Martin Bauman: or, A Sure Thing

Book Description

David Leavitt's deliciously sharp novel is a multilayered dissection of literary and sexual mores in the get-ahead eighties, when outrageous success lay seductively within reach of any young writer ambitious enough to grab it. Martin Bauman nineteen, talented, and insecure is enrolled at a prestigious college and wins a place under the tutelage of the legendary Stanley Flint, a man who makes or breaks careers with the flick of a weary hand. An irresistibly entertaining epic, erotic, honest, and funny, Martin Bauman "draws one character so masterfully that this character will stick in the reader's mind as strongly as Magwitch or Harry Lime" (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining and fun.......2002-02-02

David Leavitt is known for his powerful, serious novels.

Martin Bauman is not that. It is an (autobiographical?) novel about growing up gay in the 1980s as a writer. The characters are rich and the situations are interesting. It lacks depth, but as a casual read, Martin Bauman does the trick.

Certainly not anywhere near the calibre of what Leavitt is capable of writing, but perhaps this is the book that will gain him a new group of more mainstream readers.

interesting clues about a writer's life.......2001-10-31

no-one can help noticing that Martin Bauman, albeit its insistence on its being a novel, is only a mere autobiography in disguise, and as such we shoul view it. Not only is it akward to draw comparisons with other Leavitt's works - it is also inappropiate, unless we should will to cast a light on their bearance on actual facts, which Martin Bauman provides us with.
As an autobiography, Martin Bauman is a fine book. It reveals many of its authors preocccupations at the time when he was forging a writing career for himself. It is also an interesting cultural reflection on gay life at the end of the 70's and the beginning of the 80's, a subject matter Leavitt had refrained himself from probing up to this book, at least in such a straightforward way.

Have to persevere through the last 50 pages..........2001-05-09

...but it is definitely worth the emotive conclusion.

A huge fan of Leavitt's, I waited anxiously for this book to come out. I most certainly am not disappointed, as some readers appear to be; it's just that the last fourth or so of the book drags a bit, as if the author ran out of the proverbial steam. In fact, the anecdotes about the publishing industry (one of my favorite aspects of the book) give way to more sentimental concerns of friendships, old and new, and the loss that can ensue. I can't pinpoint why my interest wavered because we had come to know the characters in question quite well... I think that the book's major structural problem is that the narrator is telling a story whose events took place twenty years earlier. Through more deeply embedded flashbacks we get many "apercus" of his life *before* the beginning of the narrative, yet at the end of the book I felt that gap left by the critical distance between the events and their retelling was too abrupt: we would like to know what prompted Martin Bauman to write his memoirs, as it were. This frustruation, in my opinion at least, is compounded by the fact that the narration often hits bumps where the narrator says, "I certainly know better now" or "what I didn't know then was..." In sum, the critical distance becomes critically damaging to the book as a whole. Nonetheless, a definite must for Leavitt fans as well as for those who know the wicked world of publishing.

Joyless and Smug.......2001-04-18

Several other reviewers have already commented on how repellent all the characters in this book are, and I wholeheartedly endorse their opinions. Besides being alarmingly juvenile and petulant, these characters, supposedly intellectuals, have only insipid conversations and seem to prefer pop culture like cartoons to the fine arts. Literature is just a career and a cozy milieu for these whining egomaniacs. True, Leavitt often invokes Proust, and when he does one yearns for Proust's narrator's humility and detached self-observation. One senses that Leavitt was trying to show growth at least in his eponymous character, but he fails, and Martin Bauman is the same unformed adolescent at the end of the novel. Leavitt writes at times with skill, but he relies too frequently on tortured metaphors to dress up a sentence. His attempts to place the story in an era also fail. Cultural references of the era are derivative, and sometimes inconsistent or mistaken, as when he describes an IBM Selectric typewriter as being high-tech in the 80s. I was also troubled by several instances where Leavitt gets the who/whom distinction wrong. Example: "...she was thinking of showing the manuscript to Stanley Flint, whom she was sure was going to love it." This is the grammatical equivalent of saying "She was sure him was going to love it." He also writes that Eli is working on a "string trio" that his mother hoped to persuade the Beaux Arts Trio to perform. As far as I know, the Beaux Arts Trio plays PIANO trios, not string trios. I also submit that the ending was arbitrary in its timing, as if even Leavitt had had enough of his dreadful book.

