Blurry and Disconnected: Tales of Sink-Or-Swim Nihilism

Book Description

Wildly provocative, darkly humorous, and entertaining tales full of fancy talk and big words. A one-armed ice cream man, clueless underground celebrities, an avant-garde sax player-each characterized with no regard for politically correct notions or a personal agenda.

Customer Reviews:

Wickedly Hilarious Satire.......2006-03-20

I overheard a hipster acquaintance say that this is a terrible book. When I asked him, he admitted that he hadn't read it, he just assumed that it would be terrible. But that's his loss.

"Blurry and Disconnected" features five short stories and one novella that are twisted and dark but wickedly hilarious. With the exception of two stories, the book examines deviant behavior that is commonly accepted. Among the vivid and interesting characters are wanna-be hipsters that richly deserve to be mocked. The situations described are extreme but accurately reflect sometimes absurd reality.

Riley's book is well worth the buy--especially if you enjoy social commentary fortified with way-over-the-top sarcasm.

Blurry And Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-swim Nihilism

Average customer rating:

Nice, Twisted Work
An opinion on this book

Blurry And Disconnected: Tales of Sink-or-swim Nihilism
Dave Riley
Manufacturer: Lulu Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1411626974

Book Description

Wildly provocative, darkly humorous, and entertaining tales full of fancy talk and big words. A one-armed ice cream man, clueless underground celebrities, an avant-garde sax player--each characterized with no regard for politically correct notions or a personal agenda.

The first short story, "Make Mine a Chocolate Eclair" elaborates on the account of a one-armed Good Humor man related years ago to Dave by a fellow sixteen-year-old dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant in a strip mall. Novella "Chinese Finger Puzzle" chronicles the antics of journalist Philo Smith as bandwagon-jumping toadies and a self-serving media manipulate him as a pawn to propagate a disturbing trend in music. Then short story "Bizarre and Majestic" documents an episode at the subsidiary recording studio of a larger recording studio in Detroit where Dave worked as an assistant engineer for George Clinton's stable of Parliament-Funkadelic bands.

Customer Reviews:

Nice, Twisted Work.......2005-12-12

Dave Riley's "Blurry and Disconnected" is a collection of two short stories and one novella that are written in an extremely funny, satirical, alternative style. Of the three, the novella, "Chinese Finger Puzzle," is the most engaging. The novella follows the adventures of Philo Smith, a sharp-tongued (or rather, sharp-penned) columnist for a small music magazine. The work mostly deals with Philo's contempt for small-time bands trying to make it big. His contempt for these pretenders is rivaled only by the absolute scorn for he feels for mainstream music. The strong point of "Blurry and Disconnected" is Riley's pointed criticisms of many of modern culture's most irritating traits. Through the character Philo Smith, Riley takes us on an epic journey through small clubs and dingy lofts in college towns, and paints an accurate, if unflattering, portrait of the denizens who dwell there.

Philo Smith is one of those interesting characters who seems to inhabit a world that, at first glance, is similar to our own, but upon further investigation is blessedly free of many of the more irritating obstacles most of us have to deal with on a daily basis. I was reminded of Douglas Adams' character Dirk Gently, a wonderful creation who makes his living as a "Holistic Detective." Philo Smith is similar to Dirk in that he has lucked into a position as a columnist in a magazine that allows him to get away with virtually any crazy thought that comes into his head. Free from the constraints of normal magazines, and contrary to general thought (though not necessarily general practice), the magazine and Philo's column are, eventually, successful.

It is gleefully cathartic to bear witness to Philo's constant and scathing criticisms of every one and every thing he encounters. Although this formula does bear the risk of becoming stale and bitter, in this case, the book remains light-hearted, mainly, I think, because the objects of Philo's scorn are so wonderfully deserving of it. Philo's harshest criticisms are saved for pretentious rock bands made up of art-school drop-outs who live on generous trust funds--surely a group that anyone would like to see sand-bagged.

Riley uses a writing style that is somewhat distant, but effective for the material he's presenting. He'll commonly offer a great deal of information in the form of an omniscient narrator about peripheral characters. These digressions are generally designed for the purpose of injecting some humorous anecdote, and are quite often very funny. The one criticism I do have about the work, however, is that it lacks a strong thematic element. All of the component parts are there, but I would have preferred a stronger underlying thread to connect them and magnify their significance. Still, this book works very well as a sort of chaotic ensemble of snapshots from the club and music scene.

