Pagoda, Skull & Samurai (Tuttle Classics of Japanese Literature)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The wheel of karma and debt of loyalty
Pagoda, Skull & Samurai (Tuttle Classics of Japanese Literature)
Rohan Koda
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
LiteraryLiterary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
BritishBritish | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
JapaneseJapanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 080483332X

Book Description

This volume contains three of Rohan Koda's best-known short stories, written between 1890 and 1896.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The wheel of karma and debt of loyalty.......2006-01-06

Idealistic is not a term usually applied to Japanese fiction. Perhaps it is the Buddhist doctrine that life is suffering, and something to be endured, but it is rare for a story to end on a high note, or to see positive rewarded with positive. More likely, it ends with death.

Koda Rohan may be the rare exception to this rule. One could almost characterize his stories as uplifting. Certainly, there is suffering to be had, hardships to be endured, but the ultimate reward is something...good. A greater twist one could not expect in a Japanese novel.

"Pagoda, Skull & Samurai" is three short stories, each motivated by karma and idealism. The characters are low people, not aristocrats or warriors of note, although their desires far outstrip their birth. Koda is a superb writer, and uses each figure to present his view with crystal clarity. Chieko Mulhern's translation is equally flawless, knowing when to use the original Japanese words and when to translate them. (Although she did feel the need to translate "ninja," which was amusing.)

"The Five-Storied Pagoda" is the story of Jubei, a poor apprenticed workman who dares to dream that he may undertake the building of a famous temples new five-storied pagoda, being so bold as to place himself in competition with his master. Jubei feels it is his karma to build the pagoda, a religious act in and of itself. His vision is too strong, and he throws himself in the face of social conventions to achieve it. He dares everything for his dream.

"Encounter with a Skull" is a marvelous, romantic tale of a aimless wanderer, of neither talent nor fortune, who encounters a beautiful woman in a shack in the mountains. A meeting that is possibly not ordained by karma still proves a valuable lesson.

"Bearded Samurai" is the longest of the three stories. An encounter with Dairoku, a samurai in the service of Takeda Katsuyori, son of Shingen. In a battle with Nobunaga and Tokugawa, Katsuyori is not the man his father was. Dairoku must decided if it is more honorable to blindly die for an incompetent Lord, or if serving life is the braver deed. Samurai fiction is rarely translated, and this notable story is engaging not only for its plot but for the personages involved.

All three stories are gripping, and make for a swift, enjoyable read. As a regular reader of Japanese fiction, it is refreshing to read something as well-written and unique as "Pagoda, Skull & Samurai." Highly recommended.
Pagoda Skull & Samurai
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Pagoda Skull & Samurai
    Rohan Koda
    Manufacturer: Charles E. Tuttle Company
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: 4805304960
    Pagoda, Skull & Samurai: 3 Stories
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Pagoda, Skull & Samurai: 3 Stories
      Koda Rohan
      Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      JapaneseJapanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Asian | History & Criticism | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 0804814996
      Pagoda ; Skull ; and Samurai: Three stories (Cornell University East Asia papers)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Pagoda ; Skull ; and Samurai: Three stories (Cornell University East Asia papers)
        Rohan Koda
        Manufacturer: China-Japan Program, Cornell University
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding

        GeneralGeneral | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: B0006EBF0E
        Pagoda, Skull and Samurai: Three Stories
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Pagoda, Skull and Samurai: Three Stories
          Koda Rohan
          Manufacturer: Cornell Univ East Asia Program
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          JapaneseJapanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 9992283076

          Elric: Song of the Black Sword (Eternal Champion Series, Vol. 5)
          Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          • Ironic fantasy
          • Michael Moorcock--Crypto-Froot Loop
          • The genesis of Dark Fantasy...
          • The first half of the Elric saga
          • An Experiance with the Anti-Hero
          Elric: Song of the Black Sword (Eternal Champion Series, Vol. 5)
          Michael Moorcock
          Manufacturer: White Wolf Games Studio
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
          Moorcock, MichaelMoorcock, Michael | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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          ElricElric | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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          3. Corum: The Coming Of Chaos (Eternal Champion Series, Vol. 7) Corum: The Coming Of Chaos (Eternal Champion Series, Vol. 7)
          4. The Eternal Champion (Paperback) The Eternal Champion (Paperback)
          5. Elric   The Stealer of Souls (Chronicles of the Last Emperor of Melnibone) Elric The Stealer of Souls (Chronicles of the Last Emperor of Melnibone)

