The Kennedys at War: 1937-1945

Amazon.com

Somebody once asked John F. Kennedy how he became a war hero. "It was easy," he replied. "They sank my boat." JFK's adventure aboard PT-109 in the Second World War is fairly well-known. Kennedy's boat did indeed sink in the Pacific, but it was his able leadership that helped his men survive in dangerous waters and then on a deserted island. This episode comprises only a sliver of Edward J. Renehan Jr.'s story of the Kennedy family at war. Father Joe Kennedy, who was FDR's isolationist ambassador to Great Britain, looms over much of the book, especially the first half. JFK's older brother, Joe Jr., was also involved in the war; when he died on a bombing raid, the family's political aspirations shifted onto Jack. (Sisters Kathleen and Rosemary also receive due attention.) Renehan provides a fascinating glimpse at how the central event of the 20th century shaped one of America's great dynasties. He disputes a few previous interpretations--he says JFK's book Why England Slept became a bestseller because of its merits rather than his father's eagerness to buy multiple copies. What emerges is a clear picture of the future president as a young man and a story of how a war changed him: He "looked at life and the world in a new and unique way, operating from a perspective he could not have previously imagined." The Kennedys at War is a welcome addition to a crowded field of Kennedy books and highly recommended for anybody interested in this fascinating family. --John Miller

Book Description

A dramatic, fascinating–and revisionist–narrative detailing how America’s first family was changed utterly during World War II. First-rate history grounded in scholarship and brought to life by a critically acclaimed author.

From breathless hagiographies to scandal-mongering exposés, no family has generated more bestselling books than the Kennedys. None of them, however, has focused on the watershed period of World War II, when the course of the family and its individual members changed utterly. Now, in an engaging narrative grounded in impeccable scholarship, Edward J. Renehan, Jr., provides a dramatic portrait of years marked by family tensions, heartbreaks, and heroics. It was during this time that tragedy began to haunt the family–Joe Jr.’s death, the untimely widowhood of Kathleen (a.k.a. “Kick”), Rosemary’s lobotomy. But it was also the time in which John F. Kennedy rose above the strictures of the clan and became his own man.

In the late 1930s, the Kennedys settled in London, where Joseph Kennedy, Sr., was serving as ambassador. A virulent anti-Semite and isolationist, Kennedy relentlessly and ruthlessly fought to keep America out of the war in Europe. His behavior as patriarch in many ways mirrored his public style. Though he was devoted to the family, he was also manipulative and autocratic. In re-creating the intense and tension-filled interactions among the family, Renehan offers riveting, often revisionist views of Joseph Sr.; heir apparent Joe Jr.; Kick, the beautiful socialite; and Jack, the complex charmer. He demonstrates that Joe Jr., although much like his father in opinion and character, was driven to volunteer for a deadly mission in large part because of his fury at Jack’s seemingly easy successes. Renehan also delves into why Kick, a good Catholic girl, chose to abandon her religion for the chance to enter the fairytale world of the British aristocracy, only to suffer a horrendous tragedy.

It is Renehan’s reassessment of Jack, however, that is particularly striking. In subtly breaking away from his domineering father over the issue of World War II, Renehan argues, Jack began to forge the character that would eventually take him to the Oval Office. Going behind the familiar (and accurate) image of JFK as a reckless playboy, Renehan shows us a young man of great intelligence, moral courage, and truly astonishing physical bravery.

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A dramatic, fascinating -- and revisionist -- narrative detailing how America's first family was changed utterly during World War II. First-rate history grounded in scholarship and brought to life by a critically acclaimed author.

From breathless hagiographies to scandal-mongering exposÃƒÂ©s, no family has generated more bestselling books than the Kennedys. None of them, however, has focused on the watershed period of World War II, when the course of the family and its individual members changed utterly. Now, in an engaging narrative grounded in impeccable scholarship, Edward J. Renehan, Jr., provides a dramatic portrait of years marked by family tensions, heartbreaks, and heroics. It was during this time that tragedy began to haunt the family -- Joe Jr.'s death, the untimely widowhood of Kathleen (a.k.a. "Kick"), Rosemary's lobotomy. But it was also the time in which John F. Kennedy rose above the strictures of the clan and became his own man.

