A Big Elephant Has Been Killed

Book Description

A Big Elephant Has Been Killed is a deeply moving and gripping narrative that interweaves stories of ordinary friendships, love affairs, and sexual relationships with a discussion of society and politics in contemporary Ghana. Although Ghana provides the setting, the novel foregrounds a range of issues relevant to Africa and the black Diaspora as a whole. Badly disillusioned from their years of youthful idealism, a group of friends clings with fleeting solace to their vision for their country through their discussions on poverty, pan-Africanism, underdevelopment, religious identity, social revolution and AfricaÂ's relationship with the West. But the challenges of their daily existence compel them to question the ethics and relevance of their idealism, and eventually lead to the desperate decision to steal from the Â“Big ElephantÂ” in the penultimate gamble to empower themselves as agents of social transformation.

Customer Reviews:

A great work.......2004-03-23

Agyeman's ability to write realistic characters with very different perspectives on the same situation really makes this book come to life. The book evolves as you learn more about each characters background and you begin to understand each one's motivation for their part in the desperate undertaking the embark on. The book informs as well as entertians, leaving the reader enriched in many ways.

Book Description

Civilization is advancing rapidly, the world population burgeoning. Satan has caused the fall of man and now wants complete control of earth. His chief problem is the annoying line of humans descended from Seth. They insist on honoring the Creator. His other problem is the prophecy spoken in the Garden of Eden. There's a Redeemer coming who has the power to and quot;crush his head and quot; and ultimately defeat him. Satan is determined to stop this from happening. Knowing the Redeemer must be born of a human to be truly both human and God, Satan initiates a grand scheme to pollute the human bloodline and prevent the prophesy from coming to pass! Based on Genesis 6, this story will inspire readers as it transports them to an ancient time in the development of Christ's lineage!

Customer Reviews:

Immediately captured........2006-08-29

I was immediately captured and drawn into this story. Mr. Hirt has a wonderful writing style that keeps you interested. And the story is full of a wide array of events, wonderous lands, interesting characters, and a solid story line. You will enjoy this one and the other two in the trilogy I am sure.

Had to wait my turn to read this one.......2006-01-11

I brought this book home, figuring I'd be able to dive into it right away. Right. My husband and my son tussled for it as soon as I placed it on the kitchen counter.
When I was finally able to read Flight to Eden, I enjoyed it thoroughly! I've researched Genesis minutely for my own work, so I was pleased that the plot provided so many twists and turns and such action, balanced with a sense of wonder--yet again--at the world as it might have been before the Great Flood. Settle in for a great read!

4.75 stars! A Pre-flood Fantasy novel!.......2005-06-18

First off, about the only thing that could detract from the book are a few more noticeable typos than I expected, but not so many that it would keep you from reading this excellent, pre-flood fantasy novel.

The characters are strong and varied. The technologies the author invents for the pre-flood world are imaginative and plausible. The variety of animals and the way some are domesticated was an interesting part of the story, as well as the use of certain plants for food and fuel.

The way the spiritual realm and the physical were intertwined and effected one another was well done and drove the story. There were some recognizable Biblical characters in the story, which only added to its depth. The portrayal of the Nephilim was well done and reflected a Biblical truth behind the flood that many people know nothing about or gloss over.

The whole layout of the story is reminiscent of a classical fantasy adventure where the characters struggle to achieve a particular mission or fulfil a particular quest.

I highly recommend this book and I will be on the lookout for book two in the Cradleland Chronicles.

Flight to Eden.......2005-04-28

Gripping page turner! Well crafted with engaging characters. A story line that draws you in immediately. Hard to set down! Can't wait for the next installment!

Satisfying and fun, well worth the read.......2005-03-31

I am so relieved to see fiction of this nature published; it's about time someone got it right when it comes to quasi-historical novels dealing with this time period. I loved the fact that the story ran the gamut from adventure to drama to spiritual warfare. Though I was slightly surprised by some format issues (why not have numbers within the text spelled out, and it seemed odd to have standard biblical spelling of names next to imaginary ones created for the sake of the story), I very much enjoyed the book overall, and was pleased to say that the author has envisioned the world before the deluge as very similar to what I imagine it was like. There are some interesting and original twists and turns in the narrative, and the ending has me eager to pick up the next book. Overall, bravo, Douglas Hirt, for a job well done. Thank you, River Oak, for taking a chance with this series.

