I consider myself a fairly accomplished cook, so that when someone gave my wife and I a copy of this "basic" cookbook for our wedding, I was initially disappointed, thinking that I didn't need this book.

How WRONG I was! :-)

I have found this book to be completely invaluable in my kitchen.

What I found was that I often know how to make more complex recipes, but when I needed to make a more "standard" recipe - I was often at a loss.....how DO you cook a pot roast? Make a mint julep? What temperature DO you cook a yam at, anyway? All this and much more is in this book. This book has easy to find sections on meats, fish, poultry, drinks, desserts and much more, and many many recipes. It also has a provides a fairly exhaustive definition of almost anything cooking related from types of crabs to buy all the way to the various types of sugars available on the market.

When I'm at a loss for what to serve for dinner, I just flip through this book for ideas. The same goes for when I am experimenting and creating some new japanese-creole dish to subject my family to! :-)

This is a LARGE book, with no flashy pictures or anything like that (there are some basic drawings - for example, what part of the cow gets cut up for what kind of meat. Things like that), so you are getting a lot for your money.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys spending any time in the kitchen. I enjoy it so much that I'm buying another copy as a gift for my little sister's wedding shower! :-)

I have cooked with this book for 20 years, and am ordering a 2nd copy to replace my dog-eared, gravy spattered, disintegrating original. From bear roasts to pumpkin soup; from boning a chicken to selecting a duckling for "a l'orange"; from Beef Wellington to boeuf bourguinon; this is the most comprehensive and essential cookbook I've ever seen. I've given this exclusively as a wedding gift for 10 years now - it's the only cookbook you'll ever need.

I confess, I've never really believed any cookbook jacket information before but in the case of The New Doubleday Cookbook I can tell you it's all true! It IS the most complete, up-to-date cookbook I have ever found and it always has the answer to all my cooking questions. I can choose from over 4500 simple or sophisticated recipes each one with its own calorie, cholesterol and sodium count and there's tons of handy information about new foods, multiethnic ingredients, new equipment, basic and special cooking techniques, food additives, nutrition ...just about everything anyone wants to know about buying, preparing, cooking and presenting food. This is my favorite kitchen companion now and I know it's the ideal gift for friends and family...beginners, brides and experienced cooks too.

This book (and the other three in this series) are the best written mysteries I've read. The characters are well developed, the plot is twisted and interesting, and the psychological drama is intense. This is a dark story that goes far beyond the plot of a simple cliff-hanger mystery.

This is one of the best mysteries I have read in a very long time. Redmann manages to pull the reader along through three interwoven tracks: 1) the basic mystery that PI Micky Knight is dealing with, 2) the daily and often amusing life Micky lives, and 3) the mystery of her past and how she became who she is.

The story line is well-written--I mean, it has DEPTH. So many mysteries are fun fluff. Redmann manages to weave a tale that is so much more than just a mystery. Micky Knight's smart-ass, oddly observant point-of-view is funny and catchy, but under the cool quips, the character is DEEP.

I had a tough time getting hold of a copy of this book and the next one in the series, but I don't regret the trouble I went to. I can't wait to keep reading! And I agree with Litterati: if Knight were straight, people would be tossing aside their Grafton and Cornwall and Paretsky mysteries in favor of Redmann's!

Jolly good job!
:) Lori L. Lake

I have yet to read a lesbian mystery that even comes close to the Micky Knight series. Not only is the plot well-written and realistic but the mystery of Micky Knight's life itself is just as compelling. The reader is periodically given glimpses into Micky's past which helps sheds light on her present actions and adds more character depth. By the end of the book I couldn't wait to pick up "The Deaths of Jocasta" (second book in this series) to find out what happened between Micky and Cordelia. All four books in the Micky Knight series can be difficult to find, but it is well worth the time and effort. You will not be disappointed!

find the time to share this book and play the game with yourchild! the artwork and photography is exceptional. my 6 year old and ihighly recommend it! every page is breathtaking and you'll be "hooked" once you start "spying". items are hidden in the pictures with ryhming hints to help you out!