          ASIN: 156504195X

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Ironic fantasy.......2006-05-12

          It's a shame that the tradition in which Moorcock and a few others write has been almost swamped into non-existence by the kind of security-blanket fiction preferred by the likes of poor Mr Powell, whose review appears here. There was a time when James Branch Cabell, Lord Dunsany, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance and, yes, the great M.John Harrison, more or less dominated this field. Now it has been taken over by the depthless pseudo-seriousness which once characterized the worst pulp sci-fi. It's sad that the portentousness of Tolkien and his followers dominated by sentimentality and ersatz seriousness has become the benchmark, so that the majority (as always, I guess) has the feel and texture of a baby's security blanket. You can almost smell the milk on the breath and see those hurt little eyes staring at the albino as he pulls their comforters from their lips and goes on about his horrid business. I'm even beginning to suspect that the Tolkienoids, in common with the religious right who are their spiritual comrades, are trying to kick at Moorcock's shins with their little slippered feet. This makes me remember why I only ever went to one fantasy convention.
          If you want the real stuff, that's in the tradition of the great non-generic fantasts, Moorcock's the first you should try. Then try Cawthorn and Moorcock's 100 Best Fantasy Books, which will give you some idea of the great tradition you've been missing. Incidentally, Moorcock and his collaborator are perfectly kind to Tolkien and are positive about him. But if Tolkein clones are your idea of the best, it's time you took a look at the real hard stuff.

          2 out of 5 stars Michael Moorcock--Crypto-Froot Loop.......2005-12-04

          I can't imagine that anyone reading this review is actually someone who could stand to benefit by it; surely, no one reads the review of a Michael Moorcock volume--let alone the fifth volume of his series--without either having already read it, or already being a die hard fan of his work. But let us pretend that it is not necessarily so, and that my words of caution might have some effect on the world other than to anger the Moorcock faithful, and proceed.

          As you may or may not be aware, this volume comprises the fifth volume in the "Eternal Champion Series" but was, originally, a number of different works, some of which were written before Moorcock had come upon the idea of an "Eternal Champion." The works in this volume, moreover, were not even published in the order that they appear in this collection: the forth story was published first; the second, last. Does reading these stories out of their originally published order affect the reading? Of course it does, and much to the detriment. Also, and because of the lame Eternal Champion idea that Moorcock eventually came up with to unite his works (idea being that almost all of his heroes in various stories are incarnations of the same guy in a different dimension), Moorcock liberally brings in characters and names from his other books without any real context, expecting us to have read his entire library. Further, because these stories are published out of order, some of the stories reference ideas like the Eternal Champion, and multiverse, and some we read after (but published first), do not. Some characters are brought in without much background because Moorcock had described them in an earlier published work... but that's not the order they're in here.

          Really, this is a poor approach--if you must read Moorcock, read them in the original order as published. But, I think there's a good question as to whether these stories are worth reading at all.

          The first story in the collection (published forth, naturally) is probably the best--Elric of Melnibone. It is also the worst because it leads you to believe that the rest of the stories might be worth reading, too; your memories of Elric of Melnibone will push you onwards through the LSD-influenced Fortress of the Pearl and dull-as-dishwater Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and utterly forgettable short stories once published as The Weird of the White Wolf for some arcane reason. Moorcock writes bloodless prose, which for him is really more of an exercise in fleshing out his bizzare Law versus Chaos theories than telling a compelling, human story. His descriptions are sparse, his vocabulary alternating between smarter-than-thou fifty dollar words and incredibly repetitious (a great Moorcock drinking game would include a shot every time he uses the word "ironic" to describe someone's smile or tone of voice, and two for "sardonic"). His "hero," Elric, is a depressed moper who succeeds only because some random God or another scoops him out deus-ex-machina style from the flames at the last second. Make no mistake: Moorcock writes with agendas, political and philosophical. Unfortunately, he doesn't write with them all that well, and his works decline in quality over time as he lets them take over the normal conventions of plot and character.

