Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet and Weekend in Mustara: Two Novellas (Library of American Fiction)

Book Description

Filled with Curt Leviant's signature blend of humor and drama, these two enchanting and original novellas lure readers into a dazzling storybook world.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet" is set in Budapest during the Communist era. The story focuses on the tenuous seesaw between Dr. Isaac Gantz, a musicologist, and engineer Ferdinand Friedman, a Holocaust survivor who believes that he possesses one of the greatest manuscripts of the ages, a Rosetta Stone of Judaica. Friedman is willing to share it-but there is a "but." In pursuing this prize, Gantz enters a world of strange human relationships filled with doubts and surprises. A vibrant cast of characters adds dimension to this gripping story in which Jewish folklore, music, and history coalesce.

"Weekend in Mustara" unfolds on the fictional island of Mustara in southern Europe, a mountainous, totalitarian country that tolerates Judaism. Its few Jews cling to their heritage, embodied in their beautiful but sparsely attended synagogue and their museum, where a great memorial book is inscribed with the names of all Mustara Jews martyred during World War II. A scholar of medieval Hebrew manuscripts comes to the island, searching for traces of Yehuda Halevi, the great Hebrew poet of the Spanish Golden Age. He is soon enmeshed among elusive personalities and tangled loyalties, but only when he finds himself displaced in time-in a kind of theater of the absurd-are the purposes of his journey finally realized.

Library of American Fiction

Customer Reviews:

More!.......2007-09-19

I agree completely with the other reviews. The only negative is that I would like the stories developed much further (a novel).

A Couple Entrancing Novellas.......2005-01-28

Curt Leviant, author of critically acclaimed novels that include "Partita in Venice" and "The Yemenite Girl," has written two engaging novellas. The main character, Dr. Isaac Gantz, a musicologist, suspensefully narrates the discovery of the music of the Hebrew alphabet in the first novella, "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet." While traveling in Communist Budapest, the fledgling Doctor feeling the pressure of the college's publish or perish paradigm needs something worthy for publication. He meets Ferdinand Friedman, perhaps a madman, who holds the fabled Holy Grail of Jewish music history.

Leviant holds your attention without any apparent effort or unbelievable scenes to move the plot forward. There is no hyperbole present here despite the novella's fantastic theme of sacred music that dates from the first man, Adam. And the ending, although not tying loose ends, is satisfying.

Leviant's writing throughout is often poetic and bountiful with numerous crisp images and humor for such a slender book. The second novella, "Weekend in Mustara," begins "I found the craggy zigzag peaks, visible everywhere in the city, both awesome and disconcerting, a kind of pressure on the soul." The author is the protagonist as he searches the fictional island Mustara for the writings of 11th century Jewish poet Yehuda Halevi. A fast-paced tempo quickly entraps the reader in Leviant's obsessive thoughts to procure any material on the poet. He says, "My life's work. For years I've been studying his songs and poetry." Of course the island and its cast of offbeat characters becomes an obstacle for Leviant's search. Several plot twists keep the reader's attention, but the ending leaves one frustrated after the 80-page buildup.

Bohdan Kot

Highest praise.......2003-03-14

I am in awe of the incredible richness of this slender book -- of its artistry; its grand design; the breadth of its imaginings; the sometimes limpid,sometimes electric language; the hidden insights shing through twists of plot; the tricks, the jokes, the games.

Leviant is worthy of the inner circle -- the first ring of authors who need no first names. He's been compared,in his inventiveness, in his playfulness, in his freedom from the ordinary bonds of fiction, to Joyce, Kundera, Nabokov, Borges, Bellow.

But comparisons to the contrary, Leviant is an original. He's hard to categorize. He is a wildly mystical writer -- and more. He is a wildly comic writer -- and more. He is a deeply learned writer -- and more. He is an experimental post-modernist -- and more. This multiplicity of gifts makes his books rich and dense and rewarding.