In the late 1930s, the Kennedys settled in London, where Joseph Kennedy, Sr., was serving as ambassador. A virulent anti-Semite and isolationist, Kennedy relentlessly and ruthlessly fought to keep America out of the war in Europe. His behavior as patriarch in many ways mirrored his public style. Though he was devoted to the family, he was also manipulative and autocratic. In re-creating the intense and tension-filled interactions among the family, Renehan offers riveting, often revisionist views of Joseph Sr.; heir apparent Joe Jr.; Kick, the beautiful socialite; and Jack, the complex charmer. He demonstrates that Joe Jr., although much like his father in opinion and character, was driven to volunteer for a deadly mission in large part because of his fury at Jack's seemingly easy successes. Renehan also delves into why Kick, a good Catholic girl, chose to abandon her religion for the chance to enter the fairytale world of the British aristocracy, only to suffer a horrendous tragedy.

It is Renehan's reassessment of Jack, however, that is particularly striking. In subtly breaking away from his domineering father over the issue of World War II, Renehan argues, Jack began to forge the character that would eventually take him to the Oval Office. Going behind the familiar (and accurate) image of JFK as a reckless playboy, Renehan shows us a young man of great intelligence, moral courage, and truly astonishing physical bravery.

"The Kennedys at War is a vivid group portrait of that perennially fascinating family during the tragedy-filled years that taught its members, as John F. Kennedy himself remembered, that there was 'nothing inevitable about us.' The author's convincing portrayal of the future president as a substantive as well as sardonic young man should help to rescue his reputation from the damage done by the more irresponsible revisionists."
   GEOFFREY C. WARD, COAUTHOR OF THE CIVIL WAR: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY AND MARK TWAIN: AN ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY

Customer Reviews:

How War Shaped One of America's Leading Families.......2006-12-30

This is a well researched, well written and very interesting and insightful book.

In "The Kennedy's at War" author Edward Renehan Jr. examines the impact of World War II on the family of Joseph Patrick and Rose Kennedy. The book focuses on the elder Kennedy, his sons, Josephy Jr. and John F. Kennedy, and daughter Kathleen Kennedy, although the entire Kennedy clan is covered.

The family sacrificed a great deal during World War II, although the elder Kennedy had done everything in his power to keep America from entering the fighting. Both sons served in the U.S. Navy. Joseph died piloting an aircraft full of explosives late in the war, while John went missing in the Pacific temporarily after his torpedo boat, PT-109, was sliced in half by a Japanese destroyer. And daughter Kathleen's British husband was killed by a German sniper in Normandy shortly after the two married.

It was his experiences in World War II that shaped John F. Kennedy and transformed him into the man that later became President of the United States.

"The Kennedys at War" debunks a number of myths concerning the Kennedy family and offers new insights into one of America's most powerful and interesting families.

An Excellent "Slice" of History.......2006-01-04

As a professor in a small midwestern college, I have noticed that students tend to generalize about historical periods. One of the generalizations usually is that America was united in opposing Nazism and that most Americans were looking for an excuse to enter the war. The "America First" isolationists are treated as a historical anomaly rather than a powerful political force.

Renehan's story of the Kennedy family (focusing primarily on Joseph, Joe, Jr., Jack, and Kathleen) provides evidence that support for avoiding war was found even among prominent Democratic families. Joseph used his position as ambassador to England to promote isolationism, arguing first that Hitler should be appeased as Chamberlain was doing, then, that the US should recognize the futility of supporting a doomed England against the Germans. At the beginning of the volume, Joseph's position seems reflective of the family as a whole. Joe, Jr. does little to change from that position. Jack, on the other hand, moderates his position and shows himself to be quite pragmatic as an aspiring politician.

While Renehan talks about Joseph and his adult children, the portraits of Joe Jr. and Kathleen remain somewhat flat. He does better at presenting a multi-dimensional picture of Joseph. He is best at presenting a deep image of Jack. It appears that his sources for Jack were best, including interviews and materials from the Kennedy presidential library. The sources on other family members are not as rich.