Overall, I found "Blurry and Disconnected" to be an extremely enjoyable read. It has some wonderful, piercing criticisms against culture and society in general, and it is written in an effective and innovative style. If you are looking for an alternative novel that takes chances most mainstream publications would never dream of, then this is the book to pick up.

The End

An opinion on this book.......2005-10-24

This book was written by David Riley, formerly a bassist in a band called "Big black," in the early to mid 1980's. Upon reading this book, keep in mind that Big black wasn't your typical happy go lucky band about snowflakes and brownies. Expect this book to be dark and comedic at the same time.

Essentially, the book deals with music "scenes" and how groundless trends can form because of it. It points out the fact that people will do almost anything to be popular and take credit for things that they may or may not have even done. In the book you meet self-serving spineless characters who eventually significantly alter a young man's life as well as interesting characters that may have more real value in the end. The catch phrases David Riley uses in his book when the main character, Philo Smith, interacts with everyone is witty and hilarious.

David Riley writes this book with elements of cruel reality so don't expect this book to end like a melodrama. As a man in my early twenties, I can easily relate experiences in this book to my own upon dealing with people in music. This book is funny, shocking, insightful, dark, and well worth the buy.

Average customer rating:

champion choose your adventure

Good RPG

A heart-stopping adventure that ranks among Joe Dever's best
Wolf's Bane (Lone Wolf, No 19)
Joe Dever
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Deathlord of Ixia (Lone Wolf, Book 17)

The Legacy of Vashna (Lone Wolf, Book 16)

The Darke Crusade (Lone Wolf, No 15)

The Plague Lords of Ruel (Lone Wolf, No 13)

The Captives of Kaag (Lone Wolf, Book 14)

ASIN: 0425149765

Customer Reviews:

champion choose your adventure.......1999-06-16

probably the best choose your own destiny series around. Each episode keeps you inthralled and on the seat of your pants. A real page-turner

Good RPG.......1999-05-28

This book is a good RPG, such as the Dungeons and Dragons board game. This entails you to use your common sense, and to think of your surroundings.

A heart-stopping adventure that ranks among Joe Dever's best.......1997-04-11

Wolf's Bane, the evil champion of Naar, has created an entirely new dilemna for the reader, remniscient of Beyond the Nightmare Gate. The impostor is your mirror image, and he has led the entire nation of Sommerlund to believe you are the cause of heinous crimes. You must hunt him down, traipse across star systems and dimensions, and finally duel with him to the death...at the exact moment the Dark God Naar decides to summon his acolyte. Can you defeat both Naar and Wolf's Bane, or are you doomed to fail before a startling revelation that could save or doom the entire universe of Aon? Wolf's Bane is certainly a book to buy-it is an absolute must

Average customer rating:

The Weakest Link
aaarghh!
Excellent, heart wrenchingly fabulous!
Excellent, heart wrenchingly fabulous!
Tara, how could you.....?

Wolf's Bane
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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

Space Opera | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345487184
Release Date: 1997-09-28

Book Description

TO TOUCH THE STARS

She was Dion the Wolfwalker, and through her telepathic bond with the Gray Ones, she could hear the packsong and run with the wolves. And now, as fate ripped from her almost everything she held dear, her wolfbond became her only reason to live, for she could not deny the Call of the wolves to help them. Driven by the need of the Gray Ones, she would seek out and confront the mysterious beings of the sky--the ones who had once brought death to the world. In eight hundred years, no human had survived that contact. But Dion could not avoid it. Only by facing the aliens could she save herself . . . and the future of the wolves!

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

The Weakest Link.......2007-05-24

The story is once again about Dion, and for those of you who've read 'Grayheart' first (since it was published first), you basically know what will happen in this one. For those of you who don't, here's a recap.

The Wolfwalker Ember Dione is older from seeing ler last in 'Storm Runner' and into a lot of stress because she's so popular and such a great healer that she is in high demand and can't seem to say no to all of her clients due to her nature. This is a story about Dion finding herself and accepting things as they are, that the Elders and everyone else won't stop hounding her because she's a healer, that her youngest son Danton cannot come back from the grave when he was killed by a pack of lepa, and that Aranur (her husband) is dead. (Though if you've read 'Silver Moons, Black Steel', you're in for a surprise.)