Average customer rating:
Curt Leviant. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet" and "Weekend in Mustara.".(Book Review): An article from: The Review of Contemporary Fiction
Patricia Laurence
Manufacturer: Review of Contemporary Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B0008DUVZI
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 439 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Curt Leviant. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet" and "Weekend in Mustara.".(Book Review)
Author: Patricia Laurence
Publication: The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Page: 143(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Two views of two novellas buy Curt Leviant.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Midstream

Average customer rating:

Two views of two novellas buy Curt Leviant.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Midstream
Morris Moskowitz , and Arnold Ages
Manufacturer: Theodor Herzl Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Midstream, published by Theodor Herzl Foundation on February 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1966 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Two views of two novellas buy Curt Leviant.(Book Review) (book review)
Author: Morris Moskowitz
Publication: Midstream (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2003
Publisher: Theodor Herzl Foundation
Volume: 49 Issue: 2 Page: 42(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Militant Islamic fundamentalists blame the ills of their societies on the West, calling for the overthrow of local governments and the resumption of Jihad against the Infidels. Ambassador Hoveyda explores the historical and contemporary causes of the current wave of militant Islamic fundamentalism. If Western colonization and economic domination of the 19th and 20th centuries are to be blamed for the predicament of Muslim countries, Hoveyda asserts that Muslims also bear a great responsibility for their situation. This book shows how the triumph of fundamentalist interpretations of the Koran in the 12th century triggered the gradual decline of Islamic civilization and chronicles the history of militant Islamic movements, from the "Assassins" of the late 11th century to the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini. It shows why, despite their terrorist attacks in the West, fundamentalists are even more dangerous for Muslim countries that are desperately trying to catch up with the global economy to alleviate their accumulated social and economic problems. Hoveyda draws upon a lifetime of experience, as well as scholarship and the experiences of others, to provide an important insider/outsider examination of a worldwide concern.

Customer Reviews:

AN EASY MANUAL TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM.......2001-07-26

This book by a former Iranian diplomat deserves far more attention than it has received. It offers a very readable survey of the latest literature available on Islamic fundamentalism in a number of languages. Hoveyda draws heavily on the writings of several European experts on Islamic fundamentalism including Olivier Roy, Maxime Rodinson, Amir Taheri, Bruno Etienne and Gilles Kepel, whose works may not be readily available to the American public. Hoveyda's conclusions may seem pessimistic. Roy and others have shown that Islamic fundamentalism is on the decline and, a decade from now, would not represent a major political force in any important Islamic country. This, however, does not mean that " the beast" of fanaticism could not raise its head here and there at some future point. A READER IN LONDON

AN EASY MANUAL TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM.......2001-07-26

A must read on militant Islamic fundamentalism.......1998-09-14

The Broken Crescent: The Threat of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism By Fereydoun Hoveyda, Praeger.

This book is of great importance to all those who want to comprehend the roots and the scope of militant Islamic fundamentalism in our present time. The author dissipates the confusing clouds that hang over most of the texts published about Islam by so-called experts. For one thing, he rejects the gobble-de-gook wooden style of most academic writings. It is easily readable and understandable.

The book reminds us that Islam as one of the of the major world religions, turned "fundamentalist" around the 12th century and has remained so up to now. Actually simple fundamentalism is found in almost all religions and "returning to the roots" of a religion does not imply militancy. The militants and the "official" clerics of Egypt's el-Azhar or Tunisia's Zeituni Islamic universities (for instance) share many current official interpretations of the Quran. But the latter do not invite the faithful to kill or commit other criminal acts as the former do.

Before the 12th century, the Muslim world was a relatively open society allowing speculative thinking and welcoming the classical cultures of antiquity, Greek, Persian, Indian, etc. Muslim scholars such as and scientists such as Avicenna or Averroes, flourished and produced an important body of work.

The triumph of fundamentalism stopped this and marked the beginning of a steady decline. Muslims rejected the science and philosophy they had developed. Their past work and knowledge was picked up by western universities and lead to the Renaissance in Europe. The author affirms that if fundamentalists had not won in the 12th century, the scientific and industrial revolutions would have happened in the Muslim world! He dubs as "unbearable" the cost of fundamentalism and its terrorist tactics is even more harmful. The leaders of this brand of super-fundamentalism, affirms the author, want to revive the Jihad in order to bring the whole world under their banner.

The book brushes up the history of militant fundamentalism and its revival by Khomeini after his seizure of power in Iran. In a way, American and other Western policies helped to achieve the success of militant fundamentalists in Iran, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Hoveyda's narratives contain a wealth of information. He demonstrates with clarity that militant Islamic fundamentalism is essentially a political movement and not a religious one.

