First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix (Texas Pan American Literature in Translation)

Book Description

"Reading Rheda's short stories and novel has been a delightful discovery for me.... Her style is full of wit, delicious and sometimes devastating irony, and captivating poetic imagery. Her book, in short, will be hard for readers to put down."

—David George, Professor of Spanish, Lake Forest College

Regina Rheda is a contemporary award-winning Brazilian writer whose original voice and style have won her many admirers. First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix presents some of her finest and most representative work to an English-speaking readership. Stories from the Copan Building consists of eight tales set in a famous residential building in São Paulo. The stories, like the apartment complex, are a microcosm of modern-day urban Brazil. They are witty, consistently caustic, and never predictable.

Also in this volume is the poignant and often hilarious novel First World Third Class. It depicts young middle-class professionals and artists who, as opportunities in Brazil diminished, opted to leave their country, even if it meant taking menial jobs abroad. At the center of the narrative is Rita, a thirty-year-old aspiring filmmaker who migrates to England, and then Italy. She looks for work and love in all the wrong places, moving from city to city and from bed to bed.

The last three stories in this collection also happen to be among the author's most recent. "The Enchanted Princess" is an ironic title for a postfeminist tale of a South American woman being wooed to marry an old-world gentleman who promises to take care of her every need. "The Sanctuary" concerns the living conditions of immigrant workers and farm animals. Equally piquant in nature, "The Front" deals with ecology, labor environments, and gender politics.

First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix

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First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix
Regina Rheda
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORPX2E

First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix (Texas Pan American Literature in Translation)

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First World Third Class and Other Tales of the Global Mix (Texas Pan American Literature in Translation)
Regina; Frizzi, Adria; REYoung; Coles, David; Perrone, Charles A.; Dunn, Christopher Rheda
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORK3G0

Amazon.com

Ursula K. LeGuin follows her classic trilogy from Earthsea with a magical tale that won the 1991 Nebula Award for Science Fiction. Unlike the tales in the trilogy, this novel is short and concise, yet it is by no means simplistic. Promoted as a children's book because of the awards garnered in that category by her previous work, Tehanu transcends classification and shows the wizardry of female magic. The story involves a middle-age widow who sets out to visit her dying mentor and eventually cares for his favorite student.

Book Description

Years before, they had escaped together from the sinister Tombs of Atuan -- she, an isolated young priestess, he, a powerful wizard. Now she is a farmer's widow, having chosen for herself the simple pleasures of an ordinary life. And he is a broken old man, mourning the powers lost to him not by choice.

A lifetime ago, they helped each other at a time of darkness and danger. Now they must join forces again, to help another -- the physically and emotionally scarred child whose own destiny remains to be revealed.

With millions of copies sold, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle has earned a treasured place on the shelves of fantasy lovers everywhere. Complex, innovative, and deeply moral, this quintessential fantasy sequence has been compared with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and has helped make Le Guin one of the most distinguished fantasy and science fiction writers of all time. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Customer Reviews:

Is feminism pushing men down?.......2007-09-20

I first began to read Earthsea about two months ago, and sped through Le Guin's wonderful world, reading one book pretty much straight after the other....until the fourth book, Tahanu. Putting aside what has already been mentioned among these reviews (poor narrative structuring, poor dialogue, and generally poor characterization), I found the book to be personally insulting. How this book could be considered at all feminist I have no idea. While the main character, Tenar, seems strong in some ways, in the end she is a "domesticated" woman. All other women in the novel (Moss, Tehanu's mohter, etc) are victims, and in particular, victims of men (and do not escape this, and if they do, not on their own accord, but by men's actions). Further, the "strength" of women and men are described in very sexist terms. In the first three books, Ged's voice comes as, if not the voice of reason and truth, at least as a voice on that path. In the fourth book, he and Tenar talk of the powerlessness of women, ecchoing generally what "culture" and "society" say. Men are also described previously as a "walnut, empty inside if without power," with women being "deep, their roots stretched into places unknown." Perhaps this doesn't seem sexist, but we have to remember that sexism can be against men as well (personally, I don't find myself to be as men are characterized in this book). Later, Tenar's actions MAY contradict some of these things said, but they are left mostly uncontested or in the mouths of the wise.

In the end, perhaps I missed the "feminist agenda", but I felt that the sexism versus men ruined any feminist message that Le Guin wished to give.