I purchased this book for my 6 year old niece and also for my 30 year old daughter! It contains beautiful photos of ornaments, vintage bears, and Christmas scenes. Great fun for any age. A bargain at twice the price.

I never heard of the I Spy books until my daughter dragged me to a book store. She picked up the xmas book and we sat there for an hour and only got through 3 pages. The pages are so pretty and contents challenging even to me. I loved it.

I first read this book when it was published back in 1980 - I still have my original copy! I received it through my school's book order program. Even today, 19 years later, I still reread this book! What a treasure it is! Gail and her horse, Candlelight, are transported back in time to a neighboring estate. There she becomes friends with Hilary, a lonely girl who is vacationing for the summer. Although Gail realizes that she cannot stay in "Babylon" forever (although she does consider it on page 104!), she enjoys her brief journey through time. This is an incredible book! If you can get your hands on it, do not let it go!

I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school, just after it was first published & my school bought a copy for the library. I checked it out several times, but by the time I'd saved up enough of my allowance money to buy one of my own I couldn't find anywhere that had it. For years I looked for a copy, to no avail. Then, about 9 years ago, while in a thrift store with my mom, I saw some book racks & started to tell her about this great book I read several years ago, looked down & stopped mid sentence...THERE IT WAS, right in front of me! I couldn't believe it! Naturally I bought it, along with a couple of others I found that I'd read years before & loved. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone, & think the best chance of finding one, if you've been looking for years like I was, is to check around at thrift stores & garage sales.

I first read this book when I was in the fourth grade. I must have read it about five times that year! But then the local library copy was lost and I never found it again. The point of all of this is that even though I am now a college freshman who has not seen this book for ten or so years, it continues to be fresh in my mind. It is a creepy, tantalizing tale of a girl who moves to what was once the caretaker's cottage on a huge estate called Babylon. The property includes a decrepit carriage house in which she finds various implements from the old Babylonian estate. Later, while exploring in the woods on her horse Candlelight she discovers an old gate. When she goes through it she is transported to the old Babylon, a hundred years ago, there to learn the story behind its fall and why it is calling her back through time.

I can't say enough about how wonderful and haunting this book is. It has followed me all these years, fragments of its text surfacing in my mind every so often. Even though I have never found it again, I know that Babylon is waiting for me, just behind the next tree.

Victoria Holt was one of my favorite authors when I was younger. A master storyteller, she would consistently weave a story that would have the reader turning the pages. This work of historical fiction is one of her best. Riveting from beginning to end, this fictional autobiographical account of the life of Marie Antoinette is superb. Written in the first person, with little dialogue, it is the rumination of a life that was to end tragically. Pampered, spoiled, and fun loving, the beautiful Maria Antonia of Austria metamorphosed into Marie Antoinette of France upon her marriage to the Dauphin, who would eventually become King of France, the ineffectual, but benign, Louis XVI.

This is her story, grounded in historical fact and set within the framework of history. This work of fiction about the life of Marie Antoinette, as seen through her own eyes, is fascinating, as it captures the flavor of those uncertain times and the events that led to the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy in France. It is a reflection on how Marie Antoinette's own behavior influenced the fate of France. Indulging in the excesses of the day, she initially gave little thought as to how her actions might affect the people of France or the monarchy. By the time she realized that her actions and excesses had wide spread political ramifications, it was too late, and the fate of her and her husband was sealed. No amount of personal regret could change it.

This book will be enjoyed by those who enjoy good, well written historical fiction. It is little wonder that this book spent two months on the New York Times Best Seller List. It is simply historical fiction at its best.

