Customer Reviews:
Truly terrifying.......2000-05-06
Before reading my comment, please bear in mind that I am a very uncensorious person who believes in giving children free range of reading matter; I was raised that way, raised my children that way, and want to see my grandchildren raised that way. However, I tried to imagine reading this beautifully illustrated (though syntactically very strange) book to any of my 2-8 year old grandchildren, and realized it would TERRIFY them. The spooky way it treats the separation of mothers and offspring, along with its implications that freedom is scary and potentially dangerous to warmblooded life, makes this a book I really don't want to have where my grandpeople can get hold of it while I'm babysitting them. They'd be screaming for their mother within minutes. This is the only book I've ever returned for a refund!
A childlike way to be introduced to butterfly mitration........1999-10-06
I bought The Lamb and the Butterfly right away. The illustrations in collage are captivating as the lamb learns about the butterfly's migration. The words are wonderful too as the butterfly zigs and zags and ziggety zags. A child who loves this book would be ready for Malinda Martha meets Mariposa, about a girl who imagines herself directing the life-cycle of a Monarch on her backyard stage, with the common element being the wonder of migration since Mariposa flies from Boise to overwinter in California. It adds the possibility for children to act out the stages of the life-cycle, too. The Lamb and the Butterfly gets children off to a wonderful start.
Average customer rating:
- Standout mystery engages, entertains
- As true as it gets
- Atlanta Blues is a first-degree thriller ...
- Humdinger of a yarn
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Atlanta Blues
Robert Lamb
Manufacturer: Harbor House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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The Long Range Plan
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Less Than Zero
ASIN: 1891799029 |
Book Description
A mother's plea to find her missing daughter leads a reporter to probe the dark underbelly of Atlanta where he come face-to-face with an all-too-human evil.
Customer Reviews:
Standout mystery engages, entertains.......2005-01-13
Atlanta Blues pulls the reader into a mystery that stands out in a glutted market. Most of the action filters through the eye of a reporter named Ben who frequently connects with his friends on the police force. Ben sometimes rides in the cop car with his buddy; other times he arrives at the scene while the forensics team works. As a result, there is no barrier between the reader and the narrator.
The story begins with the somewhat jaded reporter Ben talking to a mother whose daughter is missing. The mother hopes the reporter will do a story that might turn up some information. The reporter debates writing the article, because he knows that regardless of what happens, he's in between a rock and a hard spot. "God," says Ben's editor, "if she shows up on her momma's doorstep tomorrow, or even Sunday, we're gonna have egg on our faces." That one statement goes to the heart of investigative reporting that depends on controversy but aims at hope.
The book explores the underworld in Atlanta about 30 years ago, as Atlanta was experiencing explosive growth. Author Robert Lamb worked for The Atlanta Constitution during that period, so he knows his setting and subjects well. The reader will journey to bars, porn shops, and crime scenes and the journey is replete with factual information and characters well-drawn. Ben is working a story and sitting in a hamburger joint when a man walks up and says, "That chick in red harder to pick up than a watermelon seed. Must be savin' it fo' Christmas." Lamb is Southern, and he forms his characters well, in terms of speech and mannerisms.
Atlanta Blues creates an in-depth look at reporters and cops; it does so with an objective attitude that gives the reader more to think about than your average mystery. Woven within the mystery are a love story and a moral predicament at the end, when the reporter must decide what to do about information he receives. A murder has been committed, but in light of the circumstances, it was justifiable. A court would convict the perpetrator, but the victim deserved what he got. The book concludes with Ben's decision and wraps up the stories of all the characters.
Atlanta Blues is a mystery that is different because it focuses on the human condition rather than taking a rapid-fire approach to story-telling where emphasis is on plot rather than character. Robert Lamb is a gifted writer, and it's evident in these pages. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery and strong writing.
