The New Family Cookbook is a thoroughly engaging compendium of tips, facts, and recipes for flavorful, exciting dishes drawn from cultures and cuisines worldwide and eminently suited for the family table. From hors d'oeuvres such as Deviled Eggs and Marinated Mushrooms, to Vegetable dishes ranging from Spinach and Portobello Mushroom Stir-Fry and Green Pepper Vegetable Au Gratin, to Fish And Meat entrees like Grilled Tuna Steaks and Roasted Chicken, to mouth-watering desserts like Pumpkin-Pecan Spice Cake and Raspberry Sherbet, The New Family Cookbook offers palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen-cook friendly dishes for every occasion.

This is the first cookbook I've read that's a page-turner--I found myself flipping ahead to the comments and reflections by Dr. Eichner and many members of his family: a family drama is revealed through recipes and the memories they inspire. Eichner's encouraging tone and unpretentious style are really appealing. His recipes are simple and his appreciation for home-cooked food is inspiring. I'm making soup again these days, and have fallen in love with the chocolate cake and semolina cake.

This is a cookbook I want to give everyone in my family, some new cooks, some not so new. Dr. Eichner's simple but sound nutritional advice, along with playful recipes, uncomplicated cooking and eating philosophy makes cooking well seem easier, and eating right more fun. The addition of personal thoughts on food, eating and cooking from Dr. Eichner's family gives this cookbook an intimate and thoughtful touch. It is an easy going but helpful hand in the kitchen.

"I hung back, unsure, if this was the thing I'd die for/ and so perhaps never found what it was I would live for." From The Other Side/ El Otro Lado

I found this collection of poetry to be an honest portrait of the poet's experiences. The novelist Julia Alvarez, author of "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents", "Yo", and "In the Time of the Butterflies", displays her wide range of poetry in this book, The Other Side/ El Otro Lado. It is divided into four main sections, each with their own topic, and each section has poems about that topic within it. The first section deals with the poet's childhood, as she lived in the Dominican Republic. Then the book moves on to deal with other topics such as her family's hurried getaway to the United States, and her awkward adolescent years, as she tried to adjust as a minority Latina in a world of gringas. The book moves on to her adulthood and encompasses topics which vary from her poetry readings to her boyfriends. Especially touching are the poems which speak about her return visit to her homeland of Dominican Republic, the point at which Julia realizes that she does not fit in here anymore any better than she fit in at her school when she first arrived in the US. This book is a tale of one woman's journey from immigrant to American citizen, and it expressed with the deepest and sincere sense of humanity. Her unique story-telling style of poetry makes this book unique, and her experiences will warm your heart.

I had read this book before a year ago and never really appreciated it until this year in English class when my class read it. I loved the book in the first place but now i have an ever deeper love for it since i understand it better. This book is great for casual reading but when analyzed and looked into it is excellent. I recommend this book to everyone but especially for young Dominican women trying to find a person, a book, that they can relate to.

I found this book of poetry to be an honest portrait of the poet's experiences. It is divided into four main sections, each with their own topic, and each section has poems about that topic within it. The first section deals with the poet's childhood, as she lived in the Dominican Republic. Then the book moves on to deal with other topics such as her family's hurried getaway to the United States, and her awkward adolescent years, as she tried to adjust as a minority Latina in a world of gringas. The book moves on to her adulthood and encompasses topics which vary from her poetry readings to her boyfriends. Especially touching are the poems which speak about her return visit to her homeland of Dominican Republic, the point at which Julia realizes that she does not fit in here anymore any better than she fit in at her school when she first arrived in the US. This book is a tale of one woman's journey from immigrant to American citizen, and it expressed with the deepest and sincere sense of humanity. Her unique story-telling style of poetry makes this book unique, and her experiences will warm your heart.

Julia Alvarez creates a rousing literary work in both Spanish and English with A Cafecito Story, the engrossing story of a Nebraska farmer's boy who becomes a teacher and eventually finds his life changed by a sojourn to the Dominican Republic. A Cafecito Story is highly recommended as being an intriguing blend of sparse writing, specific images, and involving discussions.

This simple story of a man, a new life, and a family struggling to survive and to be literate was moving to me. The lovely illustrations are woodcuts by Belkis Ramirez, an artist from the Dominican Republic. Also, as a rabid coffee lover, it brought back memories of rich aromatic coffee in cafes in Guatemala and Mexico. I recommend this book for anyone who is trying to live her or his life deliberately, trying to help with sustainable agriculture, and trying to make a difference in small but vital ways to a more balanced global economy.

