Malaise : A Novel

Amazon.com

People either get Nancy Lemann or they don't. Those who do practically worship her for her deeply elegant, eccentric, hilarious novels about displaced Southerners. Those who don't tend to complain that she's too repetitive. That she is, and a good thing, too. In her lovely and odd novel, Malaise, Lemann uses repetition as she does in all her books: as a wellspring for both humor and meaning. Her characters turn phrases over and over in their minds, as if trying to solve them. In Malaise, those phrases concern California, the death of the British Empire, old age, and graciousness. Fleming Ford is a New York journalist, born in Mississippi, whose husband's work takes the family to Esperanza, a San Diegoesque resort city not far from the Mexican border. As always, Lemann's writing wildly conflates the personal and the geographical. Fleming shuns Esperanza as the ends of the earth. At the same time, and not just coincidentally, she falls in love with Mr. Lieberman, an old Englishman who represents the decorousness that she has left behind. Along the way, we get some astonishing writing, like this aside about a visit to Death Valley: "It's so godforsaken, so historical, and so pure that you are curiously elated. It may be called Death Valley, but the minute you get there you are subsumed by a vast and incongruous gaiety." Addled by nostalgia and despair, Lemann's characters are forever bumping into a vast and incongruous gaiety, and telling us about it over and over and over. We wouldn't have it any other way. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

A search for love, home, and meaning set between the blazing southern California border town of Esperanza and the old-world haunts of New York, Malaise is a romantic comedy of manners from a novelist of incomparable style and wit.

Fleming Ford is an Alabama girl exiled to the West Coast, where she is torn between devotion to her husband and a dangerous love for an older Englishman who seems to embody the formality and culture lacking in her new home. California is to Fleming a desert of many kinds, but ultimately she is reluctantly drawn into the culture that she satirizes -- its beautiful vistas, its citizens' endless quest for wellness, the narcotic effect of its perpetual sun. She soon finds herself at the mall or with a botanist, facialist, yoga instructor, or visceral manipulator. She must come to terms with the inhabitants' ceaseless plea to relax, their phobia of weather, their love of malls.

Newly pregnant with her third child while her geologist husband is away searching for water in the barren deserts of the American West, Fleming seeks relief in the companionship of Mr. Lieberman, a British mogul sojourning in Los Angeles. To her, he represents the tragic yet glamorous Old World, the milestones of the twentieth century, and the battlefields of Europe.

Will Fleming risk her marriage and her honor for the love of an aging tycoon? Acclaimed for her Walker Percy-like portraits of Southern society, Nancy Lemann here trains her eye on the contrasts between the East Coast and the West, the Old World and the New, in a captivating story that reflects on universal themes of place, history, and home.

Customer Reviews:

How's your malaise level?.......2006-10-21

California is a love-it-or-hate-it place -- some people would rather live anywhere else, and some people feel that it's practically paradisical. (I fall into the second category, thanks to some months in San Diego)

San Diego also happens to be where Nancy Lemann lives, so she seems ideally suited for the story of a Southern woman lost in SoCal. While this is her most "normal" novel, "Malaise" is still a quirky, offbeat story, where people meander aimlessly through pivotal points in their lives.

Fleming Ford lives with her two kids (and one on the way) in Esperanza, while her geologist hubby tries to "make the desert bloom." She also feels weirdly disconnected from the ways of SoCal. But when she takes a vacation back in NYC, she encounters her former boss Mr. Lieberman, whom she obviously has a crush on.

When Fleming returns to Esperanza, where the locals obsess on rainfall and visit various trend-healers. She tries that out, but is more wrapped up in memories of the Deep South and the quirky neighbors -- until Mr. Lieberman shows up, and asks to lunch with her in L.A. Is this is a sign of attraction between them, or a farewell?

This is perhaps Lemann's most "normal" novel -- the main character is meditative rather than eccentric, and it seems a dreamy study of SoCal and the "suave yet dilapidated" New York, rather than a study of eccentricity. Plus, there are relatively few mentions of nervous breakdowns or irrational behavior. Consider it a sunnier, more relaxed version of Lemann's past books.