Although Islamic fundamentalism may pose a threat to the West, it will be more "lethal" to the Muslim world itself. Moreover, Islamic fundamentalism cannot answer the needs of Muslim countries in the coming century. On the contrary, it will push them further back. In order to prevent total decay, Muslim intellectuals should undertake a formidable cultural effort and reject old fundamentalist interpretations... Hoveyda's work is a must read for all those interested in the question. As reviewer said: "Hoveyda has written the most sensible analytic book about the significance and the role of militant Islamic fundamentalism to appear so far." Indeed, this book is revealing... Guy Revol ++

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A good story with a fascinating premise

Brilliant concept, high tension execution

A Tale Retold

terrific speculative fiction
Broken Crescent
S. Andrew Swann
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

College student Nate Black is a top-notch computer hacker. But he's long since stopped the kind of hacking that could put him behind bars. Under the guise of his user i.d., Azrael, he has never been discovered. That is, until Nate gets an anonymous email, after which nothing will ever be the same. He's abducted to an alien world, where magic is the rule, the gods are all too real, and a twist of fate makes him the most valuable pawn in a terrifying game of power.

Customer Reviews:

A good story with a fascinating premise.......2005-02-05

The idea of treating magic as if it were a computer programming language made me anxious to read S. Andrew Swann's Broken Crescent. This promised to be a most intriguing premise for a novel, and I am always interested in reading the exploits of any hacker - real or fictional. I must admit, though, that the first few chapters of this novel had me worried because they quite failed to grab me. Nate Black promised to be a fascinating character, but his journey from this world to some mysterious other place was arbitrary and vague, and his initial contact with the new locals - consisting mainly of wisecracks no one there could begin to understand - threatened to become tiresome very early on. Once Nate's captivity began, though, and the new magical world began to come into focus, all of my concerns were tossed aside as I found myself deeply drawn into the story and presented with several fascinating concepts.

College student Nate Black was once one of the world's most famous (and wanted) hackers, the infamous Azrael, but he abandoned the black hat for a white one and thought he had covered up all traces to his infamous former identity. Someone, though, has learned his secret and sends him a number of anonymous, untraceable emails to that effect. When the feds suddenly appear on campus, Nate runs - and somehow falls into a dark void that leaves him high and dry in an entirely different world where magic is real. No one in this mediaeval-type setting understands Nate's language, and he soon finds himself a prisoner. He is held by the College of Man, the overseers of magic who basically control society there. Nate is locked up and subjected to intense questioning by men in wild masks and robes, but the rudimentary communication device that allows for speech between him and his captors does not help him understand where he is, how he got there, or why he is being punished so severely.

This new world is made up of two different races. Man reigns supreme, but numbers of ghadi, peculiar-looking creatures unable to communicate and treated like trained animals/slaves by man, are employed as laborers in the castle. Eventually, Nate falls under the care of the ghadi and their few human overseers. He begins to learn the language and grows increasingly disconcerted when he finds out the ghadi look upon him as their long-anticipated savior - and that the College of Man fears him for that very reason. This world is even more complicated than he knows, for the land's youthful monarch soon becomes an unpredictable component of a furious three-way struggle for power. Agents within the College of Man have been working to bring the College down, and Nate eventually gets the chance to learn magic at the secret Shadow College, where students are being prepared to step in after the College of Man is defeated. Here, practical magic is taught, but this does not satisfy Nate. He is not content to merely copy arcane symbols for age-old spells, and he surreptitiously dives into the meaning and logic of the ancient Gods' Language. In time, he sees it all as the equivalent of a computer programming language, and he assiduously begins to hack the "program." For centuries, no one has sought to do what Nate is now doing, as it is seen as the height of dangerous folly. Nate ends up becoming the lynchpin of immense social and political change in this new world, and he must struggle to develop his growing abilities as quickly as possible - there is revolution in the streets, violence in the air, and great uncertainty everywhere. In so doing, he finally discovers just who brought him to this world and why.

The novel is full of action and mystery, heating up to a fever pitch by the end. The concept of magic as a programming language is fascinating in and of itself. I don't think this is a perfect novel by any means, however. Swann seems to take several convenient shortcuts in the course of developing his storyline, and Nate learns the natives' language as well as the runes-based Gods' language surprisingly quickly. I think a few of the supporting characters also could have used a little more development, but the social aspects of the conflicts on this world are compelling, and Nate develops into the type of hero - a very human one - that should appeal to most readers.

