You'll find recipes throughout, and techniques, too. Like, how to bake a chicken in a flower pot. If you wonder why you would even want to attempt it in the first place, Brown clues you in. Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen is about as guilt free as pleasure will ever get. --Schuyler Ingle

Book Description

Dedicated viewers of Alton Brown's acclaimed Food Network show Good Eats know of his penchant for using unusual equipment. He has smoked a salmon in a cardboard box, roasted prime rib in a flowerpot, and used a C-clamp as a nutcracker.

Brown isn't interested in novelty, he's just devoted to using the best-and simplest-tool for the job. Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen offers honest, practical advice on what's needed and what isn't, what works and what doesn't. His advice: You only need three knives, but they are a lifetime investment. And don't bother with that famous countertop grill-it doesn't get hot enough to properly sear.

In his signature science-guy style, Brown begins with advice on kitchen layout and organization, then gets to the lowdown on these cooking elements: Big Things with Plugs; Pots and Pans; Sharp Things; The Tool Box; Small Things with Plugs; Storage and Containment; and Safety and Sanitation. Along the way he delves deep into kitchen science and appliance history and legend. Included are 25 brand-new recipes that employ featured gear.

Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen is essential for all of his fans-and anyone who wants a good guide to great kitchen gear.

Customer Reviews:

Yuppie opinions on kitchen gear found at the mall store.......2007-05-16

For the first couple of seasons, 2000-2002, I was a HUGE Alton Brown fan. Finally, here was a TV show cook that approached cooking with common sense, and who took the time to explain the science behind the art. Naturally, when his "Gear For Your Kitchen" book came out in 2003, I just had to have a copy right away. At first, I was entralled. But, that soon turned to disappointment as I read him recommend gadget after unnecessary gadget. When I shop for kitchen gear I ask myself a series of questions.

Is it multipurpose?
Is it inexpensive?
Is it durable?
Can it work without power or batteries?
Would grandma have used it intuitively?

Sadly, much of the gear AB recommends fail several of those simple ways of separating the necessary from the clutter.

I don't mean to make the book sound all bad. It's got some educational portions, such as the chapter on sharp things, which might serve to raise general awareness of what constitutes a good knife, or the section on the various qualities of different pot materials. But, all in all, this book leaves one with the impression that it takes mountains of gear to produce good food. It doesn't. Some of the best cooks I've known have had very sparsely appointed kitchens devoid of most of the products mentioned in this book for yuppies.

I just recently hauled this book out again to see if I needed to keep it on the shelf, and after perusing it again after several years, I've concluded that it's going to the 2nd hand store, along with several of the items that I bought as a result of reading this book the first time such as the electric kettle and electric griddle.

Everything I Wanted.......2007-01-23

It's not Consumer Reports, but I trust years of working in a kitchen over a non-profit outfit. Seriously helped narrow our needs from the wastes of time / space / money.

Alton Brown's Gear Book.......2007-01-18

I love this man. I like his style and I appreciate his knowledge. This book has provided excellent tips on kitchen items. I've used them to make purchases and to get rid of stuff from my kitchen. I'm going to try his other books on food; I hope there are good tips there as well!

Shogun Of The Kitchen, Thy Name Is Alton Brown!.......2007-01-17

Streamline your kitchen and simply your life! The inimitable Alton Brown, reigning Food Network uber-genius and coolest of the cool, pares an efficient kitchen down to the true essentials. Armed with his pragmatic nihilism and bolstered by his golden rule about multi-tasking---the only uni-tasking tool in the kitchen should be the fire extinguisher!--- Brown, or "AB" as we in the know call him (yes, I'm laughing at myself here!) goes through the whys and wherefores of kitchen utensils, cookware, tools, gadgets of every creed and size and shows us why we really don't need as much in our kitchens as we've been spoon-fed to believe we do. This book could save a new cook or someone trying to stock a kitchen a lot of money, and can be a great way for the rest of us to free up serious space in our cabinets, shelves and cooktops. It's also a snidely funny book that's a delight to read, dead-on accurate, and trustworthy to the faintest detail. Every household with a serious cook in it should own this book!

Spend a little to save yourself alot.......2007-01-11

I see this book as an essential item for anyone who;
A. Is sick and tired of a very cluttered kitchen
B. Is starting out fresh and wants to learn what to look for and avoid.
C. Is looking to upgrade their "culinary toolbox".

This book is a great read a very handy "guide" to making your kitchen a fun place to cook. We have a very small kitchen that was very cluttered with all kind of kitchen tools and by following alot of advice given in this book it has definitely made our cooking experience more enjoyable. We have about 1/2 the equipment in our kitchen now and can honestly say I haven't missed 1 piece we got rid of and we are having alot more fun. I can't imagine the hours AB has spent on research for this but I know I really thank him for it. By spending a little on this book it has saved us alot of $ and time searching for products that best suit our culinary needs. This is 1 book I will buy more copies of to give to friends and relatives.

Good luck to all in your culinary adventures.