But it does retain the quirky characters and eccentricity, like the guy who is obsessed with geraniums. The only problem is perhaps the appearance of too many SoCal stereotypes, like the visceral manipulator. But that's more than made up for by Lemann's understatedly evocative prose, whether describing a lovably decayed city or the deserts ("a lunar-seeming landscape, yet infused infinitely with sun").

There's not much of a plot, but somehow it never quite needs one -- Fleming's story focuses on center around a sort of female midlife crisis. Fleming also seems quite real -- a bit befuddled by her life, adoring her husband and Mr. Lieberman in different ways. But she never loses her head or forgets herself.

"Malaise" is a bittersweet novel, all about a "last love," and a woman reexamining her life in a sunny paradise. Quite different from Lemann's other books, but still endearingly odd. What's your malaise level?

Delightful.......2002-12-24

Nancy Lemann's Malaise is a wonderful novel--witty, clever and delightfully snide at times. Lemann has a marvelous, unique approach to storytelling which may turn off some readers, but I really enjoyed it. Reading this novel is like spending time with an old friend with a rapier sharp sarcastic wit. In terms of plotting here, not much happens, but for a novel of about 250 pages, that is OK. Fleming Ford, the narrator, is a 40-year old Southerner living in Esperanza California who becomes a bit obsessed with an older widower she knows from New York. Her out-of-place-ness enables her to observe all around her with a deadpan aloofness that is always funny and at times hilarious. This is a terrific novel and one I highly recommend if you a looking for a brief little sarcastic interlude.

Dude!.......2002-08-06

The one thing I'm really impressed about in this book is the number of worn-out, overused cliches about Southern California that can be fit into one book. And repeated so often. Truly, she is a good writer in terms of characterization and plot. Let's just hope her next book isn't about stupid Southerners, African Americans addicted to watermelon, or women who have hysteria.

an American treasure.......2002-07-17

Nancy Lemann is about the most original and hilarious writer I've ever read. Her observations on people, places, and things are so nutty and funny, I find myself reading them again and again. On top of that, every sentence is full of melancholy and longing. They're actually intoxicating. Am I going overboard? I just love this writer and was so happy to have a new novel from her, I took a day off work to read it. (OK, so I hate my job, too.) Malaise is as wacky and wise as all her other books, and in its own oddball way, it's a great novel. Very mature and a little bit risky. There's no pulse pounding plot, it's true, but when I open one of Lemann's books and hear her voice, I can't put it down. I swear, this is one of those writers people are going to "rediscover" in fifty years (Dawn Powell anyone?) so hang on to your first editions.

If you've read one chapter, you've read them all.......2002-07-15

I was astounded by the number of times Lemann said the same thing over and over as if she were making a new point. The only interesting character was the absent husband of whom we saw very little. This novel needed some serious editing and plot development.

Book Description

In a world of magical adepts, every quarter-century the five talents must he brought only this powerful union of can prevent the prophesied return of the Evil Ones who once enslaved the land.

Convergence

Lorand is of Earth, a simple farmer called to the city. Tamrissa is Fire, sacrificing her home to escape an undesired marriage. Clarion is Air, an aristocrat flying free for the very first time. Spirit is the talent of Jovvi, the beautiful, sensuous, and knowing ex-courtesan. And Vallant is Water, a sailor who aches to return to the sea.

As one, they must stand against the odious treachery of past masters -- and confront a fearsome depravity that hungers for their world. As one they must triumph...or as one they die.

Customer Reviews:

I will be succinct.:.......2006-12-09

5 reasons why I hated this series:
1. How much tea can people drink!? Every other page had these characters swilling down tea. If this was reality, they would've been in privys for most of the story.
2. Tam and Ro are probably the most annoying couple in fantasy. She loves me, he loves me, she doesn't love me, etc., ad nauseum
3. Shared sexual partners always turns me off..
4. More tea
5.Cloying sentimental and cliche phrases
Otherwise, interesting premise and I did read the whole series just to see what happens next!