          Speaking of, his plots are weak and his characters borderline non-existent. The tone of his work is unceasingly morose, and the only thing worse being when he tries to interject some humor because it always falls flat. Elric hates living--he hates trudging through the stories he's forced, Fated, to endure--and his world weariness communicates itself to the reader. We, too, are depressed after reading his journeys.

          Moorcock wanted to write something unlike the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, and in that he succeeded. (Before--or after--reading this, you may be interested to read Moorcock's nonfiction essay "Starship Stormtroopers," easily found on the web, in which he declares the writings of Tolkien, Issac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Richard Adams, C.S. Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, and many others to be "crypto-fascist," "misanthropic," "misogynistic," "bourgeois," "anti-semitic" and other such things; despite its promising insanity, this essay is sadly even worse written than his fiction.) Tolkien wrote engaging prose with humor and wonderful characters you'll treasure forever. Moorcock wrote dry and funereal prose (though undoubtedly "ironic" and "sardonic"), with benighted characters you'd sooner forget, which you will.

          Once again, I doubt that anyone is reading this review who could actually stand to benefit by it; unlike Mr. Tolkien and the other greats that Moorcock mindlessly maligns, the world has essentially forgotten Michael Moorcock, a process that takes up steam with every passing year, and will relegate him to a footnote in the annals of mediocre fantasy fiction. In the end, I think that Moorcock, himself, understood this, and that jealousy as much as his odd anarchic-fringe idealism fueled his hate-filled diatribe. As these things infected his fiction as well, I cannot recommend this volume to anyone other than the very curious who've already read Moorcock's betters. One star because it's mandatory, and one more for the passing-good Elric of Melnibone.

          5 out of 5 stars The genesis of Dark Fantasy..........2003-06-26

          What can I say about this pioneering work in the Field of Fantasy, except that Micheal Moorcock deserved to win(and did) the British Fantasy award for all five books when they came out. And now you have the chance to buy these books in one collectors edition, this is not something that you should miss out on...nor should you forget that this is still part of a larger textured world known as the Eternal Champion Series, each volume as devastatingly brilliant as the one who brought them to their well deserved recognition.

          5 out of 5 stars The first half of the Elric saga.......2003-05-21

          What to say, what to say... the Elric saga is one of the most excellent fantasy series ever written. This is the first part, composed of the first three books, excluding Fortress of the Pearl, which was written after the six-book saga was completed. Nevertheless, it fits smoothly.

          Elric of Melnibone - The flawless beginning of the saga. Elric of Melnibone introduces its namesake, his best friend Dyvim Tvar, his lover Cymoril, and his competent cousin Yyrkoon. This is, obviously, the first true advancement into the story; but as I mentioned before, it is flawless.

          The Fortress of the Pearl - A sidestory, taking place between Elric of Melnibone and the Sailor on the Seas of Fate. Not as good as the other installments in the series, but a gem nonetheless.

          The Sailor on the Seas of Fate - Split into three seperate, overall unrelated stories. Of course, all three fit into the current storyline, but each can be considered a seperate adventure. The first introduces Hawkmoon, Erekose, and Corum, three of the other incarnations of the Eternal Champion. The next two tell of Elric's adventures with Smiorgan and Duke Avan.

          The Dreaming City - The conclusion to the plot that was set up through the entire first book (Elric of Melnibone). To say any more would spoil and excellent plot twist. Also, to mention, this is the first part of Weird of the White Wolf, the third book in the Elric Saga.

          While the Gods Laugh - The second part of Weird. Here Elric meets Shaarilla, the wingless woman of Myrrh. Also, in this story, Elric meets Moonglum, his most faithful companion, and the one who stayed with the albino warrior the longest. An excellent story, simply put.

          The Singing Citadel - Elric's first meeting with his long-lasting enemy (from this point on), the sorcerer and servant to Chaos, Theleb K'aarna. Here Elric also meets Yishana, who appears once more in the future Elric stories. The third installment in Weird.

          My final word: Read it, read it, read it!

          5 out of 5 stars An Experiance with the Anti-Hero.......2003-03-16

          Being my first adventure with Elric, an incarnation of the Eternal Champion, I was quite perplexed by Moorcocks approach to dark fantasy.

          This book, Song of the Black Sword, contains three full length original Elric novels with the addition of three short stories that would most definetly become a burden to collect. Just having so much out of print or hard to find literature in one novel is well worth the price alone.