Most of the critiques offered by other reviewers suggesting that Renehan is merely presenting the "Kennedy Myth" are addressed in the volume. Rumors of a ghost writer for Jack's Why England Slept and the purchase and storing of huge numbers of the volume by Joseph to ensure its status as a best-seller are dismissed. The story of PT 109 is presented from available sources. (It seems common among Kennedy critics to suggest that Jack was inept as a naval officer or that he was to blame for the sinking of PT 109, given Jack's herculean efforts to get into the war, such a criticism seems pointless.) Renehan attempts to present an accurate portrait so there is plenty of ammunition for those who wish to criticize the Kennedys. The numerous affairs of all three Kennedy men are here without defense. Jack's concern about losing his faith is here. It seems that Renehan is fair and as honest as his sources allow him to be.

There are some minor errors of note--Renehan refers to Jack's friend (and later Supreme Court justice) Byron "Whizzer" White as having been a football star at Colorado State. White was a Colorado Buffalo (not a Colorado State Ram). He also makes reference to a Naval acquaintance of Jack's as a "hard-rock Baptist" -- I think the proper term would be "hard-shell Baptist" (I'm not sure what a "hard-rock Baptist would be.)

Nevertheless, this is an interesting read and provides new light on a prominent American family at a significant time in American history.

An interesting portrait of the young JFK and his family.......2004-01-09

There have been a spate of negative books about John F. Kennedy and his family as of late, the most notable of which is the aptly titled "The Dark Side of Camelot" by Seymore Hersh. "The Kennedys at War" by Edward J. Renehan is a less hostile and somewhat more balanced look at the young JFK. Overall, Renehan paints a flattering picture of the young John Kennedy, an ambivalent one towards John's older brother, Joe Jr., and a downright negative picture of Joe Kennedy Senior. Their sister Kathleen is mentioned, but this book does not really do much to help the reader to know her.

Renehan's theme as regards the young JFK is that he was in constant pain as the result of a plethora of ailments, including his chronically bad back, his Addison's disease, and a urinary condition brought about by (probably multiple cases of) Venerial Disease. Despite these ailments, JFK rose above them to finish college with reasonable success, write a best-selling book just prior to World War II, and serve with distinction in the Navy in the Pacific War. Renehan essentially points out that many people suffering from JFK's multitude of painful ailments might have opted for the easy life. John Kennedy did no such thing.

Overall, Renehan presents JFK as a determined and socially-adept young man with genuine intellectual gifts, who declines a life of ease as the son of one of the country's richest men and instead opts for a life of achievement and public service. Renehan disputes the widespread belief that JFK's book "Why England Slept" which became a bestseller, was ghostwritten for him, and the widespread notion that the book became a bestseller only because Joe Senior bought truckloads of copies. According to Renehan, earlier drafts plainly show that the revisions were largely those of John Kennedy himself, and no bogus purchases were needed because the book received critical acclaim and sold out quickly from bookstores. Renehan does not whitewash the "PT-109" incident and certain lapses on Kennedy's part, but does point out that it is undisputed that the men were rescued in large part due to Kennedy's excellent leadership. I felt that he gave us a balanced look at this famous story.

Overall, the young JFK comes across as a not-perfect but nonetheless genuinely outstanding man. Renehan does not ignore JFK's womanizing, which certainly took place during the period covered by this book. But neither does he dwell on it overlong. The reader can decide for him or her self whether Renehan strikes the right balance here. I thought he did.

Joe Kennedy Senior fares much worse in the book. Renehan rightly portrays Joe Senior's tenure as America's ambassador to Britain as having been a disaster for both the country and for Joe himself. Preaching appeasement to Hitler, and frequently expressing the belief that both Britain and America were destined to become Fascist states themselves "Democracy is dead in Britain..." according to Renehan the main reason Roosevelt appointed Joe Senior as ambassador to Britain was to get him out of the country at a critical time for the Roosevelt Administration. Renehan makes a persuasive case, and certainly Joe Senior's many errors in this context were adequately chronicled at the time. Overall an incredibly negative picture of the man.

Joe Kennedy Junior, JFK's older brother, never really comes out in this book. Renehan paints him as essentially a good-looking fellow who was nonetheless a bully and not particularly gifted with interpersonal skills. I frankly did not feel that Renehan did much to help me understand Joe Junior. The same with Kathleen Kennedy.