As true as it gets.......2004-10-23
Beyond Atlanta's gleaming office towers and sterile convention halls is another place for the men who wear the blue uniform of its police force. For them, it is a city where murder, prostitution, seedy bars, strip joints and blue movie houses are parts of everyday life. Robert Lamb has done a masterful job of depicting how policing Atlanta's mean streets affects their lives and the lives of the people they care for and who care about them. I was Lamb's editor when he covered Atlanta's soft underbelly of sin for The Atlanta Constitution back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and I know he writes the truth. His descriptions put you at the scene, and his characters are people you care about. Everyone gets the blues from time to time, but none compares to what a cop on the beat sees and hears and faces. If you're looking for a good mystery, this one has several twists that will keep you guessing, but in the end the most important message is what happens when the blues take their toll.
Atlanta Blues is a first-degree thriller ..........2004-09-28
If you only buy one book for yourself this fall, make it "Atlanta Blues."
Written by a former journalist, "Atlanta Blues" is a page turner from page one. Writer Robert Lamb weaves a thrilling story involving a newspaper reporter, Ben Blake, whose compassion for a mother whose college-age daughter is missing sends him to the streets of Atlanta -- and its darker side streets as well.
Mr. Lamb is remarkably skilled at giving life to his characters. It's easy to visualize Ben Blake in search of the missing young woman, and equally easy to visualize the two police officers who join him in this search.
But as good as the characterizations are, it is Robert Lamb's story-telling ability that truly makes this book a wonderful read.
For those of us who love crime stories, this is a must! It is not a stretch to imagine that this book would make a fascinating movie.
Humdinger of a yarn.......2004-09-08
I spent two years on Atlanta's streets as a police reporter for the Atlanta Constitution. Robert Lamb has gotten it just right. I was drawn back 25 years to that world of patrol cars with vinyl seats, after-hours cop bars where the winding down happened, nasty night clubs and flop houses, prostitutes, drunks, smelly warehouses on searches for illicit drugs and walking with a homicide detective up a dark and ominous street looking for the "perp" from the body we'd left behind us.
This is not just another good mystery, it's a story about cops and reporters. The characters are skillfully drawn and truly come alive as the reader is drawn through a twisting tale through Atlanta's interesting scene. There is the urgency of the chase the danger of death and the poignancy of painful loss - not to mention the keen curiosity and lust for the story that every good police reporter has and that Lamb shares with us. This is as satisfying a mystery as I have read in many, many years. There is no hyperbole in this excellent and intriguing story. It really happens just like this.
This is Lamb's second novel and I hope he favors us with many more.
Average customer rating:
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The Blue Vale: Poems from Mallaig and Beyond
Michael Lamb
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Anthologies
| Poetry
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General
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Inspirational & Religious
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British & Irish
| Single Authors
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ASIN: 0595289134 |
Book Description
Drawn from experiences of staying on a croft outside the fishing village of Mallaig, these poems are not only reflections upon a way of life in transition, but also of the impact of that upon the author in his own evolution both as an individual and as a writer.
Of particular interest to those who know the western seaboard of Scotland, these poems will appeal to all who appreciate the drama of nature; the simplicity and values of an era as it confronts progress and modernity; and who themselves attempt to see beyond the ephemeral in a search for meaning and belonging in a complex world.
Divided into seven thematic sections, the work is enhanced by the author's own foreword and by the inclusion of a glossary highlighting place names and pronunciations.
Product Description
The Little Blue Books were published in Girard, Kansas by E. Haldeman-Julius between 1919 and 1951. The books covered a wide variety of topics, from Shakespeare and the ancient Greek plays, to essays on socialism and sex education, biographies, philosophy, humor, cooking and much more, making up a "University in Print". He was the first to publish works by Margaret Sanger and Will Durant. The books sold for five to ten cents at various times, making literature available to many who could not otherwise buy books. After the publisher's death in 1951, the books continued to be sold from the Girard Printing Plant until it was destroyed by an arson fire in 1978.
Average customer rating:
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Hawk in a blue sky (Atlantic large print)
Charlotte Lamb
Manufacturer: J. Curley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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| 18th Century
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ASIN: 089340683X |
Book Description
This biography of Walter Russell, known as the modern Leonardo da Vinci, a musician, illustrator, portrait painter, architectural designer, sculptor, business advisor to IBM, champion figure skater, scientist, philosopher, and author of Five Personal Laws of Success.