          The most interesting aspect of these books for myself was not the massive genocide Elric commits with Stormbringer or the bizarre adventures he physically and metaphysically sets foot on , but the strong development of Elric himself.
          He has changed the way that I view fantasy with such a dark hero.
          Elric: Song of the Black Sword - Eternal Champion Volume 5
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Elric: Song of the Black Sword - Eternal Champion Volume 5

            Manufacturer: White Wolf
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000HKBAAW
            Elric: Song of the Black Sword - Eternal Champion Volume 5
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Elric: Song of the Black Sword - Eternal Champion Volume 5
              Michael Moorcock
              Manufacturer: White Wolf
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover

              ElricElric | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: B000V9SZVG
              Elric : Song of the Black Sword (Eternal Champion Ser., Vol. 6)
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Elric : Song of the Black Sword (Eternal Champion Ser., Vol. 6)

                Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing, Incorporated
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback
                ASIN: B000HKKG3Y
                Elric: Song of the Black Sword, Eternal Champion Vol 5
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Elric: Song of the Black Sword, Eternal Champion Vol 5

                  Manufacturer: White Wolf
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover
                  ASIN: B000HJYWI0
                  Elric: Song of the Black Sword, Eternal Champion Volume 5
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Elric: Song of the Black Sword, Eternal Champion Volume 5

                    Manufacturer: White Wolf
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000HK0ZS0

                    THE DANCER FROM ATLANTIS
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      THE DANCER FROM ATLANTIS
                      Poul Anderson
                      Manufacturer: Doubleday
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover
                      ASIN: B000NWICM8
                      Dancer From Atlantis
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        Dancer From Atlantis
                        Poul Anderson
                        Manufacturer: SIGNET BOOKS
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000TXDSSO
                        The Dancer From Atlantis
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          The Dancer From Atlantis
                          Poul Anderson
                          Manufacturer: Garden City, New York Nelson Doubleday, Inc.
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Hardcover
                          ASIN: B000W9JE2E
                          The Dancer From Atlantis
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            The Dancer From Atlantis

                            Manufacturer: Nelson Doubleday
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Hardcover
                            ASIN: B000BKRLRE

                            Product Description

                            Pages like new. A little discoloration on the dust cover due to aging.
                            Dancer from Atlantis
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              Dancer from Atlantis
                              Poul Anderson
                              Manufacturer: NELSON DOUBLEDAY
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Hardcover
                              ASIN: B000OL0YLK
                              The Dancer from Atlantis
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                The Dancer from Atlantis
                                Poul Anderson
                                Manufacturer: New Jersey: New American Library, 1972
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback
                                ASIN: B000NXHOIA
                                The Dancer from Atlantis
                                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                                • A romantic time travel speculation of an ancient eruption
                                The Dancer from Atlantis
                                Poul Anderson
                                Manufacturer: Roc
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback

                                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                                Anderson, PoulAnderson, Poul | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                                GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                                ASIN: 0451153545

                                Customer Reviews:

                                5 out of 5 stars A romantic time travel speculation of an ancient eruption.......1998-07-31

                                This book combines romantic science fiction with a historical backdrop. Anderson's strong character development and great storytelling makes this novel a great read. The first time I read this book I could not put it down and nearly did not sleep that night. It was that exciting and fast paced. He uses time travel as a method of moving the main character back to ancient history during the height of Cretan civilization and who falls in love with a beautiful bull dancer. He uses the eruption of Krakatowa as the pivotal event. I recently reread the book and it still works for me!
                                The Dancer from Atlantis
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  The Dancer from Atlantis
                                  Poul Anderson
                                  Manufacturer: New
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                                  ASIN: B000IMP5SW
                                  The Dancer from Atlantis
                                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                                    The Dancer from Atlantis
                                    Poul Anderson
                                    Manufacturer: Sphere
                                    ProductGroup: Book
                                    Binding: Paperback
                                    ASIN: B000M6717C
                                    The Dancer from Atlantis
                                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                                      The Dancer from Atlantis
                                      Poul Anderson
                                      Manufacturer: New American Library (Signet)
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Mass Market Paperback

                                      Anderson, PoulAnderson, Poul | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
                                      ASIN: B000IMQWVG

                                      Product Description

                                      An experiment in the future gone awry... and Duncan Reid, American architect of the 20th century, came out of unconciousness to find himself hopelessly marooned in the far distant past. Bound to him were three of the strangest humans he had ever encountered... a medieval Russian, and a fourth-century Hun, and a sacred priestess who worshiped him as a god. And all shared the same fate -- pulled through a hole in time to a present which was ancient history. Together the quartet formed a strange alliance which none dared break. For not only were their own futures at stake... but the very future of the world they had found....