I am not terribly interested in the Kennedy family, whose day has plainly passed. On the other hand, after reading "The Dark Side of Camelot" I wanted to read a different perspective on JFK in order to strike a balance. This book succeeds as such.

At War?.......2003-05-07

This is a well-written and entertaining book, giving a detailed account of the Kennedy family before and during the war. However, contrary to what the title may suggest, the bulk of the book focuses on the Kennedy family prior to the war and their own participation in it. Much of the book is devoted to the time Joe Sr. spent as ambassador to Great Britain and Jack and Joe Jr spent travelling the world, as opposed to the book being exculsively about their time in the service. Very little of the book is actually devoted to that time, which does not take anything away from the quality of the book, but does make the title slightly misleading. None the less, an excellent examination of the Kennedys during that tumultuous time in American history.

Outstanding story!.......2002-06-27

This is an extraordinary story: a tale of heroism and heartbreak, bravery and cynicism, daredevils and death. The Kennedy men actually started pushing the outer edge of the envelope during World War II, and absorbed their first fatality in that conflict (Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.) As Renehan makes clear, Jack damn near lost his life as well. Even sister Kick danced on the razor's edge. She found herself cut when her husband Billy Hartington, heir to the Duke of Devonshire, was killed by a sniper in Europe in the autumn of 1944, just weeks after the death of her brother Joe.

Book Description

Entertaining the reader and preserving some exciting bits of the history of hyperbaric medicine are the driving forces behind this fascinating autobiography by Eric Kindwall, MD.

From merchant sailor to hyperbaric physician, this narrative contains personal struggles, ambitions and dreams. A vivid memoir of time in the merchant marine, Yale and Harvard, the CIA, submarine school, pursuing hyperbaric medicine, to a Polaris nuclear submarine, these hair-raising tales treat the reader to a very unexpected odyssey.

Providing examples of perseverance in the face of adversity, along with some fascinating characters, Kindwall takes us on an entertaining journey of his life and career.

Customer Reviews:

A Review by Chris Wachholz, Vice President, Int'l Dept., DAN.......2003-07-24

I have had the pleasure and good fortune to be one of the hundreds if not thousands of people mentored by Eric Kindwall and like many I owe my start in diving medicine to him. Eric's book is a must read for anyone who has studied or been a patient or colleague of Eric Kindwall. While a young RN, chamber operator and research subject I often heard Eric describe stories of his time in the Merchant Marine and the Navy and other experiences but his very warm and human telling of these life experiences provides a fascinating insight into this wonderful person, leader, physician and teacher to which so many are indebted.

Besides all that, it's interesting and informative. If you've ever wondered;
-what life is like on a Polaris submarine
-how a submarine works
-how Electroshock Psychotherapy developed
-what Russia and tourism to Russia was like in the Soviet era
-how to drive a Ford Model T
-how medical school entrance exams are administered,

Book Description

As host of public radio's Tech Nation, Dr. Moira Gunn has long been known for making all aspects of science and technology meaningful to the general listening public. But when she spontaneously decided at a cocktail-fueled biotech industry event that she would be launching a weekly segment on biotech -- a subject that existed well outside of her normal comfort zone -- she had her work cut out for her. For the millions of people who now listen to BioTech Nation, the rest is history.

Going behind the science and business of biotech, the book rides along with Dr. Gunn as she interviews an interesting and colorful cast of characters from the industry, including a DNA scientist with ego to burn and a pharmaceutical exec with a penchant for Viagra. Filled with compelling stories of everything from the genetically modified food fight to the reasons why the presidential stem lines are dying, the book explores the fascinating theories and breakthroughs in this exciting field.

Funny, entertaining, and informative, Welcome to BioTech Nation is a unique, inside look at biotechnology today...and a glimpse at what could be in store for us tomorrow.