Customer Reviews:
Slim, powerful and balanced thoughts.......2007-03-27
I've just finished rereading this book for the third time.
I was drawn to it again when challenged to create my "vision" for my business and life.
If you are a results-oriented type person, then you will like this book because: Russell was: musician, professional skater, sculptor, artist, writer, architect (designed several NY buildings), RE developer, philosopher, etc.
If you are a deep-thinker, connected to the Higher Source type of person, then you will like this book because: Ch. 5 shares the 5 laws of success that further connect you to the Source, there are great quotes like, "I believe mediocrity is self-inflicted and genius self-bestowed. Every successful man I have known. . . carries with him the key which unlocks that awareness and lets in the universal power that has made him into a master."
"What is that key?" I asked.
"The key is i-desire-i when it is i-released-i into the great eternal Energy of the Universe." i-italics-i p. 6 and 7
Read it, and then recommend it to others. I had never heard of this man until an author/professor recommended it. Thanks Dr. James Payne!
He Lived "The Secret".......2007-03-14
Walter Russell lived a MOST AMAZING life. He knew "The Secret" innately, it appears. He seemed to move effortlessly through life persuing his dreams successfully and unselfconsciously, achieving all that he desired. Inspirational.
Inspirational 'Renaissance Man' speaks in vague terms.......2006-08-25
"Until one learns to lose one's self he cannot find himself...The personal ego must be suppressed and replaced with the 'universal ego.' One must not be the part, one must be the whole." This is a quote from Russell, explaining his first law of success: humility.
"The Man Who Tapped The Secrets Of The Universe" houses many inspirational, but paradoxical, zen-like statements as above.
The writer, Glenn Clark asks Russell: "Tell me how you acquired your scientific knowledge." Russell replies: "It is because I always looked for the CAUSE behind things and didn't fritter away my time analyzing EFFECTS...ALL KNOWLEDGE EXISTS as CAUSE. And it is simple. It is limited to LIGHT of MIND and the electric wave of motion which records God's thinking in matter."
You follow this? See, according to Russell, the universe consists of nothing but light. There are a total of nine oscillations (wavelengths) of light which create all known matter. To be a genius, all you need to do is become one with Nature (i.e. realize you are nothing but light), and she will then whisper all her secrets in your ear.
Walter Russell is the first author to use the term "New Age" and a lot of his thinking seems to anticipate many modern-day 'New Age' philosophies. His overwhelmingly positive outlook reminds me very much of Dr. Wayne Dyer.
The brief length of this book does not even remotely do Russell justice - or, should I say, it doesn't even remotely answer the questions I have about this man. Here's a guy, who started out when he was ten years old with his first job as a church organist. He worked as a musician to pay his way through art school. And then became an architect! How did he do this?!
Russell says he never works at anything for longer than two hours. This keeps his mind fresh. As soon as the two hours is over - he moves on to another project. If you follow this habit, you can accomplish the work of five lifetimes, and never experience fatigue.
"The Man Who Tapped The Secrets Of The Universe" is not a standard biography. No concrete timeline of Russell's life is ever given. Author Glenn Clark merely impresses us with a list of all the famous people who've crossed paths with Russell. (Thomas Edison, Rudyard Kipling, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Kettering, Franklin Delano Roosevelt - just to name a few.) How did he meet all these people? Through shrewd networking of course. But you have to read between the lines to figure that one out. Befriending rich customers when he served as a bellboy, helped. Hanging out at the riding club in Oyster Bay resulted in his meeting local resident, Theodore Roosevelt.
The book, centers on Russell's philosophy instead of his life story (it includes instructive chapters, such as 'The Five Laws of Success') - and ends with a 'deferred' preface, in which Clark writes "the only adequate preparation for the reading of this book is the reading of this book."
Confused? So am I. But, despite the confusion, Clark's brief visit to Russell's Carnegie Hall art studio sure is a blast. It's like meeting a rich, lovable, eccentric uncle who has all the knowledge of the universe at his fingertips. He kindly shows you his notebooks, but it's in a language you can't understand.