Brilliant concept, high tension execution.......2004-07-05

I just finished The Broken Crescent, and as a big fan of S. Andrew Swann, I expected a lot of it. I was not disappointed. Nate Black is such a believable, flawed but inherently likable guy that you have to follow his tortured path with fascination. The really neat thing about this book is that it's so much more carefully thought out than many fantasy books. It's about magic, yes, but the magic is fiendishly logical and at the same time awe-inspiring with just a touch of fear.

The plot is riveting; many surprises and yet never without its own twisty, delicious logic.

About the only thing I wish were different is that he could have spent a little more time in the heads of one in particular of his minor characters. I really liked Yerish, and I did wonder what she was thinking as she tried to stay ahead of the conspiracies and disasters that, in a way, she brought on herself by trying to save Nate and do right by those who depended on her. In previous novels, I noticed Swann is really good with female characters; I wish he had allowed just a bit more time for Yerish.

But that's a very minor complaint! This is a page-turner, and at the same time a book with some deep philosophical issues and innovations in the realm of magic. I highly recommend it, and if you like it as much as I think you will, find some more books by this young genius writer -- Dragons of the Cuyahoga will give you a run for your money. And his best, in my opinion, is The Stranger Inside (written as Steven Krane). He does young characters particularly well; once you get inside their heads, you are completely enthralled by their triumphs and fears and the harrowing trials of their worlds.

Swann will definitely get your attention . . . .

A Tale Retold.......2004-06-15

I probably would have given this book 4 stars except for the fact that it reminded me too much of Rick Cook's Wizard's Bane (now contained in The Wiz Biz). Not that the plot is really very similar, but the plot device of having a computer programmer learn and employ magic to cast spells as if they were writing computer code was central in Rick Cook's Wizard Zumwalt novels.

That aside this book does stand on its own as a very enjoyable story. Nate Black is the protagonist - a reformed hacker that went by the name Azriel. Of course once you learn of his past you just know his hacker past will play an important role in the story and of course it does.

I won't give away the plot, but I will highlight a few aspects I liked. First, Nate Black is not instantly effective when he finds himself in a strange world. He can't speak the language and Swann doesn't opt for the convenient excuse that he's a one of those people amazingly gifted at languages so within a week he can speak perfectly fluently. Instead he struggles for a long time to communicate effectively with the other characters. Also, he's a bit of a computer geek so he gets beat up a fair bit at the beginning of the story. Second, you get a sense that Nate really struggles in learning "magic". He obviously is a gifted hacker, but Swann doesn't allow him to just snap his fingers and start making magic. You see the learning process that he's working through as he slowly learns to see the underlying logic of magic in this world (it's not really magic, but its the equivalent).

Overall, I'd judge this a worthwhile read. It's a fantasy novel, but its very different from the typical novel I've read. If you enjoy this story, you should consider checking out Rick Cook's Wiz Biz.

terrific speculative fiction.......2004-04-29

At one time Nate Black was one of the best hackers in the world, getting into systems that if caught could get him life in prison. Now he is a college student majoring in computer programming when he gets a series of emails from a totally anonymous person referring to him by his hacker name Azrael. He tries to ignore the notes until the day he is pulled into a portal that transports him into a medieval like world where the race of man treats the Ghadi like animals to be used, discarded and slaughtered.

Once the Ghadi were intelligent until the College of Man learned the magical words that transferred them into little more than dumb animals that can be trained. In this world the College of Man rules the kingdom in everything but name as they are effectively a church that has the power to decide what can be taught to the masses. The King and a scholar in the college are planning a coup, not caring that it will mean mass slaughter of both man and Ghadi. Nate, who has learned that the Ghadi are not what they seem, uses his computer programming spells to construct a spell that will hopefully level the playing field.

S. Andrew Swarm has created an imaginative work of speculative fiction. The protagonist is an adaptable person who refuses to be enslaved by the College of Man, the king or the gods who manipulate them all like puppets. Readers will root for the Ghadi to overthrow the chains of their oppressors with the help of Nate who they believe is their messiah. BROKEN CRESCENT is a superlative reading experience and this reviewer would like to see more books written about this true hero and this imaginative world.