Repetition and Annoyance.......2006-09-06

As others have stated before me, there is potential in this series of books. It's really sad to watch that potential get wasted over and over again. I actually read the whole series, though I had to force myself to finish it just so that I could be sure that I'd given it a fair chance.

The characters start out all right, with the seeds of possibility in each of them. Unfortunately, as the book goes on, they seem to de-mature rather than grow. The misunderstandings that occur between them all strike me as the type of silliness that you see in middle school and high school students rather than the adults that they are supposed to be. One pair in particular repeats the same pattern of miscommunication over and over again until I felt as though I wanted to be able to reach into the book and knock their heads together to get some sense into them.

The mechanics of The Blending are all that really kept me coming back, as I found the system of magic to be fascinating. Unfortunately, that is not enough to sustain this series.

If you're looking for character-driven fantasy about people with mental powers, I would steer you toward Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books rather than this set (or it's sequel set). I'm just thankful that I bought this at a used book store for half price. At least I didn't lose too much money!

thin, repetitive plot, poor characterization.......2005-12-24

I couldn't finish this one, it was so awful, and that's rare for me. As other reviewers have said, the plot is highly repetitive. Each of the main characters goes through near-identical experiences, and as a result, you don't really learn very much about any of the characters, about how they might be different or interesting. If characterization is important to you, don't read this book. A very slow-moving story that I just didn't have patience for.

One of the best books I've read!!!.......2004-09-01

This is one of the best books I've ever read! It's definitely a page-turner, has a great plot continued throughout the rest of the series, and has wonderful characters. Aside from the fact that Sharon Green describes the characters having tea a lot more than most American authors I've read, this is one of the best examples of fantasy fiction. Thanks to Sharon Green for writing this book and all the sequels!

Not sure on this one.......2004-08-13

I'm not sure if I'll go on to read the rest of this series. The concept is intriguing and the characters are interesting, but the whole thing was repetitive (everything had to be viewed from all five characters' points of view, down to conversations you had to read through two or three times to see all sides of them) and had a slightly overblown-fantasy feel--as someone stated in a review above, it does occasionally feel like bad fanfiction. Still, I liked the characters and had genuine sympathy for them in many cases, plus I do like the magical aspect--though again, that got rather overblown-fantasy-esque at the beginning of the book, where there was either too much exposition explaining the complex magical government system, or the reviled expositionary trick of characters making statements to other characters about things they already knew for the benefit of the reader. I'll likely read the rest...but I'll get them from the library rather than buying them next time.

The Blending, (Convergence, Competitions, Challenges, Betrayals, Prophecy, Volume 1, 2 , 3 , 4, 5 Book one two three four five)

Average customer rating:

The Blending, (Convergence, Competitions, Challenges, Betrayals, Prophecy, Volume 1, 2 , 3 , 4, 5 Book one two three four five)
Sharon Green
Manufacturer: Harper/Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q9N0SY

Product Description

They are the five greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts-and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovi, and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers...and place them at the center of a corrupt nobiity's lethal schemes. And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable...because failure is doom.

Book Description

Now at last in one volume, Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park and The Lost World--the two incomparably suspenseful, supremely scary, utterly unputdownable, worldwide best-selling return-of-the-dinosaurs novels, which together constitute Jurassic World.

Customer Reviews:

Two of Crichton's Best!!.......2007-07-17

These are two of Micheal Crichton's best novels. I loved both of them and read the whole thing in about a week. As far as novels go...these two are about as good as it gets

A Must-Have If You Like the Films.......2002-09-16

Michael Crichton's popular Jurassic Park novels that spawned two blockbuster motion pictures are together, uncut and unabridged, in this spectacular book. If you liked either one of the Steven Spielberg films, this is definitely a must-have, both as companion for the films and for its literary value.