                                      Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook: From Hemingway, South Carolina, To Harlem
                                      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                                      • 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

                                      GeneralGeneral | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      African AmericanAfrican American | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      Soul FoodSoul Food | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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                                      5. The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes and Food Memories The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes and Food Memories

                                      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:

                                      4 out of 5 stars 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.

                                      5 out of 5 stars 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.

                                      4 out of 5 stars 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.

                                      4 out of 5 stars 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.

                                      5 out of 5 stars 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!
                                      Sylvia's Soul Food
                                      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
                                      • Sylvia's Soul Food
                                      • Best ribs recipe I've seen yet.
                                      • Her peach cobbler is superb!
                                      • Rave Reviews for Smothered Pork Chops
                                      • Greens to go
                                      Sylvia's Soul Food
                                      Sylvia Woods
                                      Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Hardcover

                                      GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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                                      African AmericanAfrican American | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      Soul FoodSoul Food | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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                                      3. The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes and Food Memories The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes and Food Memories
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                                      5. Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South

                                      ASIN: 0688100120

                                      Book Description

                                      Sylvia Woods has been barbecuing, baking, frying, and smothering New York City's best soul food for nearly thirty years. According to the Zagat New York City Restaurant Survey, "For down-home delicious Soul Food, this funky Harlemite is the real thing; go for great ribs, incredible fried chicken, fiery greens, and other artery-clogging Southern staples. Don't tell your doctor what you ate."

                                      Now, for the first time, the "Queen of Soul Food" reveals her recipe secrets for more than one hundred of the authentic, stick-to-your-ribs soul food and classic Southern dishes she serves at her world-famous Harlem restaurant.

                                      Start off with a breakfast of homemade pork sausage with eggs and the tenderest, flakiest biscuits you've ever eaten. Move on to tried-and-true soul food favorites that include Smothered Chicken, Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies, Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings, Blackeyed Peas and Rice, and, of course, "Sylvia's World-Famous Talked-About Barbecued Ribs."

                                      Of course, no meal at Sylvia's would be complete without a couple of "sides": Fried Green Tomatoes, Collard Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings, Candied Sweet Potatoes, and more. Sylvia's desserts are enough to satisfy any sweet tooth: Peach Cobbler, Lemon Pie, and Three-Layer Caramel Cake.

                                      So, "if you're craving great barbecue, down-home soul food, and something uniquely New York, catch a cab up to Sylvia's, a marvelous restaurant serving up batches of great ribs, pork chops, candied sweet potatoes, and pecan pies that will satisfy the biggest eater in the family" (Passport to New York Restaurants). If you can't make it to New York, Sylvia's Soul Food will make you feel like you're there.

                                      Customer Reviews:

                                      1 out of 5 stars Sylvia's Soul Food.......2005-08-08

                                      I thought the book was really bad. Most of the food they had recipes for were not in my kitchen. Guess I'm not meant to be a "soul food" cook.

                                      5 out of 5 stars Best ribs recipe I've seen yet........2005-01-16

                                      I bought this for the ribs recipes and I was not at all disappointed. It's a very new approach for me, but one that turned out beautifully. I've used other recipes in this book, and all have come out as promised (especially the fried chicken recipe), but the ribs are the ones I come back to again and again. I'm very glad I got this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anybody interested in Southern comfort cooking.

                                      5 out of 5 stars Her peach cobbler is superb!.......2002-12-15

                                      I checked out her cookbook from the library four years ago, I love the recipes so much, especially the peach cobbler, I wanted to purchased the book but my funds are limited. So I checked it out again and tried some more of her recipes, they are so great! My family loves it! I do have one of her books that I got through a book club which wasn't bad (meaning the price only 2 bucks, but worth a lot more!) But Sylvia's Soul food book they did not have. I would really like a chance to purchase all her books. Sylvia, you have simply stolen my heart as well as well as my appetite. I look forward to trying more of your recipes! One of your number one fans!