There are a lot of characters in the book, but they are only there for shock value, or to drive the plot foward. In fact, most of the characters are just put there for shock value, for ours and of course Dion's, because we know that in order for Dion to feel more like crap, we gotta put in characters who will make her feel worse. There is no real character development unless you've read the first three books in the series and you already know how Aranur, Gamon, Tehena, Kiyun, and Dion act, even though they all act the same.

The language is really overeggagerated and ridden with so many cliches that it distracts the reader a lot. And I mean, a lot. If you thought the last book had a lot of cliches, you have yet to read this book, as though Tara had decided that another way to describe the new dark world where humans inhabit can be better said with five cliches explaining one thing.

Also, the book is heavily influenced on female characters, males usually given weak roles. Actually, The Wolfwalker series shoud've just been called Wolfwalker Women series because that's all you see in the books are Ember Dione and her daughter being wolfwakers as well as Ember Dione's granddaughter. Male Wolfwalkers appear very, very little and do very little, and I felt rather cheated by this. There should be at least a balance between the sexes like Anne McCaffrey has done with her 'Dragonriders of Pern' series which this book reminds me of, especially if the subject is about Wolfwalkers. How about a little variety?

But what really pissed me off was the way Dion acted throughout the entire book. Especially when Danton gets killed on her day off. She abandons her other son Olarun and goes off to find balance within herself, while all of this time she is pregant with a (you guessed it) baby girl. Her other son no longer wants to become a Wolfwalker due to emotional scars, but the daughter as we all know will become one, looking exactly like her mother and I don't mean to sound rude at all, but it gets really irritating. Like for the past few books all I'm seeing are copies of Ember Dione saving the world.

The part with her son confuses me. If you've read 'Greyheart', there is a character in the book who underwent something similar to what Dion's son went through, yet he can still feel the wolves hounding him. With the other son's case however, the wolves are nonexistant.

And the secondary plot? The plot where Dion has to face the Aiueven, the Alien threat that has kept the humans skybound for eight hundred years to find the salvation for the worlds? It was extremly dull and flat and completly unfinished. Yes, you get to understand more of why the Aiueven kept the humans earthbound and which Aiueven had been guilty of putting the plague in the wolves that had basically decimated their species almost to extinction. But Dion, in her angst and 'oh woe is me' moments, had completly forgotten about the wolves and instead was looking for something to cope with herself. In the end of the book, she says she can deal with what had happened (Quote: 'I found what was needed. And in the end, that is all that matters.'), yet in 'Silver Moons, Black Steel' she's still the same brooding, lost woman that she was before. As if this conversation in the end did not exist or simply did not matter.

And when Dion had accepted that things are what they are going to be, she had said that her children will take up the burden and the wolves would not let them forget. It seems that only Dion's Wolfwalker daughter and new son Payne from 'Wolf in Night' are the only ones who are forced into that role, but Payne is barely also taken up for that role; the one who does the most work because she is a Wolfwaler is Dion's daughter. Olarun, Dion's non-adopted and only son in this book who survived the lepa, was savagely ignored. Even in 'Grayheart' where he is now a father to sons and a Wolfwalker daughter, he does not take on a plague threat at all. But his Wolfwalker daughter sure takes that rule.

And the wolves' future? Well, I honestly don't care much for that anymore. The wolves, the main focus of the Wolfwalker series and everyone's focus since we all love wolves (:P), are really one-dementional and the only way you can see just how one-dementional they are is if you've read up on Gray Rishte, Gray Shona, Gray Ursh, Gray Hishn and all of these wolves that show up in the latter series. Is it just me, or do they all sound the same, despite having different names? And the people are all very pessimistic with no enligthing character. I can see why since the world they live in is basically a nightmare of nightmares, but having so many downbeat characters is...unrealistic. Not to mention their constant whining despite knowing exactly what they've done to deserve such torture.

Dion also can't die. The wolves pull her away from death just so she can keep the promise that she would find a cure for them. Automatically, that means everything else she does from here on out will be downright laughable. Why does Aranur worry when she enters into her healing too deep when he knows the wolves will always be there to revive her back to life?