A man truly "In-Synch" with the world........2006-04-17
Walter Russell is one of my hero's. Champion ice skater, equestrian, sculptor...Russell excelled at everything he put his mind to. He said that "Mediocrity is self inflicted; Genius is self bestowed. The choice is yours." Buy this as an introduction to his laws of success and reap benefits for the rest of your life. Me thinks that this book should be required reading for all 7th or 8th graders in public schools.
This man was a Gift.......2005-03-30
A great little book about one of the greatest beings to walk this Earth. Thank you for your gifts of Truth Mr. Russell. Glenn Clark did this man well with his short bio. I recommend this book as a great intro about a wonderful humanitarian.
Average customer rating:
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The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe
Manufacturer: Macalester Park Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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| Professional & Technical
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ASIN: B000GXG4XI |
Product Description
The incredible story of Walter Russell who succeeded in music -literature- architecture -painting -sculpture -science -philosophy- human relations - yet never went beyond primary school grades-how he did it!
Product Description
The story of the life of Walter Russell.
Book Description
Not only for men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer but also for men who wish to decrease the risk of developing the disease, this bookwith its focus on nutrition and lifestyle improvementsoffers hope, expert advice, and a simple, sensible program for staving off a dread killer. Dr. Bob Arnots The Breast Cancer Prevention Plan has sold more than 200,000 copies to date. Dr. Bob Arnot appears regularly on Today and Dateline NBC. Most prostate cancer books address only treatment. Dr. Arnots book explains how men can stay healthy.
Customer Reviews:
In great condition and arrived in timely fashion........2007-05-09
In great condition and arrived in timely fashion.
Very Helpful.......2007-01-04
I purchased this book upon being diagnosed with prostate cancer. I found it very informative regarding the dietary causes for prostate cancer, and how diet could help keep it under control. I put the recommended program to work for me, while I waited to have prostate surgery, which I have now had successfully. Upon surgery, my PSA had gone down slightly, when the norm is for it to have gone up. This helped me realize there was something I could be doing to slow down my cancer while waiting for treatment. I continue to stay close to its recommendations after surgery. The book is very readable and very informative. I highly recommend it for any man. Read it before you get prostate cancer and start the prevention dietary program. I believe it has helped me learn to eat more nutritiously.
Excellent book on the subject........2004-07-12
This is an excellent book that demonstrates that prostate cancer is mainly a nutritional disease. We in the West have a far higher prostate cancer rate than our Asian counterparts. And, it is due to diet, not ethnicity, or genes. When Asians emigrate to our shores and adopt our Western diet (rich in animal saturated fat), their prostate cancer rates immediately rises up to our levels.
The author extensively details how to restructure our Western diet so as to prevent and cure prostate cancer. This entails reducing our intake of saturated fats, mainly red meat, but also reduce dairy products. It also entails eating more soy in every shape or form (milk, tofu, soy powder). The author also recommends specific supplements. Some are well known like the antioxidant vitamins (C, E). But, others are not so well known such as Selenium, Soy proteins, among many others.
The author provides a lot of information about the PSA test. He is the first to recognize that this test is not very accurate. But, he also recommends several back up tests and benchmarks which can really enhance both the accuracy and the information value of the PSA test. Some of these back up tests include: PSA density, Free PSA test, and ultrasound. If you take the PSA test, and you come up with a high value (>4), you ought to follow through with these other non invasive tests who may very well prevent the need for much more uncomfortable and invasive tests.
The author provides extensive advice on all the different options to cure prostate cancer. On this ground, this book is excellent for several reasons. First, every statement the author makes is referenced and well supported by scientific studies. So, it is not just the author's opinion you are reading about. You are getting information on current scientific knowledge. Second, the author has gotten detailed testimonials by doctors and other individuals (including Mike Milken former king of the Junk Bond set) on how they deal with their own prostate cancer. How they have modified their lifestyle, and nutrition, and what cure path are they taking. This is most fascinating because there are no clearly right or wrong answers at this stage. There are definitely multiple options on how to treat this disease, each with their own trade offs.