The Magnificent Book Of Kites: Explorations In Design, Construction, Enjoyment & Flight (Revised Edition)

Average customer rating:

excellent source for kite making
Read : kite construction book!
Kites, Kites and More Kites
Could have been better...
Great book but badly edited

The Magnificent Book Of Kites: Explorations In Design, Construction, Enjoyment & Flight (Revised Edition)
Maxwell Eden
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0806949902

Book Description

Go fly a kite...and much, much more! Whether you yearn for a simple-to-make and use project or a one-of-a-kind, award-winning beauty, this ultimate, unbeatable guide has everything you need to know. Over 1500 illustrations cover the process of building a range of kites--including 37 of the world's most popular models: the Bug, the Sting Ray, the Kaleidakite, three kinds of Fighters, and Stunt Kits, plus others that resemble a coffee cup, sled, and even an immense dragonfly. You can stop there, or use these patterns as a take off point; just let your imagination soar and transform any one of the projects into something completely new and special. With basic instructions on aerodynamics, sewing, heat-sealing, and safety, there won't be any problem constructing a kite that will catch the wind and fly sky-high! Bonus: a list of nationwide festivals and events, kite clubs, and stunt kiting. The author lives in Fair Lawn, NJ. 464 pages, 8 x 9.

Customer Reviews:

excellent source for kite making.......2004-09-23

Maxwell Eden did an excellent job of explaining how to make kites. The book is packed with kite building information including step-by-step processes, closeup drawings, as well as color photos of completed kites. The specific instruction and detail on constructing a wide range of flyers is excellent.
If you're new to kite making this is the book you want. After I bought several books and searched the internet for plans and ideas, I'd have to say that this is the must-have reference.
Eden reviews aerodynamics, knots, materials, stitches, patterns, parafoils, deltas, multi-cells, sleds, power-kiting, kite applique (graphics), tips and more.
Some plans could use more information but for the most part it is very well done.

Read : kite construction book!.......2002-08-20

This book has several original designs, but some are just overly complicated and time consuming to build. You should try building a simple design : the Trefoil Delta kite! I credit Maxwell Eden particularly for including many useful tips on construction (seams, connectors, knots etc). Together with the book by Pelham you could not go wrong, anytime!

Kites, Kites and More Kites.......2002-03-09

This book has an array of kites from easy to make to complicated ones. It has step by step instructions and are easy to follow. I bought it to teach students and they had a ball. Is good for elementary to high school students and also for parents to teach their children the fun of kite creation.

Could have been better..........2000-04-22

The Magnificent Book of Kites had a lot of worthwhile information. Unfortunately, it may have spent too little time at the editor. Many illustrations referred to on the text are no where to be found. There are an excessive amount of typo's. Many of them are significant, like switching inches with feet. There are some interesting designs for kites to be built, but with incomplete and innacurate information, they may be hard to build, especially the more complex kites. There is some history of kiting. I found it somewhat interesting. Good explaination of different kite materials. The whole thing just seemed very haphazard and incomplete

Great book but badly edited.......2000-01-29

This book is magnificent but it is filled with many annoying errors, such as references to illustrations that aren't in the book. It seems that the job of rearranging the original 'Kite-Maker' book was botched. This means that I only give the book 3 stars, otherwise it would have been 5 stars.

Flight from Eden: The Origins of Modern Literary Criticism and Theory

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Flight from Eden: The Origins of Modern Literary Criticism and Theory
Steven Cassedy
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0520068637

Book Description

Steven Cassedy takes aim at two of the most enduring myths of modern criticism: that it is secular, and that it is new and autonomous. He argues that though modern criticism is often forbiddingly scientific and technical, the modern critic remains something of a mystic. Every school of modern criticism--from structuralism to postmodern criticism--rests on a faith in an "Eden," an irreducible essence, a myth, like the common myth that there is an intrinsic distinction between "poetic" language and "ordinary" language. The modern critic attempts to abandon all mystical faith; this is the "flight from Eden." But it is always in vain.
It is traditionally assumed that modern literary criticism and theory came from France, and relatively recently. In fact, according to Cassedy, the entire modern critical consciousness was already formed by the early twentieth century in the minds of writers who were primarily neither professional critics nor philosophers, but poets. Some were French (Mallarmé, and Valéry); others were not (Rilke, Bely, and the Russian avant-garde poet Velimir Khlebnikov). In them we find the same Edenic faith, the same effort to abandon it, and the same failure of that effort.