Leavitt can do much better.......2001-01-24

I'm one of David Leavitt's biggest fans and have read all of his prior books. Doing so has lead me to have very high expectations of his work, and this book disappointed. While I found the underlying commentary on relationships intelligent, the delivery was rather torturous. Martin Bauman may be a minimalist writer; Leavitt, in this book, was the antithesis of minimalism. I found my patience tested by a seemingly interminable string of cocktail parties and other plot events whose value in character development was questionable at best.

If you are a fan of Leavitt's work you will probably still enjoy this book. If you have not read any of his previous work, I wouldn't start here. His short story collections and books like Lost Language of Cranes and While England Sleeps are far better showcases of his talent.

Average customer rating:
Martin Bauman; or, A Sure Thing
David Leavitt
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0618096671

Book Description

Adam Sinclair, the Adept, faces mankind's most dire threat--a cult older than Christianity, with the power to resurrect a new, demonic Third Reich.

Customer Reviews:

The Quaint Ol' Occult Detective Returns .......2005-04-08

At first blush DAGGER MAGIC seems to have all the elements that make up a really well told thriller. The fourth book in THE ADEPT series concerns the discovery of sacred oriental black magic texts on board a derelict Nazi submarine, and an evil Tibetan monk who turns out to be an Ubermensch hiding incognito.

Ludlum, Follett and Forsyth could do no better in creating mesmerizing plot elements. Added to this, DAGGER MAGIC has a wonderful subplot about a character's past life incarnation that is impinging disastrously on the present day. Kurtz and Turner Harris' writing is detailed and gives the reader a fine sense of place.

So why only two stars?

Essentially because although DAGGER MAGIC is a quality work it's becoming very evident that THE ADEPT is getting tired. After taking a hiatus from the Lodge of the Lynx in THE TEMPLAR TREASURE, Kurtz and Turner Harris have yoked this novel to the further adventures of Lynx-Master Francis Raeburn. Somehow, you know you've read it before. It's obvious from the outset that Raeburn is going to manage to elude Sir Adam Sinclair's Hunting Lodge yet again, leading us into Book Five.

Frankly, Raeburn isn't that interesting or that evil. Kurtz and Turner Harris haven't given the character any depth or complexity. He may be the Master of a Black Lodge but he's far too au courant to make you cheer for his downfall. Raeburn is a caricature of a nasty politician or a bad boss, not a picture of a man dedicated to all forms of wickedness. He seems to have no particular vices other than a yen for personal power, and so what? In short, Aleister Crowley he ain't.

What the esteemed Lynx-Master should be doing is seducing schoolgirls, smoking opium, and funding assassination squads, not examining ancient grimoires with a magnifying glass. What a dangerous pastime for a man to cultivate. The worst thing I can say about Raeburn is that he's rude and treats the servants like coolies. Hardly a fit heir for all the evils of the world.

By making their primary bad guy such a milquetoast, Kurtz and Turner Harris have practically guaranteed that the epic battle between good and evil that is the backbone of this series degenerates into a proxy fight between the impeccably tailored Sir Adam and the equally impeccably tailored Raeburn.

I'd like to like this book. The earlier volumes all have a quirky charm which is not missing here, but this book probably would be much better if the authors had put less effort into moving their continuing plotline along and more into good plain storytelling. As it is, despite it's strengths, DAGGER MAGIC doesn't stick with you.

MORE MORE MORE.......2002-05-24

PLEASE PLEASE .............
MORE OF THE ADEPT. ALL OF THE BOOKS ARE GREAT READING..
COULD SPEND HOURS RAVING ABLUT THIS SERICES.
PLEASE MORE THAN JUST 5.

This book is an extremely imaginative blend........1999-05-17

I loved "Dagger Magic" and the other Adept novels. I would not recomend it for serious reading, but it is fun and imaginative, and had interesting devolopments of the Adept World View. Some readers may be put off by it's glimpse in the life of Adam Sinclair Style, and the fact that the supposed main focus of the book is stuck in the last quarter of it. I still found my emotions aroused, and my imagination put to the test. Perhaps it should not go down in literary history, but it has inspired me to read the other Adept books, I have already read the first one.

A minor improvment to the series.......1998-12-17

This is the third book on The Adept series and it is finally one that can be read without yawning. I wouldn't call it a late-night-turn-the-pager as advertised but is more interesting then the previous books. A major disapointment, starting in book two, is the fact that the developing relation between Adam/Ximena and Pergegrin/Julia is reduced to a few sentences where the reader is informed that something is going on. Especially with Adam where we are told in an entire! paragraph about a relation that is supposedly going on for over a year. In Peregrins case we are suprised with the fact that they are marrying. I would have expected more interaction between the characters prior to engagement. Especially as the plots dragged on and there would have been ample room for that. At least this book has an interesting prologue and Peregrin gets a bit more involved than only being the servant of Adam. Even if it is only at the beginning, but it is a start.