Ultimately, prostate cancer treatment is very much an individual decision. This book can provide you much valuable information to remove most of the anxiety associated with taking some hard decisions. In my case, it has removed a good deal of anxiety on how I can prevent this condition. Like in anything, prevention is the best defense. And, this book can help you do that.
If you are concerned about your prostate and overall health, I also strongly recommend the book "The Harvard Medical School Guide To Men's Health." It covers any ailment related to the prostate as well as many other conditions that affect the male gender.
Average customer rating:
- A fun book to read and re-read time and time again.
- One Potato, Two Potato
- An unexpected largess and dilemma.
- Another winner from DeFelice!
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One Potato, Two Potato
Cynthia DeFelice
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Multicultural
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ASIN: 0374356408
Release Date: 2006-08-08 |
Book Description
Mr. and Mrs. O’Grady are so poor they have just one of everything to share – one potato a day, one chair, one blanket full of holes, and one gold coin for a rainy day. After digging up the last potato in their patch, Mr. O’Grady comes upon a big black object. It’s a pot – no ordinary pot, for what they soon discover is that whatever goes into it comes out doubled! Suddenly the O’Gradys aren’t destitute anymore. But what they really long for is one friend apiece. Can the magic pot give them that?
This retelling of a Chinese folktale pays tribute to the author’s Irish heritage, and to the joys of an old marriage, new friendships, and the impulse to share. Using pen and gouache, the artist shows the “simple” characters in all their winning complexity.
Customer Reviews:
A fun book to read and re-read time and time again........2007-01-15
I really enjoyed this book. The story sounded a lot like one I had heard as a kid many years ago, but this one was different. It had a sweeter ending. It is 30 pages long with pretty good text and very good illustrations.
The story is about an old husband-wife farming team who is poor and frugal. One day when their food supply was about to run out they found a large magical iron pot buried on their land which duplicates whatever is put into it. They put some necessaries in the pot and some money - out came twice as much as was put in. The most interesting thing was that the pot worked on people just as it did on things.
I probably would have liked the book better if the main characters had not been so poor and simple. I did not see the point in it. But they seemed like such nice people. 5 stars!
One Potato, Two Potato.......2007-01-10
This is a sweet story of love and caring with a surprising magical element. The illustrations by Andrea U'Ren support and carry the story beautifully. A delightful book!
An unexpected largess and dilemma........2006-10-08
Mr. and Mrs. O'Grady dirt poor and have to share all their raggedy belongings - one potato a day, one blanket, etc. Yet all they want in life is one friend apiece, so when a magic pot unearthed in the garden produces double of everything, their wishes seem to come true - or do they? Andrea U'Ren's drawings are a fun accompaniment to an unexpected largess and dilemma.
Another winner from DeFelice!.......2006-08-14
One Potato, Two Potato is exactly the kind of book I love using with my students! It pulls them in and keeps them guessing and excited til the end. I always know Mrs. DeFelice's picture books are kid friendly and fun to share!
Average customer rating:
- Spudelicious!!
- Interesting
- Colcannon, Pierogies, Vichysoisse, and Samosas oh my
- Don't Bother
- Okay but could be allot better
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One Potato, Two Potato
Roy Finamore , and
Molly Stevens
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Potatoes
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Vegetables
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Ultimate Potato Book: Hundreds of Ways to Turn America's Favorite Side Dish into a Meal
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Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day
ASIN: 0618007148 |
Amazon.com
One Potato Two Potato excels in the breadth and richness of its recipes, as well as its fine and immensely readable attention to its subject. Precise yet relaxed, it offers over 300 potato dishes--simple to elegant, everyday to special occasion. You'll find appetizers like Potato Porcini Frittata; main dishes and sides, such as Young Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and Shiitakes, and Potato, Leek, and Bacon Pan Fry; even breads and desserts, like Potato-Cheddar Bread with Chives and the irresistible Farmhouse Chocolate Cake (potatoes in the batter help ensure moistness).