Do not buy this book, do not read this book. The first three were wonders and true pillars in literature, and are beloved to me. Tehanu, on the other hand, seemed uncharacteristic of Le Guin's depth and style at best, and a betrayal of her own world and characters at worst.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Tehanu is a pretty pointless codicil to the original Earthsea trilogy.

The girl from the Tombs of Atuan married and had a couple of kids, and has now adopted a more supernatural child on top of that.

Ged, no longer with any wizardly abilities arrives . Naturally, given she had a crush on him earlier and is now lonely, they live together.

A disappointing sequel to an otherwise enjoyable trilogy.......2007-08-21

Tehanu was an unexpectedly feeble offering by LeGuin. I found it to be a long, boring, rambling, uneventful, dreary, downbeat, anti climactic, and even a tad (if you can believe it) misanthropic and stereotypical waste of time. The 20+ year gap since the authoress's last involvement with this series is very apparent - to the point where she seems out of touch with the flavor and ambience of her own works.

For me, the only enjoyable part in the entire book (Tehanu) were the all-too-brief re-appearance(s) of an ancient dragon.

My rankings for the books in this series now stand as follows:

1-Wizard of Earthsea (9 of 10)
2-Tombs of Ataun (7 of 10)
3-Farthest Shore (8 of 10)
4-Tehanu (5 of 10)

My advice is to stop reading this series at book 3, because those books are the meat & potatoes of this series, and the rest is just unsatisfying filler and add-on.

If you loved Wizard of Earthsea.......2007-05-12

You'll love this one as well. This story continues the tales of Ged and Tenar. It is a nice (almost) wrap up after Tombs of Atuan. I found myself ready for more, and LeGuin provided it (Tales of Earthsea, The Other Wind.) Note: I don't know how this would be as a stand alone book.

Earthsea's Most Difficult Tale.......2007-04-09

There's no question that this is by far the most difficult book in the Earthsea Cycle. Every character in it has suffered loss and tragedy; each must somehow move on. Because we have seen two of those characters as heroic, it makes a difficult read.

Tenar was the triumphant White Lady at the end of "The Tombs of Atuan." When "Tenahu" starts, about 25 years later, she is a widowed farm wife who has suffered the death of two persons very important to her: first her husband, and then Ogion, the Mage of Silence.

Sparrowhawk returns from the events of "The Farthest Shore" and, despite his brave words, faces life after the loss of the power of magic that has defined him and made him the greatest archmage since Erreth-Akbe.

And Tenahu herself, raped and maimed, burnt, discarded and scarred has even less trust and joy than Tenar and Sparrowhawk.

LeGuin tells that story of how these characters interact among themselves and with their few neighbors, and how they react when great danger from Sparrowhawk's past threatens to destroy them.

Unlike the first three novels, there is no magic here; or rather, the only magic is evil and is used to attack Sparrowhawk and Tenar, who are incapable of defending themselves. Only Tenahu, the mysterious and maimed one, can act. Will she? How can she?

This is as dark-toned a fantasy novel as you may find. Those who want swords and sorcery, fur jock straps or light sabers should go elsewhere. This is a minutely observed, carefully developed story of how you cope with loss, grief and helplessness. I think many of the very negative reviews here come from misplaced expectations.

LeGuin had said this was the last Earthsea novel. Happily, she was wrong. There is a collection of short stories, "Tales of Earthsea," and a fifth novel, "The Other Wind." You'll have to go there for answers to the questions that "Tehanu" leaves unanswered. And to find out what happens to the characters we have watched, cheered and loved through the Earthsea Cycle.

Highly recommended for those who can approach LeGuin with no expectations other than fine craftsmanship and superb story-telling.

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Historias de Terramar 4 Tehanu
Ursula K. Le Guin
Manufacturer: Minotauro
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Tehanu (EARTHSEA TETRALOGY, Volume 4)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000EREXAC

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Tehanu (Last Book of Earthsea)
Ursula K. Le Guin
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tehanu 1ST Edition Signed :Earthsea 4
Ursula K Le Guin
Manufacturer: ATHENEUM PUBLISHERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VLFEFE

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Tehanu: Last Book of Earthsea
Ursula K. Le Guin
Manufacturer: Skylark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

A Wizard of Earthsea + The Tombs of Atuan + The Farthest Shore + Tehanu (EARTHSEA TETRALOGY, 4 Volume Matched Set)

Average customer rating:

Classic Fantasy; Great Stories
A Fantasy Classic
Great
Darkness, Wizards and Dragons
A Magical, Superbly Written Fantasy Series For Adults & Children. BRILLIANT!