I wouldn't recomend this story to Dion fans who wanted to see Dion in a happy light because it isn't here. Or those who wanted to read a happy-sappy story. This book I won't even recomend to wolf fans. Yes, I understand that every author describes these creatures differently, but at least their lupine counterparts all have distinct personalities and actions (Even McCaffery's dragons have distinct personalities). Tara's wolves sadly don't and don't really act like the wolves I've researched in the past seven years. This book is for die-hard Wolfwalker fans who want to read the entire series and store them in their bookselves, and that's about it.

aaarghh!.......2004-08-01

Let me preface this by saying that I hate it when major characters get whacked in the middle of a book. I was more than slightly disappointed in this one. Harper seems to have confused overpsychologizing with actual depth. There's almost no plot in this, very little real character development, and way to much verbage wasted on navel-examination. The first two books were awesome, but the third shallowed out, and I'm sorry I bought the forth one at all.

Excellent, heart wrenchingly fabulous!.......2000-08-11

First of all, this is not the fifth book, it is the 4th. The fifth is yet to be published. (Grayheart is the 6th) This book will knock your socks off. Yes, it is very depressing and very upsetting, but very necessary. If you are a fan of the Wolfwalker series and have faith in the author - you'll love it. If you prefer a happy ending, however, heed caution before reading this book. This book needed to take place though - Dion needed to discover herself - she was unhappy with her life and very discontented. Trust me, it is a tear jerking read, but you'll love it. (And if you pay really close attention to the epilogue you may realize that the ending isn't quite so bad afterall) I loved it - and would recommend it to anyone.

Excellent, heart wrenchingly fabulous!.......2000-08-11

Tara, how could you.....?.......2000-03-23

If you have read the first three novels in the Wolfwalker series (and if you haven't, I suggest that you do) do not, I repeat, DO NOT read Grayheart or Wolf's Bane. Ember Dione maMarin was my favorite character, and Harper destroyed her life. I don't ask for sugar plum fairies and sprites dancing under the pale moon light, but I do expect to be able to read a story without feeling sick to my stomach over the non-stop agony my character is experiencing. Wolfwalker, Shadow Leader, and Storm Runner had plenty of pain and fear, but those emotions were at least balanced by excitement and joy. I don't know what Tara Harper was thinking...maybe she was having a bad year, or maybe she has every intention of making up for it in future novels, but unless she redeems herself, my advice is to stay away from these novels.

Average customer rating:

Remo Goes to the Big Easy
Here we go again
Just getting started
easily earns less than one star
Entertaining

Wolf's Bane (Destroyer Series, No. 132)
Warren Murphy , and Richard Sapir
Manufacturer: Gold Eagle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Men's Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0373632479

Customer Reviews:

Remo Goes to the Big Easy.......2005-02-13

I believe that this is the first Destroyer set in New Orleans, which is about time. Remo and Chiun are up against a loup-garou (werewolf) who has been enhanced by none-other-than Dr. Judith White (evil villain from the previous Destroyer installment). The loup-garou and his wolf-human pack have been hired out by a mobster to off and eat witnesses for the mobster's trial. Remo and Chiun need to save the one remaining witness from becoming the next wolf meal. The real entertainment in this book comes not from the main plot line, which is ho hum, but from the brilliant description and desecration of Louisiana politics. There is also a clever take on Mexican soap operas, though nothing like the one-paragraph soap-opera summaries that were absolutely spot-on in the early installments in the Destroyer series. It seems that the current ghost author is still getting his Destroyer legs. We see Remo interested in a female lead, and absolutely nothing happens between them. Also, the feel of the dialog between Remo and Chiun is not quite right. Alas, there is not as much of CURE director Harold Smith and his assistant Mark Howard in this book.

Here we go again.......2004-02-18

Another new writer and another reason for someone to screw with a series that has been in publication since 1972. Too many glairing mistakes, too many changes in the character development,and too many wasted scenes. About the only good thing out of it was a hint on where the series may be going if it can survive another writer who does not understand or care about the story line, the characters or the fans. Pick up your paycheck and let someone in there who can do the job right. I case you think this is harsh I have just started #133 and I am finding the same problems. Chuin help us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just getting started.......2004-02-18

Ok this is the first book by a new writer, will let his style and word usage slide for now. There are some changes to the interplay between Remo and Chun, looking to see where that goes. Do not change the character of Remo too much.

easily earns less than one star.......2004-01-09

Because of a love for the Destroyer series I foolishly ignored all the bad reviews here and picked up this book based on the couple of semi-positive ones.Big mistake. This book is BAD. It is clear that this is a case where the majority is right. I should have listened to the amazon reviews. Steer clear if you are a true fan.

Entertaining.......2003-12-25

Despite the negative reviews, I found The Destroyer #132 (Wolf's Bane) very entertaining. I've read over a hundred of the Destroyer series paperbacks and found this one in tune with the story and just as good as any of the others. It's worth the reading if you indeed enjoy the Destroyer series.