I am part of the iconoclastic ilk who believe a film can be better than the book. Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park" is an example. And that is not knocking Michael by any means. The novel - written three years before the film version - is packed with far more scientific facts, fascinating theories, and interesting techno-babble than the motion picture ever could. Reading "Jurassic Park" is almost like a crash course in paleontology and DNA. However, that aspect of the book giveth and taketh away. Too often it gets bogged down in a superfluity of sometimes boring scientific jargon. The last 15% of the book is slow-going, and the ending is anticlimactic. But there are plenty of adventure/suspense elements and compelling characters (most of which appear in the film) that made this so attractive for motion picture studios. Crichton has a keen ability to delineate vivid images of the dinosaurs. He also has a knack for writing amusing dialogue. The computer screen illustrations lend much-needed visual aid, and it is fun to watch the fractals of Ian Malcolm's "Chaos Theory" grow from chapter to chapter. The pros (and prose) of this book far outweigh the cons.

Now, all those literary purests should be pacified. I think "The Lost World" is far superior to the film (of course, it is almost impossible for it not to be). This is one of those rare books that I actually have trouble putting down before I finish - spent thirteen hours straight reading it. If you can get through an oppressive section early on, the rest of the book is fast-paced and compelling. The plot of the novel is far more credible than the film, and is spared that ridiculous scene in which tyrannosaurus rex wreaks havoc in San Diego. Interestingly, there are fewer characters in the book than in the film. Jack Thorne almost seems like a reverse composite character. A lot of the dialogue in "The Lost World" is comic book caliber, and Crichton occasionally digresses into the tedious scientific lectures prevalent in "Jurassic Park", but not nearly to the same extent. Overall, the "Jurassic World" book is a fine read.

A great read!.......2000-12-17

I have read both Jurassic Park and The Lost World seperately before, however I found that the combination of the two was brilliant! Sure the book was poorly constructed with rough un-cut paper, but at least it stayed together. Jurassic World is a great book.

Two Great Books In One Volume.......2000-07-23

This omnibus has two of the greatest novels of all-time in one volume: Jurassic Park, and the Lost World. But of course you already knew that. If you want to know my opinions on the individual books then look up my reviews for them, but I can tell you that these are two awesome books and each so much better than the (by no means bad) movies. And they're in one volume! If you don't yet own these two books, this is the best way to purchase them, as it is cheaper. On the other hand, if you already own or have read these two novels there is absolutely no reason to purchase this one, as it has nothing new except for slightly different packaging.

Great.......1998-02-14

This is a Great Book. The price is wonderful!

2 Titles By Michael Crichton : Jurassic Park Series : Jurassic Park The Lost World

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2 Titles By Michael Crichton : Jurassic Park Series : Jurassic Park The Lost World
Michael Crichton
Manufacturer: ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MG7K5A

Product Description

2 Titles By Michael Crichton : Jurassic Park Series : Jurassic Park The Lost World. two mmpb books.

Le monde perdu: The Lost World (Jurassic Park II)

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Le monde perdu: The Lost World (Jurassic Park II)
Gail Herman , Michael Crichton , and David Koepp
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 2266079360

Customer Reviews:

Jon.......2000-03-05

It's really good. I loved it from the start. I think that everyone shoud buy this book.

Jon.......2000-03-05

It's really good. I loved it from the start. I think that everyone shoud buy this book.

Jon.......2000-03-05

It's really good. I loved it from the start. I think that everyone shoud buy this book.