Customer Reviews:

Welcome To Biotech Nation.......2007-08-18

I've been fan of NPRs Tech Nation for years. As a technology-focused radio host, Moira Gunn is without peer. I judge that by the fact that years of difficult-to-understand topics have remained rooted in my mind--from the Tech Nation interviews. She brings out the best from her authors with a light-hearted style, humor, and an infectious laugh. On the other hand, it's always clear that Dr. Gunn has read her author's book and therefore never dumbs-down an interview. I recommend reading "Welcome To Biotech Nation" for any one of three reasons: (1) as a fascinating journey into the strange world of biotechnology; (2) for insight into the latest happenings within the biotech world; (3) to experience Dr. Gunn's unique talent for wrapping a page-turning story around a complex topic--making memorable something that might be beyond the grasp of many.

Biotechnology?.......2007-08-14

I bought this book because I was interested in learning about biotechnology. This book tells you very little (if anything) about biotechnology. Yes, it does tells you what a journalist went through to put together a few interviews about biotechnology. Even in telling that there are lots of distractions such as the British Sirs and Lords and their scandals...In my opinion, this is, at best, a gossip about biotechnologyt as opposed to real substance. But that is necessarily not a bad thing. Some people might find it amusing by its own virtue.

Who knew?.......2007-07-15

Moira Gunn is to biotech what "Click and Clack" is to cars! And as with Cartalk, I thought the "Biotech Nation" subject would be beyond me until my sister sent me a copy for my birthday. I felt compelled out of politeness to at least attempt it. I was stunned and pleased to find the book was an absolute joy, and I had no idea I could understand these complex concepts...but Dr. Gunn makes it easy, fun and fascinating. I've already bought copies for presents and feel as if I have a much better understanding of what makes our world go around!

Yes, Biotech can be FUN.......2007-07-03

With her usual zesty style and humor, Moira takes what could be a very dry subject and brings it fully to life, full of drama and fun. I've lived in the Bay Area for 20 years, even worked at Genentech, and had no IDEA there was so much going on this most important sector of the economy. In Silicon Valley, we're constantly seduced by the latest hype around the IPod or IPhone but all the truly amazing, life-saving work that goes on right under our noses is barely understood by most people. Moira's right, it's like falling down the rabbit hole in your own back yard. Highly recommend it.

A Dangerous Commitment .......2007-07-01

This book is dangerous. Most of us have a life and have to be productive on many levels. When one stays up until 2 or even 3 am (depending upon whether or not you are an Eveyln Woods Reading Dynamics graduate) it is hard to maintain your normal schedule. As an art history and history buff I did not imagine this book would have such universal appeal. For example,Brooke Shields bares all -- especially on her ankle and this book holds the definitive answer to the evolution question. One chapter leads to the next and it is fun and riveting. Have fun and beware, you will become absolutely borish on the topics covered by this book at your next cocktail party.........It is a great read worthy of several re-reads. It is on my bookshelf next to the computer. Enjoy.

Unexpected: An odyssey log of art & literature

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Unexpected: An odyssey log of art & literature

Manufacturer: Otherworlds Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Highly recommend for anyone experiencing fertility problems

Good for some but not for all

A Good Mix

If you can't laugh at yourself, pack it up now.

A must read

A Few Good Eggs: Two Chicks Dish on Overcoming the Insanity of Infertility
Julie Vargo , and Maureen Regan
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Pregnancy & Childbirth | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Fertility | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0060776811
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Book Description

Insightful, frank, and friendly advice on overcoming infertility -- from two women who have lived through it all.

You can't open a magazine these days without seeing a blissful forty-plus celebrity mom cradling her new bundle of joy. But, like so much of Hollywood life, the truth about pregnancy and fertility is glossed over. We don't see the tremendous amount of financial, emotional, and physical effort that couples who are having trouble conceiving go through.

In this warm, funny, and empathetic book, journalist Julie Vargo and literary agent Maureen Regan -- women who have personally experienced infertility -- give the lowdown on what women really need to know. Hormones, sperm counts, uterine lining -- nothing is too personal for these outspoken women. They also recruit their friends, husbands, and doctors to dish on everything from keeping your marriage healthy to assessing your financial needs to herbal treatments and blood tests. Everything you wish you knew about infertility, and how others faced it, is covered in this book.