A Wizard of Earthsea + The Tombs of Atuan + The Farthest Shore + Tehanu (EARTHSEA TETRALOGY, 4 Volume Matched Set)

Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000ERJEHE

Customer Reviews:

Classic Fantasy; Great Stories.......2007-05-10

With the Earthsea Cycle, Le Guin has created one of the most detailed imaginary worlds ever put on paper. These four books are memorable not only for thier protagonist (an anti-typical hero named Ged) but for the concepts they brought into the mainstream fantasy genre. Although I read all four books in less than two days each, I did feel that the series decreased in quality from volume to volume. This is not to say that Tehanu was bad; I just preferred a Wizard of Earthsea and the Tombs of Atuan better.

I'll try to sum up the basic gist of each novel:

A Wizard of Earthsea.
The series starts out strong, introducing us to Ged, a goatherd from the island of Gont who possesses great magical prowess. Ged is sent to wizard's school, and throughout the course of the book he has a series of adventures involving a dragon, a phantom-like shadow, and lots of sailing. There is not even a hint of romance here (which, considering that romances in fantasy books are often trite, was a big relief). Le Guin's sparse, haunting prose and ideas about magic make every page readable.

The Tombs of Atuan.
This is probably my favorite book in the quartet. The story is told through the eyes of a girl named Tenar; I loved that there was a convincing female protagonist. Tension builds from the first page as Tenar navigates her way through a ghost-like, pitch-black Labyrinth under the eyes of a strange religious community composed of ennuchs and preistesses. Ged makes a somewhat late appearance when he goes to the Labyrinth in search of a magic Ring. (No, it's not what you think.)

The Farthest Shore.
There were two things that bothered me about this book: the lack of a strong female character and a predictable ending. Ged, now Archmage, accompanies a young Prince (Arren) on a quest to stop the death of magic in the world. There's lots of philosophy about death, immortality, and the like. This got slightly irritating, but The Farthest Shore was still an amazing read.

Tehanu.
This was easily my least favorite of the quartet. There were pages upon pages of femenist stuff and hardly a scrap of magic. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against feminist stuff; actually it was kind of interesting. I just would have preferred more magic. Tehanu focuses around a now-widowed Tenar and an eight-year-old burn victim. I wasn't crazy about the ending; I hope The Other Wind does some more explaining.

If you like fantasy, or if you don't like fantasy but enjoy a good story, then I highly recommend you read these books. The latter volumes never quite live up to the first two-- it would have been a miracle if they did. This aside, The Earthsea Quartet has earned its rightful place in the canon of esential fantasy literature.

A Fantasy Classic.......2006-06-02

Before Harry Potter, before Rand Al'Thor, and somewhere around the time of Elric of Melnibone there was Ged, the simple goatherder turned Wizard. Ursala Le Guin's trilogy is a must for those seeking to find the post-Tolkien roots of the fantasy genre.

Accessible to the young, yet still entertaining for the old, the Earthsea trilogy is a timeless classic. Le Guin writes from a Daoist perspective, and the root message in this series, that too much of something is never a good idea, is readily apparent. I read this series in high school (due largely in part to a very open minded and liberal english teacher), and continue to enjoy it today some 15 years later.

The fourth book is set after the original trilogy, and is geared mainly for adult readers. In my assessment it detracts from the original series in that it should not have been included as a "quartet" as it has a very different tone. Good nonetheless, but different. Enjoy all.

Great.......2006-05-15

This is the first in a series of books. There are 4 novels in the series and two collections of short stories. It follows the life and career of Ged a young man from the Island of Gont. Le Guin has created a very unique world, a world that is mostly water and each nation is a collection of islands. This book is also one of a few that has children's teens and adult editions in print.

Ged apprentices to the local Wizard on God, and is eventually sent to the school for wizards on Havnor. There in anger during a fight with other youths he releases a dark shadow, an evil. The Masters of the school appear and banish it from the island. However this shadow and Ged are now tied together in a very unique way.

After leaving the school Ged becomes haunted by the shadow he has released. He tries to return to the protection of Havnor but cannot return to the island the magic protecting the island will not let him approach. So he decides to head south.