Box Set of Six Science Fictiion Classics From the Master of Heroic Fantasy - Elric of Melnibone, the Sailor on the Seas of Fate, the Weird of the White Wolf, the Vanishing Tower, the Bane of the Black Sword, Stormbringer (The Elric Series)

Average customer rating:

Box Set of Six Science Fictiion Classics From the Master of Heroic Fantasy - Elric of Melnibone, the Sailor on the Seas of Fate, the Weird of the White Wolf, the Vanishing Tower, the Bane of the Black Sword, Stormbringer (The Elric Series)

Manufacturer: DAW Books, INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0451908333

Average customer rating:

Wolf's Bane
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Books on Tape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0736687122

Product Description

She was Dion the Wolfwalker, and through her telepathic bond with the Gray Ones, she could hear the packsong and run with the wolves. But now, as fate ripped from her almost everything she held dear, her wolfbond became her only reason to live, for she could not deny the Call of the wolves to help them. Driven by the need of the Gray Ones, she would seek out and confront the mysterious beings of the sky - the ones who had once brought death to the world. In eight hundred years, no human had survived that contact. But Dion could not avoid it. Only by facing the aliens could she save herself and the future of the wolves!

Average customer rating:

Wolf's Bane (Wolves Series , No 5)
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVCKTY

Average customer rating:

Wolf's-Bane
John Cowper POWYS
Manufacturer: G. Arnold Shaw
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I1OLFG

Average customer rating:

Wolf's-bane rhymes
John Cowper Powys
Manufacturer: G. Arnold Shaw
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B00005XZDA

Average customer rating:

Wolfs Bane Rhymes
John Cowper Powys
Manufacturer: G ARNOLD SHAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q9DZF2

Average customer rating:

Wolfs-Bane
Craig Thomas
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TTNYC8

Book Description

Led by an adult John Conner, the Resistance has battled its way to the gates of Skynet's Colorado stronghold. The loss of life along the journey had been great, but humanity at last has an opportunity to destroy the super-computer that's long sought to exterinate all life on the planet. But standing in the way of Connor and his soliders is a new kind of Terminator -- and she will elt nothing stop her from killing the rebel leader.

Customer Reviews:

formative look at alex ross' first series.......2004-03-24

It's his earliest work, but still fascinating. In some panels you see what his work will become. Yes, for hardcore Alex Ross freaks and completists, but worth it if you never saw it for the covers alone. Better yet, it's probably going to increase in value...

Vintage Alex Ross?.......2004-03-14

If you're an Alex Ross fan, like myself, you're probably anxious to see this early effort of his from awhile back. Beware - the artwork, even though digitally enhanced, or whatever they did with it, is murky and dark throughout, and, in some cases, I couldn't figure out what was going on in the panels. If you know somebody who has this, borrow it from them before deciding on whether or not to purchase a copy for yourself. My personal copy will probably be going on E-bay in the near future. Better to save up your sheckels and buy MYTHOLOGY - which is worth every cent, and then some.

Solid Terminator story.......2004-02-20

Before artist Alex Ross made a name for himself with Marvels and Kingdom Come, he made his debut with Terminator: The Burning Earth; a tie in with the Terminator 2 film. The story finds an aged adult John Connor leading the remnants of the human resistance against Skynet's forces as Skynet prepares one final attack on humanity. Ron Fortier's script is full of cheesey dialogue mixed in with some brilliant ideas and an anticlimatic ending. The real star of this graphic novel is Ross' artwork, which may not be as sophisticated as his recent work, it still manages to present the story brilliantly and perfectly fits the Terminator universe. This new "Digitally Remastered Collector's Edition" (sounds just like a DVD doesn't it?) seems to try to cash in on Ross' name rather than it's license, which made me a bit skeptical when I picked this up, but I was pleasently surprised for the most part. All in all, Terminator fans or fans of Ross' unique art should give this a look.

different but good.......1999-08-20

burning earth is a story about the future briefily shown in the begining of the movie and during flash backs and dreams. it is the story of a middle aged john conner and his rebel band out to destroy skynet the master computer behind the terminators. a good storie that stays true to the first movie but of course it couldnt happen after the events of the second.