If you are intersted in the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, or just want a good read, this book is the one to read. If you like this book and become interested in royalty, or you already are, Victoria holt wrote tons of other books on British and some Spanish, French, and Italian royalty under the pseudonym Jean Plaidy, so try those.
This book is a fictional memoir written by Marie Antoinette between 1789 and her death in 1793. It covers her whole life (sympathetically) and dispells the rumor that she said "Let them eat cake". Read this!

I read this book in 1973!? It was so wonderful that I planned my trip to Paris around Marie Antoinette's homes - the Grand and Petit Trianon at Versailles for one stop. The author writes historical fiction so beautifully that you can't help wishing to run to Europe and experience the lives of the queens you've read about!! I'll never orget this book - and others by Victoria Holt!

After reading numerous books on plastic surgery I would have to say that this one is the most complete. This book is page after page of fascinating information. It covers more than just the surgery itself, but also the before and after, the cost and even how to find a surgeon. Dr. Loftus did a fabulous job of covering every aspect and articulately explaining each procedure so that even the layman could understand. I highly recommend this extraordinary book to anyone who is considering plastic surgery.

As someone who is considering liposuction, I was impressed with how helpful this book was. It explained the difference between traditional liposuction, ultrasonic liposuction, and ultrasound-assisted liposuction, including a detailed list of all the pros and cons for each. It also explained issues about the recommended cannula size, large-colume liposuction, areas where liposuction should and should not be performed, the effect of liposuction on cellulite, where you might gain weight following liposuction, and the list goes on. Compared to other books that focus strictly on liposuction, this book surprisingly contained deeper, clearer explanations...and from a more objective perspective. There is no question that if you are considering liposuction - or any plastic surgery procedure - you owe it to yourself to get this book.

I only wish that I had read Dr. Loftus' book earlier. It provides information that few doctors are willing to tell their patients. The format is easy to follow and the book is extremely informatve. I am buying this book for everyone I know who is contemplating plastic surgery so they can get the whole picture BEFORE making the decision to proceed. If you are even thinking about a procedure, you can find out everything you want to know in this book. It is the best of its type I have read.

Dear Jean is one of the most useful books for dealing with the everyday antics of the workplace. Jean stresses the importance of personal responsibility that is so often missing in today's employees. To get her career started in the right direction I gave my daughter a copy on the day she started her first real job.

Jean's writing style makes reading this book an absolute joy. Every office should keep a copy for reference.

I will admit I was skeptical when I picked up the book but I quickly found myself laughing and learning. In a light, funny and to the point "Dear Abby" style Jean answers tough questions about today's changing workplace. Covering everything from when to conduct business durng a business lunch to how to deal with the gum-smacking co-worker, Jean sheds light on many issues. Using real life examples, she gives the reader tools to get ahead in the workplace. No matter what your line of work there is bound to be something in the book for you.

GET THIS BOOK! I've seen Jean on TV and heard her on theradio, so I was looking forward to her book. Little did I suspect howmuch I would LOVE THIS BOOK! When I got it, I just opened it in the middle for a glance and I couldn't put it down. I read a question from a lady who caught her married boss kissing someone else while on a business trip and she wanted to know what to do about it. I won't tell what Jean said, you'll just have to read it yourself.

That hasn't ever happened to me, but let's just say I identified with a lot of the questions in there. Just out of curiosity, I went to her web page and sent one of my questions to her. Who knows?

I really recommend this book. It will really help you deal with the people in your office, including your boss. Jean tells it like it is, she doesn't preach or cut people any slack either. She's like an office Dear Abby. Her advice works at home, too.

BUY THIS BOOK! I'm getting a copy for my niece who is graduating from college this May. I've already told all the people at work to get one too. ;)

The oral history form is perfect for "Edie" little-girl-lost, who streaked across the '60's horizon like a falling star. Despite her grace, fragile beauty and charisma; Edie Sedgewick was almost born to be doomed even before the drugs did her in.