The book also "discovers" sweet potatoes, offering recipes for this oft-neglected treat that not only include stellar versions of standbys like Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows, but also Orange Semifreddo and a luscious chocolate sauce. Readers will also find formulas for such international specialties as Samosas Filled with Potatoes and Peas; Columbian Potato and Chicken Stew; and Surbiic, delicate French potato croquettes. With a detailed, up-to-date investigation of available potato types (sensibly approached in terms of starch content) and with color photos throughout, One Potato Two Potato is a definitive exploration of one of nature's most humble yet most delicious foods. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Everyone loves potatoes. This book transports cooks beyond the usual side dishes and introduces them to the secrets and specialties of great chefs and cooks the world over. Finamore shows how to prepare spectacularly simple appetizers, including dips, chips, and showstopping cocktail potatoes made from a few ordinary ingredients. He presents dozens of soups and salads, including rich Summer Vichyssoise and Herb Garden Potato Salad. There are more than fifty main-dish possibilities, such as Sunday Lamb with Proper Roast Potatoes and Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and Shiitake Mushrooms not to mention a sophisticated rendition of Shepherd's Pie. The potato turns up as the hidden ingredient in such breads as Potato Cheddar Bread with Chives and in such desserts as moist Farmhouse Chocolate Cake. Finamore shows how to master crisp steak fries, silky mashes, and sumptuous gratins. A bonus feature of the book is the sweet potato, in dishes from a delightfully nostalgic Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow to an urbane Semifreddo with Chocolate Sauce.
Customer Reviews:
Spudelicious!!.......2007-08-24
From the Orange County Register
November 18, 2004
by Judy Bart Kancigor, author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family
Thanksgiving is around the corner, and even those who count the can opener as their favorite (and only) kitchen tool are planning to pull out all the stops for this feeding frenzy of a holiday. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Fresh turkey or frozen. Free range or...not. To brine or not to brine. And that's just the main dish. Come to the side of the plate, and the real confusion begins. What on earth is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Well, when it comes to potatoes I know whom to turn to.
Distinguished cookbook editor Roy Finamore, with Fine Cooking magazine's Molly Stevens, offers 300 exciting, spud-studded recipes from appetizers, soups and salads through main courses, breads and even desserts in One Potato, Two Potato (Houghton Mifflin), an encyclopedic, lavishly photographed guide to everything you ever wanted to know about this humble vegetable.
Sweet potatoes, botanically unrelated to the potato, but included in the book nonetheless, are often mislabeled as "yams," Finamore explains. The true yam is more like the potato and not nearly as sweet as the sweet potato. Its texture upon cooking is also more like that of the potato, rather than the custardy texture of the sweet potato. Chances are your candied "yams" are really candied sweet potatoes.
"It's an American thing, this confusion," writes Finamore, who credits vegetable authority Elizabeth Schneider for tracing the mix-up to the African slaves, who began calling the American sweet potato "yams" because of their resemblance to the yams they remembered back home. "But the resemblance ends there," continues Finamore. "Yams and sweet potatoes come from different families and have different flavors and different uses."
As Americans, we have a sweet tooth, and if it's sweet you're going for in your "yam" dish, chances are, no matter whether the sign in the supermarket says "yams" or "sweet potatoes," they're both technically sweet potatoes. The copper-colored variety with the bright, moist, orange flesh is the jewel "yam" and is considered the most versatile of the sweet potato family. It is used in any recipe where color and appearance are important. The garnet with its deep red or purple skin and soft, moist, lighter orange flesh is recommended for pies, cakes and breads or in recipes that call for mashed or grated sweet potatoes, because the flesh becomes soft upon cooking.
And for the health conscious, sweet potatoes pack a punch. According to the Sweet Potato Council of California, sweet potatoes have twice the daily recommended allowance of Vitamin A, one-third of our daily requirement of Vitamin C, are high in Vitamin B6, iron, potassium and fiber, high in complex carbohydrates and low in calories...well, without all the stuff you pile on it, I guess, but where's the fun in that?
I always adored my grandmother's sweet potato pie with melted marshmallows, but it was a secret indulgence. I somehow thought of it as the untrendy stepchild of Thanksgivings past, or as Rodney Dangerfield might have put it, "It ain't got no respect." That is, until I heard the late Julia Child interviewed one year right before the holiday. She was asked what dish she was most looking forward to for Thanksgiving, and she said mashed sweet potato casserole with marshmallows! Ah, sweet vindication.