The shadow is getting closer and closer to him, and he must discern it's true name or else he will not be able to defeat it. Can he solve the puzzle, will he wrestle with his shadow and win or will he succumb to the evil he has let loose.

This is a book I first read back in highschool. Then a few years back had to read it for an English literature course at the University of Waterloo I was about a third of the way through it when I realized I had read it before and that is when I found our that the story continued. Since then the two collections of short stories have been published in this world.

Le Guin deals with some big questions of life in this book. Such questions as:

Who am I?
Do I have a role or purpose in life?
Can I defeat the darkness within me?
Can good conquer over evil?
Why am I here?
Can I make a difference?

This book will be a good read for anyone who has ever struggled with some of these questions. Or who wants to use a novel to help them grow to have a deeper understanding of themselves.

Darkness, Wizards and Dragons.......2006-05-15

A Magical, Superbly Written Fantasy Series For Adults & Children. BRILLIANT!.......2005-09-11

Ursula Le Guin's magical Earthsea Quartet is a classic fantasy series set in the World of Earthsea long ago, during a time when dragons, wizards and magic were not uncommon, nor yet extinct. The island of Gont, located in the stormy Northeast Sea, is a land famous for its wizards. Gont's most famous native son was Ged, called Sparrowhawk, who in his day became both dragonlord and Archmage. His life is told in the "Deed of Ged," in many other stories and songs, and in this series.

The quartet consists of the following novels: "A Wizard of Earthsea," "The Tombs of Atuan," "The Farthest Shore," and "Tehanu." Each book follows the life of the Wizard Ged, as he embarks on numerous quests during a period when magic is dying out in Earthsea and evil is replacing it. Although this novel, and the entire quartet, have been classified as children's books, I do not totally agree with the label or classification. The tales may well be appreciated by children and adults alike, but the sophisticated prose, the very language used to form the riveting narratives, is as rich and flavorful as dark Belgian chocolate. And apart from the obvious storylines, there are subtexts, subplots and subtleties. One could say that Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," or "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift, are delightful children's books, however, these same novels are usually appreciated by adults on an entirely different level.

"A Wizard of Earthsea" introduces the main character of the series, Ged, a little boy who discovers he has magical ability. He studies under Ogion the Silent, the great mage of Re Albi, learning to read and write the Six Hundred Runes of Hardic. Ged discovers he has developed the power to call animals. However, he is tempted by magic clearly forbidden to one so inexperienced, and makes a terrible mistake. From this incident, Ged and Ogion learn that he has become too powerful at too young an age and is not able to control the magic within. The boy decides to leave his beloved mentor and travel to Roke Island and the School (for sorcery).

He studies under the Archmage Nemmerle, Warder of Roke and the nine Masters of Roke. Ged's arrogance and carelessness lead him to show off to impress the other boys. He accepts a dare to call up a spirit and instead releases a mysterious, evil shadow from beyond this world. The experience nearly kills him. This time the consequences are truly horrific and will have a lasting effect on his life.

When he recovers, he finishes his studies and is hired by the residents of Pendor to protect them from a dragon that has menaced them for years. While he lives there he is haunted and tormented by the evil shadow, and finally realizes that he must go after it instead of trying to hide. In order to fulfill his obligation to the townsfolk of Pendor he goes out to meet their dragon instead of waiting for it to come to him. Only then will he go in search of the shadow.

The tale of the "Tombs of Atuan," is the second book in the Earthsea Cycle and begins a few years after Ged's adventures combating the "shadow" force. In Atuan, part of the Kargish lands, a little girl, Tenar, is chosen at birth to assume the role of One Priestess of the Tombs of Atuan, where the ancient Nameless Ones are said to dwell. When Tenar turns five years-old, she is taken from her parents and formerly given to the Nameless Ones, her life until death is dedicated to them - the old gods. She is schooled to become the High Priestess, reborn, of an ancient religion. And from this time she will have no other name but Arha, the Eaten One. While, in Atuan's tombs, she discovers an intruder in the forbidden labyrinth. This man offers the young woman a wider destiny if she wishes it. She chooses to turn her back on everything familiar, in exchange for an uncertain future.

Something is leaching the magic, mystery and all the joy out of Earthsea. The world's Balance has been disrupted. Arren, the young prince of Enlad, heir to the Principality of Morred, joins Ged, (now Archmage), on a quest to find the source of the evil. Their search will take them to the open sea to visit with the raft people, and then across the wall into the dry land of the dead. "The Farthest Shore," the third novel, is my favorite. Ged's and Arren's commitment to prevent their world from falling apart, is inspiring and often extremely moving.