She was born into a wealthy old family that had a history of instability. Her father, also breathtakingly beautiful, had crushing psychological problems. Two of her brothers committed suicide. Her mother was ineffectual with her large brood. She was raised on an isolated ranch with her seven siblings with almost no contact with the outside world. When she hit Cambridge at 18, she was pathetically ill equipped to be in the larger world.

I couldn't agree more that she found herself in the midst of horribly decadent people. Andy Warhol gets a particularly bad rap in this book, but to me, he was no better nor worse than his hangers-on, just a shade more self-absorbed. What really saddened me was that I don't think it really mattered who Edie took up with. She was destined to spin out of control. She had no focus, no inner strength, and was dangerously self-centered and delusionary.

"Edie" is compelling reading whether or not you have experienced the '60's. It is good to keep in mind that Edie herself and the contributors to the book all were a part of a very small stratum that whistled through this confusing decade. They were no more representative of the rank and file than Emmerin is representative of this decade.

Such a lovely child, such a terrible waste.

It's funny how a person's childhood experiences can set a person up for success or failure as an adult. However, in the case of Edie Sedgwick, her failures as an adult were definitely unfunny. I loved that this book relied only on quotes from the people who had met/known her. Exceptional research into every stage of Edie's life to uncover people who experienced her in each incarnation and brilliant editing make this an extremely special biography. It is evident that the choices the adult Edie made which were ultimately destructive were foreshadowed by events in her childhood. I don't think it's necessary for you to be fascinated by the scenes Edie lived through to enjoy the book. If you approach this as a psychological study of an individual, it becomes mainstream reading, not just a pop-culture chronicle.

For an all too brief space of time Edie Sedgwick was the bright light of Andy Warhols' insular world of self proclaimed superstars.Beautiful, wealthy and emotionally troubled, her life of excitement and excess withered rapidly into debt, drug abuse and isolation. Discarded by the social glitterati when her instability became increasingly difficult to ignore, Edies' position as the girl of last year and eventual unremarked death stand as a scathing indictment of the fickleness of fame

Basquiat is one of my favorite artists. I was first captivated by his works that were used in conjunction with Mya Angelou's poem Life Don't Frigten Me None. I was entranced by his art! I looked all over for a book that would give me a retrospective of his art. I found it. This book is wonderful. Great color great art work. Check it out. You'll Dig it too.

THE best book on Basquiat out there! A very talented New York artist that started out doing graffiti on the New York Subways as SAMO and instantly became famous after one day meeting Andy Warhol and giving him a postcard of his artwork. They became quick friends and Warhol had a great influence on his very short career even though Jean-Michel's work is totally different. Jean Michel died tragically from a drug overdose. Cool little known fact - He dated Madonna! Great photos of the Jean-Michel and an incredible extended chronology in the back of the book. Best yet info on the artist existing anywhere in the the book. Color plates of his art work are superb, large, and mostly one per page, incredible color. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Jean-Michel or his friends Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, or Andy Warhol.

If you are looking for a wonderful combination of Basquiat's work and biography, this is the book to own. This book is full of many beautiful color plates of his work, as well as the story of his short, successful, but tragic life as an artist who had his brief moment in the sun before succumbing to the drugs.

A very satasfying book. If you've followed the adventures of Rosie and the pirate captain know as Raider through "Into the Wind" and "Song of the Sea", this book is a trasure. A lot gets wrapped up, sometimes too easily and tidily, but this is a book that, when I finished, left me grinning like an idiot. It's really worth the effort to try and locate a copy of this book. Best of the American Dreams series!

I absolutly loved this book and the entire Rosie/Raider series. In fact, after I read the first two books I became so involved in the story that I needed to read the third one, and then I discovered that my local library didn't carry the last book of the series so I made my Mom drive me to a library that was 50 miles away just to get it. It didn't disapoint me. I just love this book! I would like to see more Rosie/Raider books!

This is the best book of the series so far!! Jean Ferris captures the feelings of Rosie's feelings of confusion and then understanding as she falls in love with Raider