A novel worthy of the series........1997-12-29

Although the book bore no resemblance to the synopsis whatsoever, I found it to be a most enjoyable addition to the series thus far. Readers of the previous novels in this series will find themselves able to jump right in where they left off, with little or no refreshing of their memories.
I have only two issues that I feel are worth mentioning. One, there is a point in the book where DCI McLeod is waiting for a phone call from a fellow Detective. A misprint will confuse the reader, as Noel says that he will ask "Scanlan" a question that needs asking. Unfortunately, "Scanlan" is not the name of the detective Noel is waiting to hear back from. It is the name of the victim in the case they are working on. If the reader is not sharp, this error will cause a bit of confusion for a moment or two.
Secondly, I feel that the story line involving Sir Adam's hit and run patient was left glaringly unfinished. Perhaps we will see this story line brought to some sort of conclusion in the next installation of the series.

All-in-all though, minor quibbles aside, I would have to say that Kurtz and Turner-Harris have supplied another wonderful addition to the series. I polished it off in a matter of hours and found myself re-involved in the lives of characters that I hadn't visited in months. It was enjoyable, fast-paced and intriguing. Well done!

Average customer rating:
Dagger Magic. Adept Series #4
Katherine Kurtz
Manufacturer: Severn House Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M66ZHY

Average customer rating:
THE ADEPT SERIES - Book (1) One: The Adept; Book (2) Two: The Lodge of the Lynx; Book (3) Three: The Templar Treasure; Book (4) Four: Dagger Magic; Book (5) Five: Death of an Adept
Katherine; Harris, Deborah Turner Kurtz
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NRTYXE

Customer Reviews:

For people who don't feel like watching the 49 episodes.......2003-04-04

I'll keep this review simple. the writer of this summerizes what happens in the saga with three books. I find nothing wrong with the book except that sometimes he sometimes excludes parts that I considered important. But this is a minor detail. Also a plus with this book and the other two is a bonus part that are short stories that include the G Gundam cast as well as Wing which is quite enjoyable.

not bad, great art.......2003-02-22

the story was hard to follow but the artwork was good. I may recomend it to a hardcore gundam fan but for the average browser its a little tough to get through

Good.......2002-09-01

This is a nice Manga. The sound affects are cool, the storyline is cool, and the artwork is really good. In my opinion Gundam, is better than Nen Genesis: Evangelion. I like manga better than Anime anyway. A lot of you complain that this is nothing like the show, but most mangas aren't a substitute for their anime counterparts. The character development does g kind of fast, though. Definetly worth buying. If you're a Gundam Wing, Manga,Comic, Anime or Gundam fan, you'll love this book. If you were able to, I would give this book a four and a half out of five.

~Dan~

Cool Manga.......2002-08-22

This is definately worth buying. The character developments are really good. The storyline is similar to the original Gundam 0079 storyline. 5 young men each gundam pilots,try to oppress the goverment OZ. The art is beautiful. This graphic novel comes with the first 4 gundam manga comic books. It has a bonus comic at the end, a comedy collection of comic strips. A must buy manga.

A TRAVESTY!!!!.......2002-01-19

Okay, I looooooove Gundam Wing. But I'm not a big fan of mecha in itself. Why? Gundam Wing had a complex, twisting plot, beautiful art, and complex characters.

I may love Gundam Wing, but I hate this manga. They cut out a lot of details, and made it move waaaaay too fast. They didn't have time for the characterization that made the TV series great. Plus, the publishing job is AWFUL. Mixx has destroyed it again! The size is tiny, but the font is huge. They shortened Mobile Suit to MS. The printing is cheap quality. The ink actually *smears* if it gets the tiniest but moist. The sound effects are lame at best.

Book Description

Have you ever wondered how a beam rifle works, or how many people live in an orbital colony, or what powers a mobile suit? Now your questions are answered. The ultimate guide to the most popular story in the Gundam saga is finally here! Gundam Technical Manual #1: Gundam Wing covers all of your favorite fighting mechs and the men and women who pilot them.