In this book we learn that it is now time for a king to sit on the throne of Earthsea again, to wield the Sign of Peace and unite the lands and peoples. However, a prophecy must be fulfilled first: "He shall inherit my throne who has crossed the dark land living and come to the far shores of the day." Ged insists on taking action before any more discussion takes place about kings and future. He would go where the trouble is now, with Arren, to find the source of the blight. They must find and close the hole in the world where the light is bleeding out.

"Tehanu," the fourth and final book, was written twenty years after publication of "The Farthest Shore." Ms. Le Guin returns to Earthsea, and to Gont, to chronicle Ged's life after he ceases to be Archmage, and to reunite him with Tenar. A new power and another champion of Balance, Tehanu/Therru, is also introduced here. Tenar's reflections on her life, the nature of a woman's power and her own place in the world are major themes in the novel. Although "Tehanu" stands on its own, as do the other books in the Earthsea series, the story will be more enjoyable if the previous books are read first.

Ms Le Guin examines many topics in these extraordinary novels. To me one of the most interesting is the delicate balance between life and death. The author focuses on the importance of death and how its inevitability makes life more meaningful. Her approach is influenced by eastern philosophy. The eternal cycle of life, death, the return of the body to the earth, and one's energy to the universe, is part of the natural world which maintains the equilibrium of our planet.

Ms. Le Guin's prose is, quite simply, exquisite. ENJOY!
JANA

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Tehanu - Earthsea Cycle, Book Four
Ursula K. Le Guin
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tehanu - the Last Book of Earthsea

Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKB83Q

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Tehanu, The Last Book of Earthsea
Ursula K. LeGUIN
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KP0I5C

Book Description

T he fast-changing business world of today is far different from just a few years ago. Success in today's marketplace requires new leadership techniques, new thinking, and an eye on the future . . . .

In Make It So: Leadership Lessons from Star Trek: The Next Generation ^®, Wess Roberts and coauthor Bill Ross take their inspiration from today's most striking and most popular vision of the future -- Star Trek -- an unprecedented television, feature film and publishing phenomenon. From the top-rated television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Roberts and Ross find a new symbol for successful leadership: Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

As entertaining as it is useful, Make It So captures the mythos of Star Trek: The Next Generation as it delivers dramatically rich lessons on leadership, including the importance of the ability to focus on a single "mission," effective communication, teamwork, honor . . . and other important concepts. The examples are taken from the on-screen adventures of Captain Picard and the Starship Enterprise ^TM, but the lessons and the benefits are real -- and can be applied to everyday situations where the goal is the kind of high-performance organization embodied by the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise ^TM 1701-D.

Sure to appeal to Star Trek enthusiasts and serious students of leadership alike, Make It So is the most exciting business book on the shelves -- the one book that shows the future of modern leadership while giving managers the tools they need for success today!

Customer Reviews:

Great for the Trek Fan, Not So Much for the Casual Fan.......2006-11-08

The great thing about this book is that it is written from the point of Captain Picard, as if he were writing a leadership textbook for new students at Starfleet Academy. In it, he recalls specific incidents (each from real episodes), and the leadership lessons learned from them.

This book is not really much of a real manual or textbook in any sort of way, but more like reading short fiction. For those who know what "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra", and "Temba, his arms wide" mean, this book is a fun romp through some favorite episodes. For those who are not trek heads, this book is just not worth reading, go read something really good like Spiritual Leadership by Sanders.

Dismissed!.......2005-02-27

The idea to create a series of essays on the topic of leadership "written" by the fictional character of Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise, in itself is quite original. Alas, the execution is awful. You get a series of episode summaries, some rather vague thoughts on what lessons can be learnt from these - and then, at the end of each chapter, a collection of pretty much "plain vanilla" leadership principles. I don't think the captain would have tolerated this kind of sloppy work on his bridge. Dismissed!

more of an episode summary than leadership insight.......2004-04-28

I bought this book based on how much I love Star Trek. Big mistake. It's not at all insightfull, or true to the spirit of Star Trek.

Each chapter is mostly a summary of a particular episode, written from the perspective of Captain Picard. Disapointingly, the account doesn't sound at all like Picard, and doesn't add anything that we didn't see in the episode.

At the end of each chapter 'Picard' gives a few dot points on leadership. But these sound like generic managerial 'rah rah'...