4 Ken Follett Books: Hornet Flight, The Man From St. Petersburg, On Wings of Eagles, The Hammer of Eden (Unboxed Set of Books)

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4 Ken Follett Books: Hornet Flight, The Man From St. Petersburg, On Wings of Eagles, The Hammer of Eden (Unboxed Set of Books)
Ken Follett
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WOPXGA

Product Description

4 Ken Follett Books: Hornet Flight, The Man From St. Petersburg, On Wings of Eagles, The Hammer of Eden (Unboxed Set of Books), in either Hard or Softcover, (See Seller Condition Comments), Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.

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Oh come on!
Wonderful story
Wonderful
MARTIAN WONDERLAND
Tom Clancy meets Ayn Rand

Flight from Eden
Kathryn A. Graham
Manufacturer: Writer's Showcase Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595199402

Book Description

What could a computer expert, a mercenary with admitted sadistic tendencies, a cashiered U.S.A.F. officer and a world-famous astrophysicist possibly have in common? Courage!

They are each prepared to sacrifice life, fortune and sacred honor to free their nation from the grip of tyranny. To accomplish this, they must attempt the impossible. If they fail, the streets of their nation will run red with blood.

If they succeed, they will die millions of miles from their home.

The time is the near future. The United States is suffering in the grip of a fanatical and repressive theocracy that seems to jump right off the pages of today's newspapers. While the rest of the world mourns the end of greatness, some very human scientists find a unique and daring solution . . .

The art of resistance can take many forms.

Download Description

What could a computer expert, a mercenary with admitted sadistic tendencies, a cashiered U.S.A.F. officer and a world-famous astrophysicist possibly have in common? Courage! They are each prepared to sacrifice life, fortune and sacred honor to free their nation from the grip of tyranny. To accomplish this, they must attempt the impossible. If they fail, the streets of their nation will run red with blood. If they succeed, they will die millions of miles from their home. The time is the near future. The United States is suffering in the grip of a fanatical and repressive theocracy that seems to jump right off the pages of today?s newspapers. While the rest of the world mourns the end of greatness, some very human scientists find a unique and daring solution . . .The art of resistance can take many forms.

Customer Reviews:

Oh come on!.......2005-04-17

I confess, I managed to read less than twenty pages of this book before the upchuck factor kicked in, forcing me to stop. I haven't seen writing this bad since some of my own efforts when I was twelve or thirteen. No, I am not some "anti-freedom" ogre, and I count Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, John Ross' Unintended Consequences and L. Neil Smith's Pallas as some of my favorite books. And Victor Koman's incredible novel, Kings of the High Frontier. (Please, read that INSTEAD of this book!)

What we get from Ms. Graham is stilted, unreal dialogue with long adverbial modifiers on every single line of conversation, weighing down the narrative flow like an anchor. Not a trace of humor or irony lightens the writing, nor did I see anything I could count as intelligent observation or insight.

In the first chapter she introduces us to an America "in the near future" which has become such an extreme theocracy as to make Khomeni's Iran look like a paradise of tolerance. Science is not just uncool or unfashionable; scientists are declared to be criminals and are imprisoned just for being scientists. Just how much "willing suspension of disbelief" are you willing to give an author before you just decide, "Boy, is this dumb!"? Yet somehow this repressive society maintains a high tech civilization with airplanes, spaceflight and computers. Yeah, right.

In the second chapter (which is as far as I got), we have Uzi-toting scientists raiding some unidentified "compound" and cold-bloodedly murdering the security guards. How would a scientist get a Uzi, do you wonder? Wonder away; you won't be told. Our lady hero (world class astrophysicist, master pilot and martial arts expert at the ripe old age of 28!) kills a guard, goes into shock, then has a shot of whiskey and all of a sudden she's back on track, not just following, but *leading* the discussion of their planned operation ... maybe you can't wait to learn what happens next.

I can.

Wonderful story.......2003-10-23

Set in the near future, the United States is suffering in the grip of a fanatical and repressive theocracy. The people are blinded to the truth. Freedom is no longer part of the Constitution!

A computer expert, a mercenary with admitted sadistic tendencies, a cashiered U.S.A.F. officer, a doctor, and a world-famous astrophysicist have joined forces to create an underground movement. They would give their lives, if need be, to free the nation from the grip of tyranny. If they fail, millions will die. If they succeed, they will die millions of miles from their homes.