Average customer rating:

Terminator: The Burning Earth #3 (of 5)
Ron Fortier
Manufacturer: Now Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M8G2Y8

Average customer rating:

Terminator: The Burning Earth #4 (of 5)
Ron Fortier
Manufacturer: Now Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M8H97W

Average customer rating:

Terminator: The Burning Earth #5 (of 5)
Ron Fortier
Manufacturer: Now Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M8C1HA

Average customer rating:

Red Velvet Cake recipe

You can't go wrong!

Good even for beginners

Good for the collection

She redeemed herself with this one ..

Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook: From Hemingway, South Carolina, To Harlem
Sylvia Woods
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
African American | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Soul Food | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0688162193

Book Description

Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook begins as Sylvia recalls her childhood, when she lived with both her mother and her grandmother -- the town's only midwives. The entire community of Hemingway, South Carolina, shared responsibilities, helped raise all of the children, and worked side by side together every day in the bean fields. Perhaps most important, the community shared its food and recipes. When Sylvia set out to write this cookbook, she decided to hold a cook-off back home in Hemingway at Jeremiah Church. Family and friends of all ages shared their favorite dishes as well as their spirit and love for one another. The recipes offered at the cook-off were then compiled to create this incredible collection, along with many of Sylvia's and the Woods family's own recipes.

Here are the kinds of recipes you'd find if you visited the Woods family's home. Sylvia's daughter Bedelia is well known for her Barbecued Beef Short Ribs, which are as sassy and spicy as Bedelia herself. Kenneth, Sylvia's youngest son, has loved to fish ever since he was a child, spending his summers by the fishing hole in Hemingway. Now Kenneth's son, DeSean, enjoys fishing, too. Kenneth's Honey Lemon Tilefish, DeSean's favorite, is just one of Kenneth's special recipes presented here.

And there are many, many other wonderful dishes, too. In this remarkable cookbook, Sylvia has gathered more than 125 soul food classics, including mouthwatering recipes for okra, collard greens, Southern-style pound cakes, hearty meat and seafood stews and casseroles, salads, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and more. These recipes are straight from the heart of the Woods community of family and friends. Now Sylvia gives them to you to share with your loved ones. Bring them into your home and experience a little bit of Hemingway's soul.

Customer Reviews:

Red Velvet Cake recipe.......2007-03-05

I have been searching for a tasty Red Velvet Cake recipe for a while now. I got the recipe from the Food Network website, and choose this one because I did not want to replicate Cakeman Raven's cake. I am happy with my choice (i used it to make cupcakes). The cake was soft and moist on the inside with a slighty chewy outside. I followed the advice of one of the other posters and used 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder. When I tasted the raw batter, it had a pleasant chocolate taste, but when I tasted the final cake, it was a little more subtle. Another adjustment that I made was to increase the amount of sugar in the recipe; I added an additional 1/2 c of sugar which bought out the chocolate flavor. I did not make the frosting because I already had a recipe that my friends and family liked.
Once I tasted the cake I came on Amazon and purchased the book.

You can't go wrong!.......2006-07-24

I've read her cookbook from front to back many, many times. I love the receipes, as well as her family stories that help these receipes come alive and taste great! You can't go wrong with this cookbook. A MUST for your cookbook collection. I loved this cookbook so much, that I'm going to purchase her other cookbook.

Good even for beginners.......2006-02-04

I purchased this book and used many of the recipes for Thanksgiving dinner. It takes a while for someone like me, who is a beginner cook, to make the recipes, but they always taste great. My family loves the cheese ham and potato casserole the best! It's always the first thing gone. I have another book of hers that has more recipes, they are both assets to my cookbook collection.

Good for the collection.......2005-10-22

I collect historical cookbooks and this one is a must-have because Sylvia is a legend.

The recipes are a good starting point for soul food. I think that we all have to remember that soul food is that it is very much like jazz -- there is a basic formula, but improvisation is key. With that said, I think there are few soul food books that give the definitive recipe for a dish. While good, I think they are meant to be a starting point for our imagination and experimentation.

Soul food was a cuisine born out of creativity; don't expect one book to capture it all.

She redeemed herself with this one .........2004-05-04

I was afraid to buy this after her first book, but she really redeemed herself here. One day I just had to have smothered pork chops, macaroni & cheese & collard greens and this book DELIVERED on the pork chops & macaroni & cheese!! (use the first book for the greens though) .. These are now in the repertoire as my roommate prefers this to going out to a restaurant! Can't wait to try the red velvet cake!

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