I'm Just Here for More Food/Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen Two-Pack: A Special Set for Amazon.com Shoppers

Average customer rating:

Amazing Helper
AB strikes again!
Great Stuff
I'm Just Here for More Food/Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen
AB roxxors

I'm Just Here for More Food/Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen Two-Pack: A Special Set for Amazon.com Shoppers
Alton Brown
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1584796189

Book Description

A special two-book set exclusively available to Amazon.com customers: two bestselling favorites from Alton Brown, star of Food Network's Good Eats and the new series Feasting on Asphalt.

In his best-selling first book, Food Network star Alton Brown described what happens when food meets heat. Now Alton is back and ready to revolutionize the world of baking--and more. Breads, cakes, cookies, pies, custards, ice creams: the popular host of Good Eats explores the science behind our favorite sweets and savories-explaining it all in his own inimitable style.

The book opens with a complete encyclopedia of the core ingredients or "the molecular pantry"-what they are, what they do, and how they play together (or don't). The main part of the book is divided by mixing method: Biscuit, Creaming, Muffin, Straight Dough, Modified Dough, Eggfoam, Custards, and a section called As Well As . . . , which includes such specialized methods as crepes, popovers, mousse, and doughnuts. To underscore the importance-and ease-of mastering the mixing techniques, the book features a special design that adds a half-page flap to the opening page of each mixing section. Printed on the flap is the master mixing technique to serve as a ready reference for each recipe that follows in that section.

The more than 80 recipes cover all the basics any baked-good lover could covet, from pie crust to funnel cake to homemade Pop Tarts to cheese soufflé. Select master recipes feature variations that underscore the effects of altering ingredient ratios or preparation methods. The classic chocolate chip cookie, for example, can be interpreted in soft, chewy, and crispy consistencies.

At 304 pages, the trivia-filled tome also contains all the fun components Brown fans have come to expect: fact-packed sidebars, intricate illustrations, glossaries, appendices, equipment lists-the works. It's everything readers have been waiting for . . . and more! Alton Brown is the writer, director, and host of the popular Food Network television program Good Eats. His first book, I'm Just Here For the Food, received the 2003 James Beard Foundation KitchenAid Book Award for Best Reference Book. His second book, Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen, was nominated for both a James Beard and an IACP cookbook award.

Dedicated viewers of Alton Brown's acclaimed Food Network show Good Eats know of his penchant for using unusual equipment. He has smoked a salmon in a cardboard box, roasted prime rib in a flowerpot, and used a C-clamp as a nutcracker.

Brown isn't interested in novelty, he's just devoted to using the best-and simplest-tool for the job. Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen offers honest, practical advice on what's needed and what isn't, what works and what doesn't. His advice: You only need three knives, but they are a lifetime investment. And don't bother with that famous countertop grill--it doesn't get hot enough to properly sear.

In his signature science-guy style, Brown begins with advice on kitchen layout and organization, then gets to the lowdown on these cooking elements: Big Things with Plugs; Pots and Pans; Sharp Things; The Tool Box; Small Things with Plugs; Storage and Containment; and Safety and Sanitation. Along the way he delves deep into kitchen science and appliance history and legend. Included are 25 brand-new recipes that employ featured gear.

Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen is essential for all of his fans--and anyone who wants a good guide to great kitchen gear.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Helper.......2007-07-25

Alton Brown's books are so easy to follow and really help your understand your foods and utensils in the kitchen.

AB strikes again!.......2007-06-08

I love these books! I am a kitchen gear fanatic and of course an AB fan, so I had to get Gear For Your Kitchen. He isn't doing shameless plugs for certain brands, he is simply telling you what gear he personally likes, and why. I got some very useful tips for buying and using gear from this book. And I'm Just Here for More Food 2.0 is a great resource for learning various cooking techniques- as you've read by now in the other reviews for this book, it isn't a recipe book (although it does have many recipes), it is more of a How-To guide, which is what anyone who watches his show no doubt wants. If you are a Good East fan, you know what AB is like and this book is just like him. 'Nuff said.

Great Stuff.......2007-05-13

One of the best combinations of cookbook and food science textbook out there. A great read with good illustrations that really explains the science of food.

I'm Just Here for More Food/Alton Brown's Gear for Your Kitchen.......2007-04-11

They're both great books. They're typical Alton Brown. The book on Gear for your kitchen is a great book for the cooking beginner.

AB roxxors.......2007-02-19

Geek that he is, I thought it would be appropriate to title this review "AB roxxors." I own these books but I did not purchase them in this bundle.

...More Food is AB's baking book. If you've never baked before, this is a very important manual. It's a manual, not a cookbook. Between its covers you will find everything a beginning baker needs to know to produce great results every time. It also contains the whats and whys of baking chemistry so even advanced bakers will find use for this great tome.

AB's Gear for the Kitchen. I may have reviewed this before but I'll say it again. If you love kitchen gizmos, you need this book. Keep this reference handy and consult it often. You'll never buy a bogus/useless gadget ever again. He encourages you NOT to buy gadgets for gadgetry's sake, but if you MUST buy, he explains to look for and what works.

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Alton Browns Gear for Your Kitchen
Alton Brown
Manufacturer: STEWART TABORI & CHANG
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W4ACGG

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