Customer Reviews:

An Endless Dance in Three-Four Time.......2007-07-23

Adapted from the movie sequel to the Gundam Wing TV series, TOKYOPOP's now-defunct manga version of Endless Waltz was written and illustrated by Koichi Tokita. For those that don't know, or don't remember, the year is After Colony 196: after almost a year of bloody war, the Gundam pilots-five young but highly-trained soldiers-have brought forth peace between planet Earth and her many space colonies. And assuming that they're no longer needed, the powerful Gundam mobile suits are sent to the sun to be destroyed. But trouble brews in the new X-18999 colony. Relena Darlian, vice foreign minister of the new Earth government, is kidnapped by a new army-led by a little girl-that plots to revolt against the Earth. And if that's not enough, a Gundam pilot joins the club and brings his mobile suit with him. Now the remaining pilots must recover their weapons and fight to prevent the great tragedies of the past.

Those unfamiliar with Gundam Wing won't be able to make heads or tails out of the story; in that case, you should read the original manga first. Those up to speed won't find much of a difference between this and the Endless Waltz movie. Some new scenes are added, some are taken out, and some are switched around at the cost of the story's momentum. That and the dialogue's a little muddy. Aside from a few twists, you won't find anything particularly new in the manga, and you can probably finish it in 1 or 2 sit-downs. But for the most devoted Gundam fans, it's time well spent.

This comic is rated Y for Youth: Violence.

an amazing book.......2005-08-26

this book is very good and handy.

this book tells you everything from how big each suit is, weapons, start and planning of the counter attack, and even the metals of the suits

this book brings everything of the movie and a little bit more down to the very last detail

i reccomend this book to any true gundam fan

kickassgundam.......2004-07-11

Endless Waltz is super good the frist chapter is however boring but its the best gundam manga i have. (13) it takes place one year ofter operation meteor with this basturd trying to take over and to do that he and she will need Relena. so it's search and save for Heero and Dou + Quatre. wheres Wufei and Trowa find out in this kick ass gundam manga.

Fighting for Peace.......2003-09-22

Gundam Wing ---- Endless Waltz is one of the Gundam series, which written by two famous Japanese science fiction writer, Hajime Yadate and Yoshiyuki Tomino. They have written a lots of the Gundam series. All the Gundam series are show a grandiose history of the war in human.

The five Gundam pilots are the main character in this story. From the beginning the five youths searched for peace in themselves way. Four of them send Gundams to the sun in order to keep peace. They thought if they destroyed all weapons, the war would never happen again.

Oppositely, Wufei did not send his Gundam to the sun, because he thought peace was never became of the world. When the war broke out, Wufei joined the Mariemeia Army; he wanted to find the right just. When he did everything he asked himself ¡°Am I doing the right thing?¡± While Wufei battled with Heero, he asked Heero ¡°Are you right? Is your cause just? I am asking you if you are doing the right thing!¡± At the end, Wufei came out from the mind lost, he asked people who were eager for peace to battle with the Mariemeia Army. Finally Wufei found out his peace and joined Prevent as a Preventer, waiting for fighting for peace¡¡

For other Gundam pilots, Trowa pretended to join the Mariemeia Army, for stopping the colony from dropping on Earth; Duo went to save Relena and fought with the Mariemeia Army; Quatre tried his best to get the lost Gundams from their way to the sun, for this he almost got near to the hell ---- dead in the space.

Heero is the main character of the five Gundam pilots. It may show from the title ---- Gundam Wing, because the Gundam of Heero named Wing Zero. Heero was always silence, usually he did not say anything, but when he said something that meant he would do it in his own way, until he got the goal. While Heero battled with Wufei, he just said one sentence ¡°Wufei, self-detonation!¡± and then did move at all, because he believe Wufei would stop. While they battled the next time on Earth, he asked Wufei how many people did they have killed? And how many people they would still kill for the peace! He then dropped himself to the bottom of the ocean in order to let Wufei woke up to find the real peace! At the end, Heero confirmed that the shield was unable to destroy. After three blasts from Wing Zero, he was able to destroy the shield, but Wing Zero was also destroyed. Heero was a soldier like this, a soldier fought for peace at all costs! I give my best respect to him!

The story named Gundam Wing----Endless Waltz. It means the war likes endless waltz, human battle for any reason from human history, from the beginning but no end. Peace likes wing, sometimes near to us but sometimes far away from us. How can we do? To keep the wing holding on palm of your hand, or always waiting for the coming wind and stopping the wind blow away the wing? I will choice the last way to protect the only wing for us all.