This is one of those books that takes guts to have on your shelf. But it is so very worth reading, and probably re-reading throughout your life. I had the pleasure of listening to Alicia Partnoy speak about this book and her voice is so soft and delicate compared to the strength of her words. After reading the book, I characterized her as a woman of such power (she had to have so much courage to withstand the torture); and in person she reminded me that she is simply human, having endured a terrible time of history both personally and for Argentina in general, and she carries that history with her throughout her life. While there are various good books about "disappearance" and exile with relation to Latin America, this one tops the lists.

During the military junta from 1976 to 1982, the Argentine military unleashed a reign of terror onto the Argentine community. In these years over 30,000 people, mostly between the ages of 18 and 35, just disappeared off of the streets. Most of them were never heard from again. A few were released. Yet with their "freedom" from the secret detention camps, came the reality of dealing with the atrocities of their imprisonment. The torture, isolation, beating, rape, electrocution they suffered in these secret prisons, where they were often kept blindfolded and bound for months, lives with them forever. The author of The Little School: Tales of Disappearance and Survival, Alicia Partnoy, is one of the few disappeared during this time to have been released. This book documents the more than three months she spent in a secret detention camp known as "the little school." It tells of her and other prisoners' lives inside this nightmare. It describes the torture and humiliation they endured. It is a heartbreaking but inspiring story of hope and faith can triumph even under the most horrific conditions. It is impossible not to be moved to tears at some point during this book.

This is a great book which I feel challenges preconceptions and stereotypes of beauty in a modern world.
The photographs have a distinct edge and are furthered by the Texts which echo the work so well. My favourites are the Rachael Cusk and Nick Cave Essays.

I heartily recommend this book, it is really intellegently put together.

This is a collection of beautiful photographs of mostly unbeautiful people and places. This is a great challenge and he meets it well. The more I look at this book, the more unfolds for me. These are dense, graceful photos from around the world. He uses cross processing, black and white and simple color with the eye of a real master. There are a collection of short stories which I have not read yet, but anything with Nick Cave in it, gets my money. For a first book, this is a keeper.

There once lived a secret tribe of very beautiful creatures called ciguapas, underwater in "cool blue caves hung with seashells and seaweed". They were terribly afraid of humans and came out on land only at night to hunt for food. They were convinced that if humans saw them, they would be captured, put in cages, studied by doctors and made to take baths and do laundry. They had one special attribute that kept them safe from humans. Their feet were backwards and when they walked, pointed in the opposite direction. Because of this, no human had ever been able to follow their footprints and their secret existence had remained safe. That is until one young ciguapa, named Guapa, became too curious and hunted before dark, meeting a surprisingly kind human family. And this curiousity almost led to the tribe's discovery..... Julia Alvarez retells a wonderful folk tale, that will charm and delight children of all ages. Her language, so full of imagery and magic, lets you feel the cool water and hot sun and hear the palms swaying in the breeze and the birds singing their favorite songs. Fabian Negrin's captivating, vibrant artwork compliments the story perfectly and takes you away to this very lush tropical island. The Secret Footprints is an enchanting tale, told by an accomplished storyteller and will make a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

Julia Alvarez has transformed the mythic Dominican tale of the Ciguapa into a lush, dramatic story for all audiences to appreciate. I was fortunate enough to hear Alvarez read her first children's book to 80 second graders at the Carol Morgan School of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The children as was this writer literally spellbound.

The tale which is reminiscent of "The Little Mermaid," is set in the Domincan Republic where the Ciguapas live in secret caves underwater. The Ciguapas, women with long black hair, only come out at night and walk backwards on land to fool their enemies. The littlest Ciguapa who is fond of humans, gets herself into a sticky situation and her "secret" is almost discovered by a young boy. Adults will not only learn more about these Caribbean "creatures," but their children will learn more about tolerance.