Harriet Klausner

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The Broken Crescent
Fereydoun Hoveyda
Manufacturer: Greenwood Pub Group 01/1//1998
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5VCQI

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Broken Crescent
S Andrew Swann
Manufacturer: PENGUIN PUTNAM * TRADE
ProductGroup: Book
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The Broken Crescent: The "Threat" of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism
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Not Free SF Reader

Are you in prison novels? This is a good one

It could have done with out killing off Newt, and Hicks.

Much better than the movie

BUY THIS BOOK! IF YOURE A TRUE ALIEN FAN.

Alien 3: The Novelization
Vincent Ward , Larry Ferguson , David Giler , and Walter Hill
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Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A strange and radical departure from the previous Alien stories, as
Ripley basically ends up on a planet of pacifist monks. If the Aliens
could spell pacifist they would probably eat the people that came up
with the word, then anyone who made a dictionary with it in. Quite a
few of the smaller, faster variety here.

Are you in prison novels? This is a good one.......1999-09-15

Would you buy the book of the first Alien movie after watching it? Nope, me neither. But with this book things do change. Not because the movie is bad (though it was not; if you think the opposite, it may be time to refine your cinematique taste) but the story is so capturing and well told that you never regret your time and money spent at the bookstore.

It could have done with out killing off Newt, and Hicks........1999-06-19

The book was much better then the movie, but, like in the movie, they should never have killed off Newt or hicks, or Riply for that matter. I didn't understand why they felt the need to put one of those things inside her. in the last movie, she had nightmeres about it happening to her. It was an unjust thing to do to such a strong, surviving charracter. What's worse it only opened the door for Reserection. It was a good movie, but only braught the series down. For it's entertainment value, 3 was great, but it's one movie that I try to avoid watching.

Much better than the movie.......1999-04-28

Alien 3 is a bad movie, and is definitely the worst of the four. But the book is fantastic. It is much more in depth than the movie and easily explains everything that the movie didn't. This book is suspenseful to say the least. You won't be able to help yourself from reading on.

BUY THIS BOOK! IF YOURE A TRUE ALIEN FAN........1998-07-17

I bought this book and I didnt regret it, its the best Alien movie book, its better than resurrection. The alien 3 book has much more to it than the movie, you'll wanna read this book in a day. This book has the most suspense you'll ever read. I recommend this book to anyone who didnt like the alien 3 movie, you'll love the book, its just that good. Buy it!

Average customer rating:

Excellent book

Alien 3: The Novelization
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Binding: Audio Cassette

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Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2000-08-05

Alan Dean Foster does it again..with his third novelization of an Alien film. Alien 3 is an ok movie, but Foster's tie-in is much better due to the fact that it contains lots more dialogue from the original script(and some improvised obviously) that was cut from the final edit of the movie. I also like this book better than the movie because it features extra and alternate scenes that were in the original Alien 3 script, but deleted before the film was released. Such scenes mainly deal more with prisoner Golic and his obsession with the Alien, an alternare birth of the warrior Alien which I like better, and more character-developing dialogue among Dillon and the other prisoners. Buy this book today !

Alien Island (Gerry Anderson's Space Precinct, No 3)

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An enjoyable piece of farce

Alien Island (Gerry Anderson's Space Precinct, No 3)
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An enjoyable piece of farce.......1998-07-15

Brogan and Haldane are invited by Captain Podly to join him and other Creons on an island where they take part in initiation rituals. Based on masonic rituals, some of these are strange. They also have to contend with Jane Castle, who is on the warpath having discovered that these rituals are only open to male Creons. The angle on feminism is rather dated, but it is an enjoyable piece of farce nonetheless.

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Alien Resurrection: The Official Junior Novelization
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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.

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Average customer rating:

Great ice cream cookbook!

disappointed

This books has it all!

Beautiful book and pictures

Good introduction to ice cream making

Williams-Sonoma Collection: Ice Cream (Williams-Sonoma Collection (New York, N.Y.).)
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Vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, coffee: Everyone has a favorite flavor of ice cream. As a simple treat on a hot summer afternoon or an elegant finish to a special meal, ice cream is a versatile dessert that is delightfully easy to make at home.