Everyone considers that war is the ugliest cruelest thing in the word, in our deep heart. Everyone is eager for peace, they hate war hate battle. But from this science fiction book, it tells us, peace is something you have to fight for. The book really shows that the meaning of the true peace!

mobile suit gundamwing.......2003-06-13

i think it is a vary good book i like to read it all the time i wood just like to get some book gundam wing 1,2,3, and the endless waltz if i cound that wood be graet

The Gundam Explorer: Wing, First, G, Seed and More! Mysteries and Secrets Revealed! #1

Average customer rating:

DISORIENTING BOOK
For new fans of gundam

The Gundam Explorer: Wing, First, G, Seed and More! Mysteries and Secrets Revealed! #1
Kazuhisa Fujie , and Martin Foster
Manufacturer: DH Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 097231248X

Book Description

The secrets and mysteries of the four televised Gundam sagas from 1979. The book guides the reader through a maze of character bios, Gundam technologies, truths and legends that continue to perplex and mesmerize viewers all over the world.

Customer Reviews:

DISORIENTING BOOK.......2006-03-16

THIS BOOK IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED. THERE ARE FEW QUESTIONS FOR EACH GUNDAM SERIE AND THE ANSWERS ARE NOT ALWAYS VERY CLEAR.
THIS IS NOT A PRODUCT FOR DEMANDING GUNDAM FANS.

For new fans of gundam.......2005-10-18

This book really isn't for anyone who's been a fan of the series for a long time. They discuss basic elements of the series and don't reveal any mysteries or secrets to the longtime fans of gundam. However, i do suggest this book for the newbies of gundam as it gives a very straight to the point appraoch and is extremely easy to read. The only real dissappointment in this book is it's misleading title. It should rather be an introduction to the series rather than a "mysteries and secrets revealed!"

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Gundam Wing Episode Zero #1
Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Manufacturer: Viz Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Product Description

Black & white comic book published by Viz Comics. Translated Japanese manga title bound in a left-to-right Western comic book format.

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Gundam Wing, tome 1
Koichi Tokita
Manufacturer: Pika
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Medaroter Rintarou 1 (Japanese Edition) (1)

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Medaroter Rintarou 1 (Japanese Edition) (1)
Fujioka Kenki
Manufacturer: Kodansha Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WMH6NK

Product Description

Incredible Medabots / Medaroter manga from a decade ago. A must have for any mecha / anime fan!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Comic #1 (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, 1)

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Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Comic #1 (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, 1)

Manufacturer: Mixx Manga
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Product Description

Incredible Gundam Wing Comic Series. Gorgeous graphics! A must have for any fan! Get it while you still can!

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Ground Zero Comic #1 (Ground Zero)

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Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Ground Zero Comic #1 (Ground Zero)

Manufacturer: Viz Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Product Description

Incredible Gundam Wing comic series! A must have for any fan! Get it while you can!

Universal War ARM X: The Road to Betrayal

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ArmX The Road To Betrayal Review

Universal War ARM X: The Road to Betrayal
Peter W. Smorynski
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1412011477
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Book Description

Prepare yourself for an anime-infused sci-fi action-drama! ARM X is an all-new, original novel in the tradition of the Japanese Mecha Genre!

Customer Reviews:

ArmX The Road To Betrayal Review.......2007-07-26

I have owned this book from about the first week it has come out. After reading it a couple of times I can honestly say it is a well written book. If you like Sci-fi then you will absolutely LOVE this book. The author has a unique style of writing that after a few chapters, keeps you hooked on the book. Can not wait for the sequel.

Gundam Wing Dual Story G-unit #1 By Shinkido Senki (Mobile Suite Gundam, 1)

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Gundam Wing Dual Story G-unit #1 By Shinkido Senki (Mobile Suite Gundam, 1)

Manufacturer: Bonbon Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Product Description

It is the year 195 AC (After Colony). OZ has freed the universe from the Union forces. This story takes place at the same time as Gundam W but is set in a different place and is about another "Gundam" MS (Mobile Suit)--one which has been sealed and hidden away. The mystery Mobile Suit, developed and tested in secret at the MO-V industrial colony, is a G-UNIT and is capable of changing shape according to how it is used in battle. OZ Prize, an independent group, learns about the G-UNIT and sets siege to MO-V. Two brothers, Adian and Odel--both G-UNIT pilots--are able to defend themselves for a while, but eventually Odel is caught in a trap set by OZ Prize and goes missing. Meantime, a newer, stronger enemy appears.... Behind all the action are the conspiracies of a scientist and a man who cannot live without warfare. This is a riveting SF manga. [(C) 1997 by Yoshiyuki Tomino & Hajime Yadate, Koichi Tokita, Sotsu Agency & Sunrise]

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I am singing

Soul Sisters

Love it!

