The book is neatly divided into sections: - The use of kimono in festivals, - Kimono you see in the street, - Tradition in its manufacture (weaving,spinning, dyeing), - The commercial side of kimono (fitting, kimono shops), - Maiko and Geisha (including some wonderful pictures made at the Nyokoba Geisha Training school on Kyoto), - Men wearing kimono (storytellers, sumo referees, tea ushers, monks) - Kabuki (this is my favorite. You see a kabuki player getting dressed for a female role) - Work (the kimono as a uniform) - Footwear (an interesting detail) Apart from the beautiful pictures this book has an informative introduction by Liza Dalby and with each picture you get a caption that gives you some little piece of insight that changes the way you look at the picture. Having been to Japan this book to me is a souvenir of some of the things I've seen, the people wearing kimono in the street, the festivals. But it also showed me some things I could never see (the behind the stage kabuki pictures and the manufacturing of the kimono). If you have been to Japan you too will recognize some of these pictures. If you have not been to Japan this book gives you a great impression of what to expect (kimono wise that is). Last but not least the book has a beautiful design, it's a great coffee table book.

As always the publisher did not skimp on photographs; lush, luxurious ones by frequent collaborator Paul Rico, as Mr. Prudhomme puts it, "make you want to head straight for the kitchen."

"Chicken Poppers and Simple Sauce" will get you started, tasty bits of chicken breast mouth-wateringly marinated, then fried. It's so easy and so good that you might find yourself eating dinner standing up. When it's that good, why wait?

"Shrimp and Cream Cheese Soup" uses only 4 ounces of cheese for Chef Paul's velvet purposes. Shrimp immersed in soup or stew is usually one of the best recipes in each of his books, and this one stands out among even my previous favorites. It is also the easiest to make.

Here he again pleads with readers to blacken gently without the overbearing quantity of spice with which the word "blacken" is erroneously associated. He should know, he invented the method. Two teaspoons of spice mixture spread over a steak enhances flavor, two tons turn it into something unrecognizable, but try telling that to most chefs offering "blackened" items in restaurants throughout this country.

Pssst. Prudhomme's cajun cooking is not hot or spicy. Some of his dishes do contain dried hot chile powder, which may be eliminated very easily.

Adventurous cooks may want to try Tricolor Vegetable Terrine with Roasted Pepper Sauce, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne (wonderful! You can eliminate the lasagne and just make the flavored spinach if you want an easy side dish), French Quarter Eggplant, or Salmon Pudding with a Portobello Glaze.

Some of the book's everyday fare could creep into heavy rotation at your house. The hearty Madeville Street Rice, with ground beef and converted rice, is a one-pot wonder. Deep Fried Sweet Potato Chips have a way of begging to be made again. Vegetarian dishes are represented nicely too.

This book's somewhat shorter length and lighter price make "Kitchen Expedition" an excellent introduction for average cooks to the man and his method.

The humble human condition is the victor as our hero eventually settles for his lot. 'Be happy with what you have...'

The novel lends itself to the 'taped version' and the narrator, Ric Jerome, does an excellent job.