Most important, Vargo and Regan provide information they wished someone had given them, especially things most doctors don't share. What you don't know may cost you what you want -- a family of your own. Your OB/GYN may not be trained in infertility, and won't necessarily give you the answers you need. Like Vargo and Regan, many women believe they will get pregnant when they decide it is time and are shocked when they don't. Now they share their stories in the hopes of preventing other women from experiencing the traumas they did. Their advice is simple -- gather all the information you can and find the doctor who will listen to your needs.

A Few Good Eggs provides the resources you need to face infertility -- and the warm support of a couple of good friends.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommend for anyone experiencing fertility problems.......2007-10-03

This is an excellent book for anyone experiencing infertility.
It truly makes you feel that you are not alone in the emotional, physical and financial rollar coaster ride that infertility takes you on.

Good for some but not for all.......2007-07-16

pros If you are older and experiencing infertility and wanting a
girlfriends guide

cons If you are older and experiencing infertility and wanting a
girlfriends guide

I bought this book in hopes of looking for a humanistic view of intertility. After reading tons of medical books on the subject, I wanted a hands on view of it. This book to me focuses too much on if you are older and trying to have children, you shouldn't have waited so long. It also did not cover any other forms of treatment that infertility patients may have. As a twentyish suffering from infertility, it was not broad enough to give the hands on view that I could relate my situation too.

A Good Mix.......2007-03-31

This book is a good mix of humor and information. I really enjoyed reading the book.

If you can't laugh at yourself, pack it up now........2007-03-22

What really drew me to this book is the type of personality it appeals to. It's funny, witty and irreverant, and when you've been trying forever to do the most primal and natural thing on earth to no avail - you need a sense of humor. They talk about everything from how to deal with the annoying and insensative questions from well-intentioned friends to the near-homicidal rage that hormone injections will induce. These things happen. You have to laugh. My husband and I are going through IVF right now after a long road of infertility, and this has been a great resource.

A must read.......2007-02-12

For anyone battling infertility and the emotional roller coaster that comes along with it, this book is for you. This is the only book I have ever read that I could say while reading it, "Yes, yes, that's exactly me, or that's exactly how I feel." It doesn't offer ridiculous pat answers; it offers real information in a humorous way that leaves you in stitches. I have since passed this book on to a friend; I'm not someone that recommends lots of books. In fact, I don't even BUY that many, it has to be really good. I read a few pages at the bookstore and knew I HAD to have it and came to Amazon to place my order b/c it's much cheaper than getting it at the bookstore. I hope this helps you and GOOD LUCK!!

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Over the top. SLOSHING over the top.

Exquisite Santa Fe Cuisine

A NEW ERA IN FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

Geronimo: Fine Dining in Santa Fe
Cliff Skoglund , Eric DiStefano , Geronimo (Restaurant) , and Chris Harvey
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Southwest | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1580084915

Book Description

Featuring huge overhead beams, creamy stucco details, and a fireplace sporting oversized moose antlers, the 250-year-old hacienda that houses Geronimo restaurant is a welcome addition to Santa Fe's trendy Canyon Road. Restaurant owners Cliff Skoglund and Chris Harvey along with chef Eric DiStefano have created a refined retreat in this once rough-and-tumble town, serving exquisite contemporary cuisine that rivals the best in the country. GERONIMO brings Chef DiStefano's innate understanding of ingredients and uncanny instinct about flavors to the home table. You'll find such elegant dishes as Brie and Almond Soup, Napoleon of King Salmon with Chile-Butter Sauce and Braised Ruby Chard, and White Peach Shortcake with Champagne Ice Cream. At Geronimo, food is art, customers are guests, and everyone is welcome.

Customer Reviews:

Over the top. SLOSHING over the top........2006-01-02

This is an absolutely gorgeous cookbook. I love to look at it, to flip through the photographs, to read the recipes and the essays written by the people involved in this Santa Fe restaurant. I immediately have a strong desire to rush to New Mexico and make a reservation for dinner.

The only thing the cookbook *doesn't* do is make me want to COOK any of these recipes.

It isn't that they aren't appealing. They're stunning: scallop mousse with basil lemon espuma (as a first course), mesquite grilled peppery elk tenderloin with garlic confit potatoes and exotic mushroom sauce, chive-tied bay scallops with black truffle and fresh tomato coulis. I'd be happy to EAT any of them, but I know I'm not going to cook them.