Finamore's version is adapted from the favorite casserole found in the 1959 "River Road Recipes" by the Junior League of Baton Rouge. Use as many marshmallows - regular or mini - or as few as you like. Finamore also suggests substituting 1 cup canned crushed pineapple for the milk, if you prefer, and/or adding some sherry or rum for extra punch.
RIVER ROAD BAKED SWEET POTATOES WITH MARSHMALLOWS
From "One Potato, Two Potato" by Roy Finamore with Molly Stevens
3 to 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Marshmallows
Heat the oven to 450° F. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a foil tray until tender, about 1 hour. Lower oven temperature to 350° F. Butter a large gratin dish or 3-quart casserole. Peel potatoes and mash in a bowl with a fork. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange juice. Combine milk, vanilla, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Stir this into the potatoes. Spoon half the potatoes into the baking dish Cover with layer of marshmallows, then repeat with remaining potatoes and another layer of marshmallows. Bake until well browned, about 20-25 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 8-10.
Interesting.......2005-07-28
I was attracted to this book from the title of course - in addition my family of six - only one other person than myself eats pasta, rice, etc. How many different ways can you cook potaotes? I don't know that I'll will actually make a lot of the recipes, several are not "kid friendly". Maybe some modified recipes, the book is inspiring and it is very interesting to read about the different kind of potaotes. I would probably check it out at the library first in hind sight. Only I am new in town and don't know where the library is just yet.
Colcannon, Pierogies, Vichysoisse, and Samosas oh my.......2004-02-04
If this is the kind of book an editor of other food writers can give us, then I wish more of these largely invisible literary yeomen would take up the pen to do their own material more often. This is an excellent example of my favorite kind of book. It deals exclusively with recipes based on a single main ingredient. This makes it the book to go to when you have that last pound of spuds in a ten pound bag or you need some starch recipe to round out a meal and you can't face another rice dish, or you just want to do something a little different for mashed potatoes. Therefore, I am always inclined to give a good rating to this kind of book as long as the authors don't drop the ball between the kitchen and the word processor. These authors, Roy Finamore and Molly Stevens, have kept a firm grasp on the ball throughout the game.
It is not entirely true that the book deals exclusively with recipes containing potatoes, as it also contains recipes for sauces, dips, and fillings for potatoes. One way or another, every recipe supports a course with a potato dish.
The book is divided up into chapters which suit it's star player and the list of chapter titles shows just how versatile our little spud can be. The chapters are:
Appetizers and First Courses with roasted and dressed potato skins with appropriate fillings, dips, spreads, and sauces. It also includes the famous Spanish tapas called tortillas plus potato stuffed pastries such as knishes, samosas, and pierogies.
Soups with all the usual potato and leek soups and recipes for various stocks. It also contains several chowders and potato soups with other root vegetables.
Salads include just about every kind of potato salad you can dream of. As one of my favorite types of spud dishes, salads are one of the things potatoes do well which simply can't be matched by it's starchy competitor, rice.
Main Dishes includes potatoes joined up with some form of protein. Some dishes are famous such as corned beef hash and shepherd's pie and gnocchi. Some dishes are obscure, but no less interesting.
Mashed Potatoes contains 29 recipes for mashed white and sweet potatoes, but other chapters include additional recipes for mashed potatoes such as Colcannon, which is listed under baked and roasted recipes.
Fried Potatoes gives another host of recipes, which cannot be matched by rice. All the favorites such as French Fries, Home Fries, Hash Browns, Potato Pancakes, and potato chips are here.
Baked and Roasted Potatoes contains all the usual classics for both white and sweet potatoes, including oven fries, pommes Anna, candied sweet potatoes, and roasted potatoes with other root vegetables.
Gratins and Scalloped Potatoes is another of my favorite spud styles. This is one of the few corners of the book where I find a recipe missing. There is nothing similar to the Sicilian potato gratin made with chicken stock and olive oil rather than with cream.