Terrific Book

Delicious

LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About
Patti LaBelle
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0767903145
Release Date: 1999-04-06

Amazon.com

"From the time I was a little girl, I knew there were two things in this world I wanted to do: sing and cook." So says singer-diva Patti LaBelle, whose first cookbook, LaBelle Cuisine, confirms her passion for good food and her skill at producing it. A truly devoted cook (she travels with pans and hot-sauce stashes), LaBelle offers more than 100 recipes in the great Southern soul-food tradition--homey dishes such as Say-My-Name Smothered Chicken and Aunt Hattie's Scrumptious Sweet Potato Bread. LaBelle fans and those seeking simple yet savory fare for everyday and casual entertaining will relish the book.

In chapters including "Sensational Salads," "Soups and Sandwiches," "Perfect Poultry," and "To-Die-For Desserts and Bread," LaBelle weaves easy-to-do recipes with warm food reminiscences. Whether describing a backstage barbecue resulting in a building-wide fire alert, her undying love of canned sardines, or the soulful Sunday dinners of her youth, LaBelle's voice is, as ever, memorably her own. The recipes, many of which include tips called Patti's Pointers, represent not only a personal culinary heritage, but also a kind of cooking in danger of dissolution. LaBelle's Over-the-Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese, among other recipes, should remind readers that that heritage is alive, well, and in very good hands. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

"From the time I was a little girl, I knew there were two things in this world I was born to do: sing and cook. I've spent my life developing my voice and my recipes, and to tell you the truth, I'm hard pressed to say where I'm happiest--in concert or in the kitchen, making music or making meals."

For Patti, cooking is about love. Taught by the great Southern cooks in her family--her mother, father, and aunts Hattie Mae and Joshia Mae--Patti LaBelle has kept these family heirlooms close to her heart. But now, she invites you into her kitchen and serves up more than 100 of her favorite recipes, from treasured down-home favorites--Say-My-Name Smothered Chicken and Gravy, Fierce Fried Corn, and Aunt Hattie's Scrumptious Sweet Tater Bread--to good-enough-for-dinner-parties dishes--Shrimp Etouffée, Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary-Lemon Rub, and Aunt Mary's Philadelphia Buttercake.

Wherever Patti goes, so do her electric frying pans and bottles of hot sauce. After her raise-the-roof shows, she often goes back to her hotel room and whips up a meal for her band or celebrity visitors. When she's home--at holiday time and at family gatherings--or just after one of her sold-out concert tours, Patti likes nothing more than to head for her kitchen and cook her Geechee Geechee Ya Ya Gumbo, Pass-It-On Pot Roast, or Burnin' Babyback Ribs. And like her bestselling memoir, Don't Block the Blessings, her accompanying personal reminiscences will fill your heart just as her recipes will fill your stomach.

Patti LaBelle's LaBelle Cuisine has the recipes you'll want to cook, eat, and share with friends. Filled with the legendary diva's favorite dishes and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare them, LaBelle Cuisine makes you feel like Patti's in the kitchen with you, demonstrating the recipes and techniques that can turn anybody into a fabulous cook.

Customer Reviews:

I am singing.......2007-08-13

While I have not really read the stories, I have enjoyed the recipes. Everyone loved my macaroni and cheese.

Soul Sisters.......2007-05-18

I love this cookbook. Patti and I have a lot in common, she loves cooking and singing and I love cooking and writing...that must make us soul sisters. Patti's Pointers, pictures, introductions and notations throughout the book, along with its yummy recipes added a special touch to the book. Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

Love it!.......2007-05-09

I have been wanting this book for the longest and I finally own it! The recipes are some of the best I've ever tasted! Some of them I take and put my own spin on and it tastes even better!

Terrific Book.......2007-04-01

I recommend this book for any and everybody. The recipes were great, and for someone like me who hardly steps foot in the kitchen, they were very simple to follow. I already loved Patti's skills as a singer and now I love her as a chef.

Delicious.......2007-01-12

Buy it!!!!!! The food is absolutely delicious. The recipes are user friendly without a whole lot of hoopla. Most of the ingredients you already have are are familiar. Buy it!!!!!

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