Average customer rating:

The Lost World Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton
Manufacturer: Ballantine Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SPUO0I

Product Description

young adult's to adults-read the book then see the movie version

Spere; The Andromeda Strain; Airframe; Jurassic Park; The Lost World

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Spere; The Andromeda Strain; Airframe; Jurassic Park; The Lost World
Michael Crichton
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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Product Description

Five Audio Cassette Books. Spere; The Andromeda Strain; Airframe; Jurassic Park; The Lost World

Average customer rating:

Jurassic Park Part II
Interesting stuff to learn in it
Awesome
Too much science, too little story
Michael Crichton's worst novel ever

The Lost World
Michael Crichton
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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ASIN: B00005AAPY

Amazon.com

Written in the wake of Jurassic Park's phenomenal box-office success, The Lost World seems as much a guidebook for Hollywood types hard at work on the franchise's followup as it is a legitimate sci-fi thriller. Which begs the inevitable questions: Is the plot a rehash of the first book? Sure it is, with the action unfolding on yet another secluded island, the mysterious "Site B." Is the cast of characters basically the same? Absolutely, from a freshly minted pair of cute, compu-savvy kids right down to the neatly exhumed chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (who was presumed dead at the close of JP). But is it fun to read? You betcha. Hollywood (and Michael Crichton) keeps telling us the same old stories for a very good reason: we like them. And the pulp SF formula Crichton has mastered with Jurassic Park and The Lost World is no exception. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

"HARROWING THRILLS . . . FAST-PACED AND ENGAGING."
--People
It is now six years since the secret disaster at Jurassic Park, six years since the extraordinary dream of science and imagination came to a crashing end--the dinosaurs destroyed, the park dismantled, the island indefinitely closed to the public.
There are rumors that something has survived. . . .
"ACTION-PACKED."
--New York Daily News
"FAST AND GRIPPING."
--The Washington Post Book World
"A VERY SCARY READ."
--Entertainment Weekly
"AN EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT TALE."
--St. Petersburg Times

From the Paperback edition.

Download Description

The mega-bestselling author of such exciting novels as Disclosure and Congo unveils the electrifying sequel to his hit book/movie Jurassic Park, certain to be a surefire bestseller!

Customer Reviews:

Jurassic Park Part II.......2007-09-28

There are many fine reviews already listed so I will be succinct. This book is a sequel to Jurassic Park. We join the cast of characters six years after the dinosaur island park disaster in which humans fought off genetically engineered replicas of prehistoric animals. One survivor of that attack is now a member of a group who returns to the area, another island called Site B, and meet up with the remaining dinosaurs. The book does have strong language and violence. Even though it fills like you are reading 'Jurassic Park' again, it is worth reading.

Interesting stuff to learn in it.......2007-08-24

As the first book, MC puts a lot of interesting biological stuff in the book for anyone to learn a bit more about nature. Also, the story is very different from the film and much darker. I prefer this book-versio of things and recommend to all who likes fiction stories or to those who like science. Some nice theories are discussed in the book.

Awesome.......2007-08-23

Micheal has been firing on all cylinders in this book. I was astonished to have found the entire story structure built up differently from the film, and I do regard and recommend the book to be more thrilling, eyeball-catching if put together with the film clips. The fact is that it creates more anxiety if you fail to turn the pages until all of these folks, men and women, adults and children, mathematicians and computer geeks eventually figured a route out of the dreadful isle. Another fact it creates is to increase the times you go for a leak amid your bed time.
In general, absolutely amazing story.

Too much science, too little story.......2007-08-01

This is a fun follow-up read to Jurassic Park, but the plot is incredibly weak at times. The characters all seemed really interesting when they were first introduced, but they were not developed any further throughout the novel.

Crichton uses his novels to speak to the public his own thoughts about science, this time through the character of Ian Malcolm, which can be extremely annoying, especially when he over-emphasizes points that have little relevance.

For example, at one point a member of the team brings and injured baby T-Rex to their trailer to help its leg, and not only Malcolm, but also Levine and Thorne exploded about how it was wrong to let the dinosaur inside their vehicle. Crichton rambles on about Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, with all three scientists agreeing that by bringing this T-Rex into their home, they are bringing themselves into the experiment. But why did this not come up when the group first landed on the island? If these were three real scientists, it would hardly have gone as it did in the book.