                                      5 out of 5 stars Rave Reviews for Smothered Pork Chops.......2002-05-29

                                      I have had Sylvia's book for several years and just happened to think of writing a review after I wrote a couple for some sewing books that I own. I read through the reviews of others and was surprised to read some of the negative ones. I have used quite a few of the recipes in this book. In fact, I am preparing the meatloaf recipe tonight. However, of all the recipes in the book, my absolute, hands-down favorite is the Smothered Pork Chops. I have served it several times to friends and they rave about it every time. With regard to the negative reviews, one has to understand that this is "down home" type cooking. That is what "soul food" is all about and every ethnic group has some kind of "soul food". Furthermore, everyone's mother or grandmother is going to cook the family's dishes a little bit differently from everybody else's mother or grandmother. Can you imagine how many different recipes there are for meatloaf? While I do not put yellow food coloring in my macaroni and cheese, I do prefer to use yellow cheese over white, and I do know that there are people who serve mac and cheese that is quite yellow throughout. I suspect that they are using the food coloring. After you have come to understand how a dish is supposed to taste, you are going to adjust it further for your taste and that of your family members. Sylvia's mac and cheese is wonderful, but so is Patti LaBelle's, and her dish is made differently. Sylvia's Chicken and Dumplings are also delicious, but some times, I use Paul Prudhomme's version. Readers, the bottom line is to use what suits you regardless of who wrote the book or the review, and enjoy. I am quite pleased with the book and enjoyed reading Mrs. Woods' introduction.

                                      4 out of 5 stars Greens to go.......2002-03-15

                                      I loved greens ever since I was a kid traveling on vacation through Arkansas, and mistook them for my beloved spinach ("That's not spinach, honey," said the gal behind the cafeteria counter in Little Rock, "that's turnip greens!" ) Well, I've been hooked on greens ever since, and Sylvia's version of greens are so good here. She uses smoked turkey wings to replace the fatty ham hocks that make the rich cooking broth (pot likker) and this is just one of her innovations. Corn bread, biscuits, greens, chicken are all here, reproduced from Sylvia's restaurant's prize-winning recipes.
                                      Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level
                                      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                                      • Neo Soul can offer Neo Hope for anyone struggling to manage lifestyle changes pertaining to food management
                                      • Adds a healthy twist to a cuisine often associated with unhealthy fats
                                      • Great Recipes
                                      • Neo soul review
                                      • Great start, but check the conversions
                                      Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level
                                      Lindsey Williams
                                      Manufacturer: Avery
                                      ProductGroup: Book
                                      Binding: Hardcover

                                      InternationalInternational | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      African AmericanAfrican American | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                                      Weight LossWeight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
                                      Whole FoodsWhole Foods | Special Conditions | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
                                      GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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                                      5. Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South

                                      ASIN: 1583331948

                                      Book Description

                                      More than one hundred taste-tempting soul-food recipes.

                                      From the grandson of Harlem's queen of soul food, Sylvia Woods, comes a new take on soul food-down-home cooking that tastes as good as the food you grew up with. Lindsey Williams knows soul food. He was raised in the kitchen of his grandmother's restaurant, Sylvia's, where he mastered the art of soul-food cooking. But being around all of that good food took its toll. When he tipped the scales at four hundred pounds, he knew he had to make some serious changes.

                                      That's when he lost more than half his body weight and began his own brand of healthy soul-food cooking that's loved by the clients of his catering business. Now, with Neo Soul, we can all enjoy some guilt-free soul food.

                                      Neo Soul features more than one hundred of Williams's delectable recipes, including Grandma's Roasted Turkey, Lenzo's Trout Stuffed with Collard Greens, Okra Gumbo, Neo Sweet Potato Pie, and Blueberry Buckle. They're all so good, you'll never miss the fat

                                      Customer Reviews:

                                      4 out of 5 stars Neo Soul can offer Neo Hope for anyone struggling to manage lifestyle changes pertaining to food management .......2006-07-08

                                      This book was very encouraging. I've eaten in Sylvia's Restaurants in Atlanta and New York and the food was GRRRRREAT!!!!!!! Being a Southerner I know the challenges of resisting good old down home stick to your ribs cooking! I love books like this one and Pattie LaBelle's Lite Cuisine because many of the recipes offer good options for making food that taste good and at the same time is good for you. I think that this book can stimulate the thought processes regarding changing how you prepare the standard recipes you typically eat at home. Most people cook a standard rotation of menus in their homes. Books like this make you think about healthy options and how to substitute ingredients for your meals at home.