Williams-Sonoma Collection Ice Cream offers more than 40 recipes for rich ice creams, tangy sorbets, and flavorful granitas. When delicious combinations of ingredients -- fresh cream, fruit at its peak of ripeness, fine-quality chocolate -- are combined and frozen in an ice-cream maker, the results are always sublime. From the crunch of ice creams made with candy, cookies, or nuts to those as smooth as caramel, there are plenty of irresistible choices inside these pages. In addition, an entire chapter devoted to more elaborate ice cream dishes will inspire you to use your favorite flavors to make impressive frozen desserts.

Tempting, full-color photographs of each ice cream make it easy to decide which one to prepare, and photographic side notes highlight essential ingredients and techniques, making Ice Cream more than just a fine collection of recipes. A comprehensive basics section and a detailed glossary will also provide you with everything you need to know to make delicious homemade ice cream your new favorite dessert.

From a scoop of creamy, old-fashioned ice cream to a dish of sweet sorbet or a spoonful of rich gelato -- iced desserts are a refreshing way to enjoy an infinite array of wonderful, sweet flavors.

Williams-Sonoma Collection Ice Cream offers more than 40 easy-to-follow recipes that allow you to make all-time favorites as well as delicious new flavors. Whether you crave an irresistibly rich chocolate-hazelnut gelato, a light and tangy lemon sorbet, or the best vanilla ice cream you have ever tasted, the recipes inside will inspire you to serve ice cream for any occasion. This vividly photographed, full-color recipe collection promises to become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf.

"Once you have sampled the flavors inside, you will realize that homemade ice cream is simply the best there is!"

Customer Reviews:

Great ice cream cookbook!.......2007-10-10

William Sonoma cookbooks tend to be strong and this one is no exception. Their recipes prioritize quality over short cuts and convenience and you can taste the difference. The recipes are more labor intensive than some of the basics, but the qualitative difference is worth the extra work. Many recipes are custard based which creates an added step, but results in creamier, richer textures.

disappointed.......2007-10-02

if I had known then what I know now I would not have purchased the book,it had a four and a half rating,no one mentioned liqueur,rum,bourbon etc. or the fact that 1/2 the recipes call for 4-5-6 egg yolks.All the recipes require cooking and cooling which take up time,that's ok up to a point,but all? On the more positive side the pictures are beautiful,but I do wish I had known these things,I would not have gotten the book,and stayed with my Ben&Jerry or the recipes I found on the internet. I can't really recommend this book,as I'm not at all happy with it.

This books has it all!.......2007-09-06

This is the perfect book for someone who is new to making ice cream. It has a great variety of recipes, from classic flavors, to new and unusual. Make sure you try the Green Tea Ice Cream. Delicious!!

Beautiful book and pictures.......2007-04-11

but alot of the recipes I probably won't make. My favorite chapter is elegant ice creams, for holidays this year I would absolutely make the peppermint and raspberry. I adore the sauce/topping recipes.

If you collect recipe books as I do, this will make a nice addition, or perhaps as a gift.

Good introduction to ice cream making.......2006-07-22

Pros of this cookbook: The photos are beautiful, and they cover most of the basic recipes here. Another great thing is that while a lot of ice cream recipes in other books I've seen call for corn syrup as a quick, easy-to-use liquid sweetener, none of the recipes in this book do. Instead the Williams-Sonoma recipes use honey, sugar, or simple syrups that you make yourself. I think this is a great thing because, personally, I hate the flavor of corn syrup. This book has more of a natural-foods approach, which I like.

Cons: Most of the ice cream recipes are egg-based. That's not a problem in and of itself, but egg-based recipes tend to be more involved and take longer to make than Philadelphia-style recipes that don't use eggs. So it's nice when ice cream recipe books include a good selection of eggless recipes which are easier to make on the fly. In addition, I made a couple of the recipes and was somehow disappointed with the flavors and textures. Somehow they just weren't as tasty as other recipes I'd tried. Also, the recipes go more for depth than variety - you get a few solid classic recipes, but not a lot of fun variations.

I prefer Bruce Weinstein's "Ultimate Ice Cream Book." While a lot of the sorbet recipes use corn syrup, and there aren't any color pictures, you get a vast array of recipes and variations, including super-easy Philadelphia style recipes. There are so many fun ideas in Weinstein's book that you are more likely to end up playing and experimenting with creating your own recipes. Williams-Sonoma's approach is a lot more regimented and you're more likely to end up just following what their recipes say versus branching out and making up your own.

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