As a young writer, Janet Sternburg searched for a book about woman writers: how they came to be, how they viewed their lives, how they treated their work. It was the seventies and none existed, so she put together The Writer on Her Work and it was published in 1981 - a book featuring women writing about writing. This year marks its anniversary (thus, the new edition) with a touching preface by Julia Alvarez, plus an updated introduction and bios of the 17 women who contributed to the landmark collection. Established, unknown and up-and-coming writers of the time - including Maxine Hong Kingston, Joan Didion and Alice Walker - reflect on writing and lives as writers, through heartfelt and sometimes hilarious commentary. The value of this book is reading how these women, writing in different genres, pursued their passion in the face of opposition. Whether that opposition took on the form of household responsibilities, writer's block, dissenting peers or a male-dominated marketplace, it's interesting tackling the dilemma through their eyes and in that time; making a place for themselves, and their work, discovering in that world, she dominates. This speaks to the heart of the book, a community of women's voices, whether alive or deceased, writing because they had to, sharing profound experiences and reflections on being a woman creating. The Writer on Her Work offers diverse personalities expressing their romance with words, also acknowledging the ups and downs that come with that relationship. Each essay is an inspiring testament to the continuing struggle and undeniable beauty of the female spirit in print.

I've loved this book since 1980, when I bought a copy and read it and lent it and recommended it many times over since then. This new edition is even better. The pieces, personal and trenchant, ingeniously selected by Sternburg over twenty years ago, have withstood the test of time.

There is deep feeling, variety, astonishing articulation of complex things, and warmth and humor in these essays. Many of the writers fight to write, and show us their battle plans. It's inspiring and encouraging, and sometimes it's sad. Some - I am thinking of young writer Michele Murray, who struggled against terrible odds - are heartbreaking. Anne Tyler's darkly humorous recitation of her typical working day, "Still Just Writing," is a classic. Alice Walker's essay, "One Child of One's Own" speaks to motherhood, and its fragile but undeniable relationship to a writing life.

The new Preface, by Dominican-born Vermonter Julia Alvarez, is touching and insightful and very personal - in keeping with the rest of the book - and speaks to the concerns of the essays. Sternberg has also edited her orignal Introduction, and updated the contributors' notes at the book's end.

Without question I'd recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in reading women on the process of writing, the art of memoir, and the considered and considerably interesting opinions of a group of very wonderful writers.

Soy dominicana, y apenas tengo 17 años..., desde siempre he sabido sobre las Mirabal, pero nunca me habia decidido a investigar mas, hasta q lei este libro.
Me encanto, relata los hechos vividos y sufridos en mi pais, y claro, todo lo que sucedio con las "Mariposas".
Lo unico que puedo decir es que me alegra muchisimo que personas de otros paises, e incluso de aqui de USA, sepan y se interesen en la vida de estas GRANDES HEROINAS dominicanas.
Es muy emocionante, y a la vez triste, recordar todos estos hechos; yo tuve la oportunidad de visitar el Casa Museo de las Mirabal, en Ojo de Agua, Salcedo es una experiencia muy "emocionante" senti como si volviera al pasado, es algo que una persona q conoce y sabe de las Mirabal, no se deberia perder.
Estoy muy orgullosa de ser dominicana, y de haber tenido heroinas , las MARIPOSAS.
Tambien me siento orgullosa porque el nombre de mi abuelita sea Ana Mercedes Then Mirabal :)

Soy dominicana, y conozco la historia de las heroinas Mirabal de las paginas de mis libros de Historia.. Sin embargo, el libro describe con una profunda delicadeza el caracter de estas tres "Mariposas" que aunque distintas, se mantuvieron siempre firmes a su ideal de ver a nuestra tierra libre de la horrenda tirania... Desde las narraciones de la pequena Maria Teresa, la devocion de la buena Patria, la voluntad y fortaleza de Minerva, la pena y la dedicacion de Dede, la sobreviviente.. La estupenda narracion de la vida de las ninas, las hermanas, las esposas, las amigas, las madres, las martires... El libro es maravilloso... La historia es triste, pero real.. es un capitulo de nuestra historia dominicana que no podemos olvidar, y una muestra de volundad e idealismo que debe sembrarse en todo el que conoce sobre las mariposas..!

Este libro, pienso, que es el mejor que he leido de Julia Alvarez. Me fascino! Al yo ser Dominicana, ya sabia la historia de las hermanas Mirabal y la forma en que Alvarez les da vida es formidable. Yo le recomiendo este libro a todo mundo!