                                      5 out of 5 stars Adds a healthy twist to a cuisine often associated with unhealthy fats.......2006-05-25

                                      Other books have been written on soul food but here's something with a difference: it comes from the godson of Harlem's soul food cook Sylvia Woods and adds a healthy twist to a cuisine often associated with unhealthy fats. Author Lindsay Williams struggled with weight all his life and had to make some drastic changes when at 400 pounds he found food affecting his health. NEO SOUL reflects these changes, which caused him to lose more than half his weight, and provides readers with a new brand of healthy soul cooking which retains the ethnicity without the dangers.

                                      Diane C. Donovan, Editor
                                      California Bookwatch

                                      5 out of 5 stars Great Recipes.......2006-03-07

                                      Lyndey Williams is a remarkable person who has come a long way. His journey from unhealthy and obese to fit and eating well is fantastic. His word is just as good as anybodies because he has been "there." I purchased two cookbooks, 1 for me and 1 for my mother. We tried numerous recipes and they turned out great. With these recipes you can substitute the high fat without substituting the great flavor. If you aren't looking for low fat try regular Syvlia's Soul Food in Harlem, hands down some of the greatest soul food available.

                                      3 out of 5 stars Neo soul review.......2006-02-28

                                      Book gives good ideas but nothing new - recylced old ideas - the author gives too much personal information - good for him that he lost weight but enough already ~!

                                      4 out of 5 stars Great start, but check the conversions.......2006-02-03

                                      I saw Lindsey Williams featured in Newsweek and I went immediately and bought this book for a friend of mine. She's been trying to find ways to lighten up her down-home cooking and I thought this was right up her alley.

                                      We paged through the book together and checked out the recipes - which are fantastic. Mr. Williams' personal story was also a highlight, as were tidbits like celebrity favorites. My friend recognized familiar recipes immediately and was pleased her new cookbook.

                                      Naturally, being health conscious, we looked at the nutritional information. That's when we started to get confused.

                                      For one, the calorie and fat counts for some of the desserts were very high. I know - it's DESSERT! If the re-done version was still bad, I figured it must mean the "original" version must have been far worse. And I know you don't eat it all the time, anyway. But I've never seen a "light" cookbook feature a recipe with 4 sticks of butter in the ingredient list. As tempting as the pound cake sounds, I'm afraid it would be something I couldn't eat on my plan.

                                      Secondly, I'm convinced that the nutritional counts are inaccurate. Some recipes had 40 or 50+ grams of fat in them - which is just astronomical for one serving. The calorie count would seem appropriate for a serving, but fat (and sometimes sodium) seemed like it might actually apply to the whole dish. There were so many great LIGHT recipes that we looked at, scanning the ingredient list only to find healthy ingredients but non-attractive nutritional counts. It didn't make sense.

                                      It's such a good cookbook with really great re-mixes of traditional recipes. Even after the confusion, my friend still liked the book. I just wish I could pick Mr. Williams' brain over some of the recipes & techniques.........Why not reduce the amount of high-fat coconut in the coconut cake recipe? Why actually FRY the fried apples when there are other ways to cook them without 3 cups of oil? Do we really have to use 4 sticks of butter in the pound cake or is there a way we can sub out some calories? Why would chicken & peaches have 24g of fat?

                                      Bottom line: the book has some fantastic recipes. I would just recommend for those who are nutritionally aware to do your own calculations (and maybe make a few more of your own substitutions) and I'm sure the numbers won't look so bad.

                                      Books:

                                      1. PECULIAR PEOPLE: STORY OF MY LIFE
                                      2. Penhally (Southern Classics Series (Nashville, Tenn.).)
                                      3. Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes
                                      4. Praise Jerusalem!
                                      5. Preparation for the final crisis;: A compilation of passages from the Bible and the spirit of prophecy,
                                      6. Promiscuous Unbound
                                      7. Rag Man : A Novel
                                      8. Record Palace
                                      9. Reservation Road (Vintage Contemporaries)
                                      10. Sappho's Leap: A Novel

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