Crichton, like in Jurassic Park, continued to unnecessarily state how dinosaurs are closer to birds then reptiles, many are pack hunters, and this stuff has never been observed before. Things like this do not need to be mentioned at the frequency Crichton uses. And then certain things he mentioned, such as "Gambler's Ruin," are so irrelevant I had to restrain myself from throwing the book down.

The villains are boring, and I think there could be a lot more room for action if they were made a little more interesting. I suggest reading the book if you liked Jurassic Park, but read it quickly and try to look past Crichton's grave misuse of certain scientific theories.

Michael Crichton's worst novel ever.......2007-07-07

I got hooked in science fiction novels thanks to Jurassic Park. What a great SF novel this is! I was captivated by the smart extrapolation of science, particularly the clever use of biotechnology for breeding extinct animals, the warnings about uncontrolled uses of new technologies (Crichton's recurring theme), all the new and updated information about how dinosaurs really were, and by Crichton's trademark in his earlier works, a storyline full of verisimilitude, imagination and originality.

Hence, when "The Lost World" was first published in 1995, I couldn't wait to read it and I bought the hardcopy, despite the disappointment with Spielberg's movie messing up with the original JP's plot. But what a surprise! This time it was Crichton who directly wrote a script for PG-13 action movie instead of a good SF novel.

"The Lost World" even includes the resurrection of some of the key characters who had clearly died in JP I (Ian Malcolm and John Hammond). At the beginning of the story MC justifies the literal rebirth of Malcolm, by explaining that "in fact, [he had] been reported dead in several newscasts...., but it turned out I was only slightly dead." Please!!!
When Arthur Clarke made changes these big, between the script of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the successful SF novel that follows, at least Clarke had the decency of explaining the reasons for the changes.

Unfortunately, it seems that for the sequel Crichton preferred a commercial book, fully compatible with Jurassic Park the movie, and 100% ready for the movie sequel. But Spielberg changed the plot again, and the resulting JP II ("The Lost World") was even worse, including an undeserved ending, sort of King Kong craze in the streets of California.

As the resurrected Malcolm said himself early in the movie, "The Lost World" is just more: "Ooh, ahh!. That's how it always starts. But then later, there's running and screaming", and people getting killed by the dinosaurs. This is a good summary of the novel. No value-added, no science fiction, everything borrowed from the first novel. In JP II the movie, at least you get to see some new dinosaurs.

I was expecting a real follow-up from the first novel, which ended with Prof. Grant "detained" by Costa Rican authorities, while "some unknown animals ate the crops in a very peculiar way" at the northern rural region of Costa Rica. Somehow a few dinosaurs had come to the mainland, were looking for food rich in lysine, and were following migrating patterns. This was a good starting point for the novel, with no need for a magic Site B, never mentioned in the first novel. But it seems that for commercial purposes (too much money at stake given the enormous success of JP the movie), Crichton decided to write a script of a blockbuster movie instead of a good SF novel, as we were used to. What a shame!

Not recommended, Michael Crichton's worst novel ever, you'll be better off by just reading the first Jurassic Park novel.

Average customer rating:

a great find!

Outstanding!!!!!!!

Great reading

I'm thinking like a chef

"It's done when it tastes right"

Think Like a Chef
Tom Colicchio
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Craft of Cooking: Notes and Recipes from a Restaurant Kitchen

Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques

The Elements of Taste

Bouchon Bouchon

The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes

ASIN: 0609604856
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

Cookbooks by chefs can be daunting. They're apt to include tricky restaurant recipes, or, alternately, watered-down "translations." Tom Colicchio, chef at Manhattan's top-rated Gramercy Tavern, has a better way. Think like a chef, he advises, and you tap into food preparation creativity--the ability to forgo recipes, when you wish, for spontaneous kitchen invention. In a series of innovative chapters that explore cooking fundamentals, culinary themes and variations, and "plug-in" component preparations, Colicchio provides a cooking "anatomy" for gaining kitchen mastery. The book's 100-plus recipes are offered not as ends in themselves (though they stand as delicious examples of Colicchio's simple yet sophisticated style), but as illustrative keys to the culinary processes.