Which isn't to say that I'm a wimp cook. I'm happy to make a paella for a Sunday dinner, or "throw together" six separate dishes for an Indian feast. However, despite the best of intentions, these recipes are clearly geared for restaurant kitchens.

Most of these recipes have a page of ingredients (usually expensive ones) and two full pages of instructions. In the intro to "Mesquite grilled foie gras terrine with sweet grapes and verjus," for example, the author says, "When we clean the lobes of foie gras at Geronimo, we always have the leftover snippets that are too small for our recipes. We take these, marinate them for a day in a bit of Cognac and fresh thyme, grill them very quickly over mesquite, and press them into a terrine mold...." I don't know about you, but there aren't any foie gras leftovers in my frig. (The recipe calls for a 1 pound lobe, which you cut up.)

I'd like to think that I'm ready to take on some of these recipes. I know I'm not, though. If you're going to do it, please invite me for dinner.

But as a coffee table cookbook, this one is perfect. Stunning photography, wonderful food combinations, lovely little essays about getting the restaurant started. (Now, honey -- let's go out for dinner.)

Exquisite Santa Fe Cuisine.......2004-10-08

One realizes the level of culture in SanteFe upon first entering therein: one of SW Tradition blending that with sophisticated highbrow indulgences of the residents/visitors.

This is exactly the cuisine of this growing in stature SF restaurant. What is exciting and creativity in this cookbook is that they reveal its beginnings and philosophy (which are truly entwined) is sidebar discussions throughout the cookbook's pages, at appropro sections. These are truly captivating reading.

However, one won't be too captivated by such insights nor trying any of these sophisticated recipes if one is not a fledging or growing gourmet on their own. Although this work is worthy of coffeetable display (gorgeous phots abound), it is truly a bevy of unusual ingredients and intricate steps in their prep. Any timidity about these will likely end in gourmet production that could be tragedy. However, don't let any of this stop the venturesome who want to move up the culinary scale and try some great upscale SW cuisine!

Here is magnificent offerings you won't see other places. I like the likes of: Martini Shots (clever vodka sorbet on cucumber pureed caviar&creme frache); Crab and Meyer Lemon Soup with Spaetzle; Escargots with Tomato Caper Vinaigrette; Maryland Blue Crab Cakes with Caviar Sauce and Braised Leeks; Egg Griddles Goat Cheese and Smoked Salmon with Chicory Salad and Crispy Lardons; Chicken in A Chanterelle Mushroom and Garlic Stew; Npoleon of King Salmon with Braised Ruby Chard, Lemon Crepes, and Green Chile Butter Sauce; Fiery Chile Prawns with Crispy Jasmine Almond Rice Cakes and Caper Basil Sauce; Grilled Coldwater Lobster Tails and Creamy Chili Vinaigretter with Savory Potato Cakes; Mizuna Salad with Maple-Glazed Smithfield Ham and Creamy Buttermilk Hazelnut Vinaigrette; Poire-Williams Soup with Warm Bosc Pears, Star Anise Ice Cream, and Black Pepper Genoise; Tequilla Lime Tarts.

And this great recipe collection highlighted none of the rich venision, fowls nor foie gras dishes.

There is another neat touch to this one, a listing of the suggested side dishes recipied with each entree in the Index. There is excellent glossary for those who don't know a lardon from a roulade. Sources are listed as well.

Don't forget to spend time at the Intro where the authors talk of how to use this cookbook, carefully reading recipe through (and might I add several times then making lists) and how to cook with constant tasting (Eric with Spoons!)

Geronimo Experience must be exciting to experience firsthand, but here the rest of us can with its passion for great food laid out so spectacularly and over 100 of its recipes for us to try.

A NEW ERA IN FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY.......2004-09-08

PETER VITALE'S PHOTOGRAPHS ARE A REVELATION. AN AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFULLY PHOTOGRAPHED BOOK.

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GERONIMO : FINE DINING IN SANTA FE
CLIFF/ DISTEFANO, ERIC/ HILL, JUDYTH (CON)/ GERONIMO (RESTAU SKOGLUND
Manufacturer: TEN SPEED PRESS@
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KVG5SA

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