**** This is an incredible piece of work! The reader is not given all the information up front. However, the action and suspense keeps the reader glued as everything becomes apparent. I am unable to tell much about the story without giving away vital parts of the plot. Therefore, most of what is written in the synopsis above is from the back of the book. But never believe that there is not more going on than meets the eye in this dramatic sci-fi epic. Wonderful story! ****

Wonderful.......2003-10-23

Set in the near future, the United States is suffering in the grip of a fanatical and repressive theocracy. The people are blinded to the truth. Freedom is no longer part of the Constitution!

MARTIAN WONDERLAND.......2002-12-31

Kathryn Graham's FLIGHT FROM EDEN was a delightful read-definitely a sci-fi thriller. Chapter by chapter she proves herself to be a master of conflict and suspense. I liked the Biblical verses opening every chapter-they reminded me of the 1984'ish overlording of Big Theocratic Brother. These verses and the undercover saboteur were nice reminders of what the story was all about-an escape from religious tyranny.

I had some trouble with the main character, Kris, an asexual, work driven smidgen of a woman who nearly explodes with sexuality in the last chapter. She was driven to accomplish her mission to Mars before allowing herself real, human emotions. In short she had M.L. King's vision from the mountaintop but I failed to attribute his deep rooted motivation to her.

I think the book has great commercial possibility-even for film. What I saw, however, were characters as pretty much pawns to the plot. The plot was a very good one but it's hard to have everything. There was some excellent dialogue like "death is the last and greatest adventure." The fast pace of the action didn't leave too much room for character development. The ending was accomplished by what the ancient Greek dramatists called a deus ex machina-a god lowered from the sky. To capsulize this was an excellent space opera.

Tom Clancy meets Ayn Rand.......2002-06-19

An absolute page-turner! I found myself ripping anxiously through the 380 pages, and disappointed to finally reach the end. One of those great books you wish would go on and on. Ms. Graham's first novel is an ingenious blend of mystery, science fiction, friendship, romance and triumph over oppression. A must read for Tom Clancy and Ayn Rand fans, but lacks their extensive (sometimes exhausting) attention to details. One can't help but wonder if Flight From Eden will become the prophetic tale for the next generation that 1984 and Animal Farm were for ours. Her characters are extremely likable, intelligent, and will bring you from laughter to tears many times. The heroine and her three compatriots exemplify courage, strength, bravery, loyalty, patriotism, and a libertarian spirit not found since Atlas Shrugged. The difficulties that this unlikely bunch of heroes encounters are not only realistic, but also bear an eerie resemblance to our current state of affairs. I can't wait for her next book!

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Flight of Fancy
Laura Eden
Manufacturer: Silhouette Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OO91XO

Flight of Fancy (Silhouette Romance, 210)

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Flight of Fancy (Silhouette Romance, 210)

Manufacturer: Pocket Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Silhouette Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0671572105

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FLIGHT OF HAWKS
MATTHEW EdeN
Manufacturer: PINNACLE BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NDYYS8

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Flight of Hawks
Matthew Eden
Manufacturer: Abelard-Schuman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLRZYC

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Flight of Hawks
Matthew Eden
Manufacturer: Pinnacle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000CZ3BNQ

Customer Reviews:

A winner of a book........2004-11-20

She died to save humankind from a species that would have destroyed it. She died with an embyronic queen alien growing inside her, knowing it was the only way. So how can Ellen Ripley be alive again now? Decades later, aboard a laboratory ship in Pluto orbit? And what's become of her unwelcome passenger?

I can't believe I read this book through to the last page. Its gore and grossness factor goes far beyond my usual tolerance, which is why I found myself unable to watch the movie on which it's based. But I picked the novelization up anyway because of A.C. Crispin's other work, and she hooked me before I finished the first chapter. Her villians are the kind any reader will love to hiss, her Ripley is the most poignant of heroines, and each of her secondary characters is a memorable individual. Even the aliens themselves gain a certain creepy sympathy in the hands of Crispin and co-author Kathleen O'Malley. Add to this a fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping story line, and you've got a winner of a book. Media tie-in or not, it makes no difference.