Many major historical events have been overlooked throughout history. People that have made major contributions to politics have gone without recognition. The media and many history books fail to get important events to the general public. Some information can only be found in other sources.
One example is the book In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. In her book she gives the reader incite into conflicts of the Dominican Republic. Alvarez focuses on four sisters who made a great contribution to struggles of their country. This book is historical fiction. Many of the facts are true but fine details have been added that the author could not gain from her research.
The names of the sister are Maria Terisa, Minerva, Dede, and Patria. In the beginning of the book they seem unlikely to have a major conflict with the government. But as the dictator of the Dominican Republic during the 1940's and 1950's named Trujiillo becomes more involved in the sister's lives they are rapidly caught in political affairs. The result is imprisonment and death. Yet despite all of the risks they stand up for what they believe in.
What makes this book so powerful is how the author describes each character in a unique way. This gives the reader a personal connection with them.Literature such as In the Time of the Butterflies is very important. It communicates a message that might not have been heard by many individuals otherwise. Though they are recognized in much of south america, many north americans don't know their story. By writing this book Alvarez has done a great service to the society of all nations. In the Time of the the Butterflies is a widely read book. Many people who are not familiar with the struggles of the main characters will be introduced to the reality of political corruption and it's affects on a nation.

Not since I was a kid in school have I found myself highlighting portions of a book as I did with this one. I found myself laughing and crying outloud. Based on political and historical facts, Ms. Alvarez manages to bring the "Mirabal Butterflies" to splendid and colorful life. It is as if she gives you a bird's eye view of their lives. She brings their youth and their upbringing to life and you are given the opportunity to adore four playful young girls; share the coming of age of four teenagers as they find love and make commitments; four mothers; four political prisoners; four rebels;four wifes and four heroines. When I finished the book, I found myself mourning the loss of these friends and sisters I did not have...until I read the book. I was proud to see the description and examples of the sense of pride and responsibility and honor I, as a hispanic woman, was raised with outlined for all to read and hopefully understand. To learn and understand that the Butterflies were not fearless, quite the opposite affords you an opportunity to respect their actions more so. Bravo!! Ms. Alvarez, muchas gracias.

Julia Alvarez is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. In the Time Of the Butterflies is such a wonderfully gripping tale that I was saddened when I reached the last page. Ms. Alvarez writes in such a way that you feel you personally know each of the Mirabal sisters and their friends. They are courageous, intelligent, funny and extremely dedicated to the freedom of their country, Dominican Republic. I wished the story kept going so as not to lose touch with the 4 wonderful sisters I felt I became friends with in my mind. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants comedy, adventure, and love.

Julia Alvarez is definitely a gifted writer, I have read before "In the time of the butterflies" and "In the name of Salome", both great books, and they were the whole reason I decided to buy "Yo", without knowing that I should have read first "How the Garcia sisters lost their accent", but anyway, this one is a great book, I really liked Yolanda García, I have to admit that in the preface I didn't like her, but as I kept on reading Yo started to grow in me...

I liked all the chapters; it is incredible how someone can touch through out an entire life so much people without even knowing. I think Yo was a good person, it seems to me that she just wanted to be accepted and loved by the family she adored and some reassurance that writing was her destiny, and her father gave her that by blessing her with both hands in her head in the last chapter.

"The Stalker" was the one chapter I didn't like; it took me days just to finish it... The others were amazing, specially "The wedding guests", I loved the way every invited guest gave their opinion about the others and talk about how their lives have being touched by Yo. Others chapters like "The father" were just a pleasure to read.

This is a very good book by a very good writer and I highly recommend it. Now I am going to buy her other novels, in particular "How the Garcia sisters..." and "Before we were free". It is always going to be a pleasure to read one of Julia Alvarez books...

I enjoyed Yo! more than I did How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. Julia Alvarez does such a great job of developing each point of view on Yolanda Garcia, that by the end of the novel you feel as if you personally know this character. She brings to life her central character through the stories of those who were a part of her life and she does this so skilfully, with each character given its own writing style and voice, so it is as if each person was telling you a story about Yolanda and informing you about their involvement in her life. And no you do not need to read How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent to read this. Julia Alavrez fills the reader in on everything, although nothing much is missed. But, if you have read the Garcia Girls, you'll find yourself saying, "Oh I remember that!" and such. If you haven't read it, read it and you will see how each is inter-related. But, you do not need to read Garcia Girls to get this book, it stands alone. Definitely recommend all her books!

wow! I remember being blown away by "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent". Even then, Yolanda was my favorite character. It was easy to get right into this book-it was fast-reading, interesting, and definitely worthwhile. Being a resident of Vermont myself, I am amazed with Julia Alvarez' amazing writing talent. And although she is not nationally well-known, she is a name commonly heard around here. Yo! was a truly extraordinary book-a Hispanic version of "The Ya-Ya's", with a little added flair. I believe this is the type of book you would either HATE or LOVE-luckily, I loved it and recommed it to anyone who enjoys a good laugh, and a good read.