Really bad book.

Make it NOT so!.......2003-09-10

This book is so totally unnecessary. And any connections to Star Trek is barely coincidental. It's really a book about being a corporate manager and following corporate rules and procedures and how to be a good little corporate boy. The authors have no background in writing any other Star Trek books. Wess Roberts wrote another book similar to this with Attila the Hun and other "advice" books. Trekkies, don't be fooled by the title or the cover.

Easy, fun and practical reading.......2002-02-14

This was an entertaining book, combining my love of ST:TNG and my professional career. As an IT project manager, I'm always seeking new ways to understand my job and my people. There are valid business lessons to be gleaned from the stories. It is an easy read, fun to see how the basic concept is wrapped around the context of a particular episode.

Average customer rating:

A little disapointing

This series really derves its title of "Best"

The name says it all!

Fabulous!

The Best American Recipes 2005-2006: The Year's Top Picks from Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and the Internet (The Best American Series (TM))

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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The Best American Recipes 2004-2005: The Year's Top Picks from Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and the Internet (The Best American Series (TM))

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The 150 Best American Recipes: Indispensable Dishes from Legendary Chefs and Undiscovered Cooks (Best American (TM))

Best of the Best, Vol. 8: The Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year (Best of the Best: Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year)

ASIN: 0618574786

Book Description

Every year The Best American Recipes is chosen by critics as one of the nation's top cookbooks. Series editors Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens have an unerring eye for genuinely new, genuinely easy recipes that give spectacular results for the least amount of effort. This year's gems give cooks everything they need for every occasion, course, and budget: - dynamite chicken wings from the year's landmark cookbook - a vivacious slaw created by Alice Waters (of Chez Panisse fame) - the ultimate turkey and stuffing from Jamie Oliver - spicy meatballs by the Italian food authority Marcella Hazan - a heavenly potato dish by the beloved cooking teacher Jacques Pepin

Customer Reviews:

A little disapointing.......2007-05-19

I was excited to get this cookbook when I read all of the other reviews but when I finally got it and started looking through it, I was disapointed. First of all, there are no pictures in the book. I like to see when the final result is supposed to look like. Also, all of the recipies are very fancy. Like panchetta crisps with goat cheese and pear, fig and peanut salad with arugula and mint, beet salad with horseradish and fried capers, or turkey carnitas on mesclun greens with tangerine vinaigrette. Anyway, it was just not what I was expeting for an Americans recipies cookbook. Hope this review was helpful!

This series really derves its title of "Best".......2007-01-29

I own every book in this series, and each one of them is excellent. I have a huge cookbook collection, and this series accounts for 6 out of 12 of my "essential" category.

Each volume has several recipes that people rave about for weeks after I make them. I love the format--interesting write-ups, useful tips, and a nice re-cap of the year.

This isn't my favorite volume of the series (if I had to pick a favorite it would be 2000 or 2001-2002), but the yogurt cheese balls, the greek meatballs and the berry clafouti are some of the biggest winners in my repertoire.

The older volumes are practically free on Amazon Marketplace.

The name says it all!.......2006-05-03

It has been a very long time since "American" food was limited to burgers, hot dogs, and apple pie. Today's Americans, no matter where they originally came from, enjoy the widest range of cuisines on the planet. This delightful book both acknowledges and celebrates the diversity of the American palate.

Contributed by some of the top chefs in the world, the recipes in this book are far from stuffy or overly complicated and instead manage to be well presented and easy to follow. The chefs also offer their personal tips for faster preparation or variations to adapt the recipes to taste. This is not a "for-special-occasions" cook book. While the food looks fantastic and provides real depth of flavor, each recipe slides easily into the normal rotation for the average cook. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook, this book is called "The Best" for a reason.

Fabulous!.......2006-02-18

Rarely do I read a cookbook, and I read a lot of them, and think that every single recipe sounds fantastic--this is the exception. A yummy, easy to follow compilation of great recipes! The tips and notes from the authors/cooks after each recipe are practical and time-saving--helpful for both the novice and experienced cook. AND the authors picked their favorites from the favorites and listed them in the front for a no-fail pick if you are in a hurry. SMART. I haven't looked at previous "best of" books by these authors, probably the format is similar. I might have to buy them too! It's clear that they have made each and every one of these dishes. I have made three things out of this book--all wonderful. If you buy one cookbook this year, make it this one.

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