An above average novelization, but flawed.......2003-10-14

Most novelizations of films are little more than breathless descriptions of what happened on screen. They had more of a place years ago when people did automatically buy videos or DVDs, and once your favorite film left the cineplex, you might not see it again for years...so the novelization would let you "relive" the film. That's not necessary anymore, so the only function they can have is to fill-in information that might have been left on the cutting room floor.

A.C. Crispin makes a sincere effort with "Alien Resurrection", and it doesn't read too badly. It does fall short of a real novel in it's dramatic structure and characterization. She makes a token attempt to fill in backgrounds, even first names, for characters who in the film often are killed off before we get a chance to know them. (Personally, I think this is a flaw in the movie, as we can't possibly care about the death of a character we have barely been introduced to.)

Since the novelization came out at virtually the same time as the film was released, I am guessing that it had to be written before viewing the finished film and that it is largely based on older versions of the script and maybe rough cuts of the movie. There are numerous deviations from the finished film, none of them cosmically important but if you enjoy certain bits of dialogue -- especially some of the very humorous throw-away lines -- it is disconcerting to see them stated differently or clipped or just dropped entirely.

What I was hoping for WAS that the novelization would fill in some of the critical information gaps in the film -- especially Call's motivation in joining the smuggler crew of the Betty and heading out to the Auriga to destroy the alien breeding experiment. This is confusingly told in the film. If Call is so concerned about the Betty crew, why doesn't she do something to prevent them from ever kidnapping the cryo-sleepers BEFORE they reach the Auriga? Why does she allow all the cryo-sleepers to be impregated and killed? Wouldn't it have been simpler for her to have joined the crew of the Auriga and sabotaged the experiement from within the military? Anyways, I will have to live with the ambivalence (or Joss Whedon's slightly wobbly, undercooked script) because the novelization provides no real answers.

Still, most novelizations I have read are complete and utter dreck and this one definitely is not. I think it's a serious attempt to create a companion piece to the film. I just wish the author had stuck with the details a little more clearly.

The Book vs. The Movie.......2002-03-16

After seeing the movie, I didn't know if I could bring myself to read this book. All those flawed places, complete with a flawed ending, really left a person wanting. Still, the book was a gift and I really do need my Xeno-Xip, so I decided reading it would be for the best. Yes, I read and read and wondered exactly why this was so good and the movie was so bad. The book filled in most of those huge holes that the movie left open, and it made me wish I would have just jumped here instead of burning money at the movies. That couldn't happen, though, and I'm glad the book was there to pick up those poor, sequel-shattered pieces.

The Best of The Best.......2000-09-01

I have to agree with the majority of the people.This is an excellent book.My goodness it tops the movie 100%.To be in the minds of the aliens was chilling.I was so sad when the book ended.It's good to see people enjoying it as much as I did.

Ripley's back - or is she?.......1999-01-26

Talk about making the best of a bad job! This book is definitely - no offence to the scriptwriter, Joss Whedon - an improvement on the screenplay. In the film there are some gaps you could put the Titanic through, but the book fills them in admirably. Alien3, in my opinion, detracted from the sweep of Aliens, but Alien: Resurrection redeems the series somewhat, and the novelisation is an epic in itself. A.C. Crispin and Kathleen O'Malley, I salute you.

Alien Resurrection: The Official Junior Novelization

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Alien Resurrection: The Official Junior Novelization
Terry Bisson , and Joss Whedon
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The battle is on again, between a reluctantly reincarnated Ripley, and the deadliest aliens ever to hit the big screen! A top-secret military lab in deep space is the scene of a chilling experiment gone awry, as the monsters are reborn inside hijacked human bodies.

This official Alien Resurrection Junior Novelization details every chilling encounter, every explosive action sequence. Nothing is left out.

You won't miss a moment of the nonstop suspense and startling special effects in the fourth hit film in the most popular sci-fi thriller series everstarring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder.

Average customer rating:

Each recipe is more tantalizing than the other! Do get it!

Nice book , would be perfect if it had pictures

Excellent vegetarian Thai cookbook

How much more reassurance do you need? This is exceptional!