Boiled Potatoes includes a lot of sauces to `kick up' the bland boiled spuds and includes German Potato Dumplings.
Breads and Rolls includes the famous use of potato in foccacia plus all sorts of breads where the gluten free potato starch makes the breads more tender.
Desserts is a rather short chapter wherein potatoes are primarily used as a starch addition to pastry doughs.
As suggested by some of the contents above, the book covers both white and sweet `potatoes' even though the two plants are not closely related biologically. They are closely related in their culinary applications, since you can do to a sweet potato almost everything you can do to a russet.
It should be no surprise that the book deals with the three main types of potatoes in great detail and is very careful to specify which type of potato is best with each dish.
The chatter in the headnotes and introductory sections to each chapter are engagingly written. They are informative without being cluttered with gushing emotions about beautiful vegetables. These are spuds after all. One of my favorite sidebar sections discusses the `Art and Craft of Tourner', a nearly forgotten technique which rounds the `sharp' edges and corners of sliced potatoes to create shapes which will cook more evenly. Burning the edges of potatoes just once when you roast sliced potatoes is enough to convince you that this synonym for tedium may just have a point.
The photographs are few, but of very good quality. As I would expect from a house like Houghton Mifflen, the simple, straightforward layout and fonts are very easy on the eyes.
This is not a classic and will probably go out of print in five years, which is all the more reason to get your copy now. A worthy addition to the library of anyone who cooks often and needs good sources of variety in inexpensive ingredients. Good recipes which are cheap. That's a winner.
Don't Bother.......2002-12-04
Way too blah...don't bother - better tater books out there.
Okay but could be allot better.......2002-10-04
There were allot of typical potato recipes in here; pancakes, mashed etc. but many ethnic ones were not. I think you could do allot better just getting Fannie Farmet and reading her potato section than wasting your money on this.
Few pictures round this out and the pages are potatoey coloured.
Rather uninspired book.
Average customer rating:
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One Potato, Two Potato: A Cookbook
Constance Bollen , and
Marlene Blessing
Manufacturer: Pacific Search Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Potatoes
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Vegetables
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0914718827 |
Customer Reviews:
A very interesting collection of material........2007-01-12
I actually read this book when I was in 6th or 7th grade. I could tell it was "for adults" and yet I found many good stories and rhymes in it suitable for my own uses (especially that story about the dog!) -- and I remember reading about some of the dark meanings behind the clapping games and jumprope songs I played as a kid. It was interesting to read it at that age and recognize both the things "kids" didn't "get" about the games, rhymes etc. but also the things that "adults" didn't "get" about our use of these things.
Great book, but not for preschoolers.......1999-06-25
Oops! Whoever assigned the reading level to this book was confused. This is a book for adults on the history and meaning of children's folklore. I first read it for a class I took on multicultural education, and now use it sometimes in a college course I teach on play. It's fascinating and brings back a lot of childhood memories. It has words to rhymes I had forgotten and directions for making the fortune tellers we used when I was in grade school. It's a wonderful book, but parents who order it for their young children will be disappointed!
Games children play - and where the games came from...........1998-09-03
One Potato, Two Potato is the story of children's games, chants, jump-rope rhymes, and school yard folklore. I first encountered this book when I was in college (about 20 years ago), and was enchanted with the amount of research done for this work. I was also amazed at the memories it brought back, and the sheer amount of "stuff" I have forgotten over the years. Reading it again brings back memories of both times, college and childhood.
Average customer rating:
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One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four: 165 Chants for Children
Manufacturer: Gryphon House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Nursery Rhymes
| Baby-3
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Child Care
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Elementary School
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0876591160 |
Average customer rating:
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One Potato Two Potato
Manufacturer: Ragweed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: B000FJPZV0 |
Product Description
This book is an affectionate chronicle of the perservering spud. It includes historical and nutritional facts, illustrations, trivia, helpful hints, as well as nearly 300 recipes dedicated to the potato.
Average customer rating:
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Knapp One Potato Two Potato (Cloth)
Mary Knapp , and
Herbert Knapp
Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Folklore
| Mythology
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Folklore & Mythology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 039308745X |
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