How does it work? Beginning with a chapter that reviews basic cooking techniques, and includes exemplary stock- and sauce-making formulas, the book then presents a series of "studies," building-block recipes like Roasted Tomatoes, followed by simple-to-sophisticated variations, such as Roasted-Tomato Risotto. A chapter called "Trilogies" explores clusters of three-ingredient recipes--duck, root vegetables, and apples is one ingredient grouping--that show how various techniques, applied to the same ingredients, yield various exciting dishes. "Component Cooking," which focuses on vegetables (Colicchio's major source of inspiration), provides recipes like Corn and Potato Pancakes to be used for assembling a "plate." Concluding the book is "Favorites," a selection of Colicchio's specialties that range from My Favorite Chicken Soup to Poached Foie Gras, a taste bonus that also stimulates the cooking imagination. Illustrated with more than 100 color photos, and including a wide range of tips, Think Like a Chef succeeds at helping readers see through a chef's eyes--and in so doing to visualize cooking with fresh insight. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

With Think Like a Chef, Tom Colicchio has created a new kind of cookbook. Rather than list a series of restaurant recipes, he uses simple steps to deconstruct a chef's creative process, making it easily available to any home cook.

He starts with techniques: What's roasting, for example, and how do you do it in the oven or on top of the stove? He also gets you comfortable with braising, sautéing, and making stocks and sauces. Next he introduces simple "ingredients" -- roasted tomatoes, say, or braised artichokes -- and tells you how to use them in a variety of ways. So those easy roasted tomatoes may be turned into anything from a vinaigrette to a caramelized tomato tart, with many delicious options in between.

In a section called Trilogies, Tom takes three ingredients and puts them together to make one dish that's quick and other dishes that are increasingly more involved. As Tom says, "Juxtaposed in interesting ways, these ingredients prove that the whole can be greater than the sum of their parts," and you'll agree once you've tasted the Ragout of Asparagus, Morels, and Ramps or the Baked Free-Form "Ravioli" -- both dishes made with the same trilogy of ingredients.

The final section of the books offers simple recipes for components -- from zucchini with lemon thyme to roasted endive with whole spices to boulangerie potatoes -- that can be used in endless combinations.

Written in Tom's warm and friendly voice and illustrated with glorious photographs of finished dishes, Think Like a Chef will bring out the master chef in all of us.

Customer Reviews:

a great find!.......2007-09-22

This is a terrific way to get inside the head of a master chef. Understanding his techniques and methods; in addition to having access to some of his recipes has been immensely helpful in our kitchen. Now we're all thinking like chefs...YUM.

Outstanding!!!!!!!.......2007-09-02

This outstanding book provides long overdue insight into the "why" of modern cooking rather than merely "how" it is done. This book should be invaluable to anyone who wants to broaden or improve his or her cooking thought process.

Great reading.......2007-07-04

I read this book from cover to cover and was able to get an idea of a style of cooking that I could incorporate into my own. A bit too much salt and perhaps oil for my taste/health, but otherwise a great book to read and get ideas from.

I'm thinking like a chef.......2007-05-04

I was very pleased with this book. My cooking skill hasn't caught up to my excitement level but I have some really great insights about food choice and menu creation that I credit to this excellent book.

"It's done when it tastes right".......2007-02-18

It's a good book, but not so much a cookbook. If you would like to be able to invent your own recipes, this book can teach you how.

Read it for Colicchio's thoughts on the art (not science) of cooking. Go to your library, check it out; read it. If feel you need it on your bookshelf, buy it then. Otherwise, write down the parts that inspired you, then return the book.

There are quite a few excellent points Colocchio makes, including the "it's done when it tastes right" approach to cooking. There are a few recipes that I'll keep, and I'll certainly take note of the techniques he deems important, such as sauce making and braising.

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