Delicious recipes, well laid-out book

Real Vegetarian Thai
Nancie McDermott
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Thai | Asian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Indian Vegetarian Cooking at Your House

Buddha's Table: Thai Feasting Vegetarian Style

Madhur Jaffrey's World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking

Real Thai: The Best of Thailand's Regional Cooking

Flavors of India: Vegetarian Indian Cuisine

ASIN: 0811811514

Book Description

Real Thai has gone vegetarian! Everyone loves Thai food, but it's not easy to find truly meatless dishes. Thai cooking expert Nancie McDermott has developed inventive variations on traditional recipes, providing health-conscious cooks with a repertoire of meatless dishes that captures the vibrant spirit of Thailand. A helpful glossary introduces readers to the seemingly mysterious yet widely available ingredients and equipment used in Thai cooking and offers tips for finding or substituting them. With an emphasis on the classic techniques, ingredients, and flavors of Thai cuisine, this groundbreaking cookbook provides one hundred delicious recipes for everyday meals and special occasions.

Customer Reviews:

Each recipe is more tantalizing than the other! Do get it!.......2006-12-31

I have tried about seventy percent of the recipes in this book - sometimes even substituting ingredients - and yet had success each and every single time. Friends and family think I took classes in Thai cooking - thanks to the authoress, for a truly wonderful book! Also I did not realise how much better the food tastes - I suspect most restaurants do use a 'tad-bit' of fish-sauce or oyster-sauce - because without these, I find my dishes turn out with richer flavours and taste.

I do wish there were pictures in colour though, because after all, isn't half the fun in cookbooks about lusting at the beautifully laden dishes, having your mouth water and then rushing in a frenzy to cook 'em up and dig your hungry paws (um, I mean chopsticks) in 'em :)?

Nice book , would be perfect if it had pictures.......2006-04-24

This is a nice cookbook. All the recipes that I have tried have turned out exactly as I expected (not common for all cookbooks offered for sale). It is very handy that the author gives recipes for 4 different types of curry paste. I also appreciate the glossary of Thai terms.

The Fried Cashews with Chilies and Green Onions is a particularly good recipe.

If you like Thai food this is a nice cookbook to have in your library. Also, if you like spicy food or Chinese food, I suggest that you give this book a try.

Excellent vegetarian Thai cookbook.......2005-12-21

I have used many different recipes in this book and every one turns out consistently great. I definitely would recommend this cookbook.

How much more reassurance do you need? This is exceptional!.......2005-04-01

To date, all of the reviews here grant four or five stars to this book - and I am no exception. This little red book contains the most delicious selection of vegetarian Thai recipes that I have encountered in my 15 years of cooking vegetarian meals. Not only are the recipes quite easy in preparation, but they also are based on easily available ingredients and are very quick to make. The outcome is almost always exceptional - both in taste and presentation. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book as a valuable addition to anyone's collection of cookbooks. As you can see from the other reviews, I am not alone. So, what are you waiting for? It's rare to find such a unanimously positive opinion about anything.

Delicious recipes, well laid-out book.......2004-03-08

Vegetarians have long bewailed the difficulty of making Thai food: almost every ready-made Thai curry paste available contains shrimp or worse. Now it is possible to concoct your own! McDermott has created an Eastern cookbook with a Western eye, taking the mystery out of this delicious cuisine. Recipes are categorised along familiar lines, exotic ingredients are explained in a glossary and sources listed, unusual techniques (from opening a coconut to roasting chillis) are fully explained. This cookbook is very helpful indeed: there's even a bibliography and a list of menu suggestions, you can alter the amount of heat in a dish to taste (I'm a wimp about chillis and am doing fine), and she is not too snobbish to suggest replacements, such as ginger if galanga is unavailable. The lay-out is clear and easy to follow, and there are several interesting anecdotes about McDermott's travels in Thailand and the traditional Thai way of life.

The recipes are imaginative, healthy, straightforward to make, and they work beautifully. Many of them are vegan, and adaptations are usually suggested for those which are not. A "Basic Recipes" section gives recipes for essentials such as the different curry pastes, roasted chilli paste, vegetable stock, and "mushroom mince" (which she has invented to replace minced meat in traditional recipes).

Some examples of recipes included are:

Crispy spring rolls with sweet and hot garlic sauce
Green papaya salad
Jasmine rice soup with mushrooms, green onions and crispy garlic
Red curry with eggplant and sweet peppers
Butternut squash in fresh green curry
Firecracker broccoli
Coconut ice cream
Thai iced tea

To my surprise, Thai cookery turned out not just to be possible for vegetarians and vegans (an astonishing number of recipes are here, and meat-eaters will certainly not feel deprived), but the ingredients are easy to find, the recipes easy to make, and the results are dazzling.

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