besides not finding a couple exotic ingredients at the local kroger- not a serious enough cook to order them- this book is absolutely, perfectly, marvelous! it's fun and easy to use and helps me to score when i invite a lady-friend over (or a guy friend). what else can you ask for out of a cookbook?

This is a remarkably coherent and inviting book: it holds together as an actual workbook in the kitchen, as a compendium of user-friendly recipes to take us around the world, and as a concept. No surprises here. David Ricketts for years has been a food journalist and a cook, i.e. traveling, running test kitchens, and mastering the editorial arts of food writing and recipe preparation. These skills are everywhere at work in Home Cooking. For example, each recipe begins with "a basic recipe that is familiar to the American home cook," such as chicken noodle soup or bread pudding. Then the variations (Vietnamese Chicken Soup with Asian herbs and vegetables; bread baked with cream, eggs, coconut milk, and candied ginger). But Ricketts goes one step further. As he puts it, he's less interested in creating a "chemical reaction" and more concerned to explore how international "home cooking" is woven into the textures of people's everyday lives; his recipes are "a window" through which we "catch a glimpse of a culture, whether our own or another." Thus the method--to begin with a "known" or "familiar" dish and to go from there. (A helpful glossary and set of notes on ingredients is helpful here.)

As a compass for international culinary voyaging the book is sensibly formatted and arranged; you get to your destinations and eating adventures composed and happy. Chapters cover poulty, beef, pork and lamb, seafood, vegetables, and desserts. Methods of cooking tend to favor one pot dishes (lots of soups, stews, braisings, and baked items), but the simplicity and variety is astonishing (some of my favorites: chicken legs in basque red pepper-prosciutto sauce; "Jansson's temptation" [a Danish edition of scalloped potatoes with anchovies, Vidalia onions, cream, and fennel seeds]; spicy corn and lima beans with tomato; baked honey-glazed mackerel; whew!). As I've been known to say to friends and family when I'm serving something I know they're going to moan over, "Grab it and growl, yo!"

I tasted some recipes from this cookbook at a friend's dinner and found them delicious and comforting. Looking at the recipes, I was thrilled by the premise of the selected recipes that based on similar fundmentals, even ingredients, the results can turn out tasting entirely different from one culture to the next. Particualrly apropos in a multicultural United States, Mr. Ricketts enables an American raised on our Beef Stew to make with the slightest changes, cross oceans resulting in a Vietnamese Beef Stew with Carrots and Star Anise. This wonderful cookbook truly expresses the shared humanity of us all in a delicious way.

This book is an excellent resources for leaders of companies,that are reengineering key process and to sustainable competitive advantage and offers ways of thinking our business strategies or changing organizational.
This book offers excellent ideas for using innovative reward and recognition programs to accelerate organizational and culture change.

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'People, Performance & Pay' is must-read for all executives and HR professionals who want to understand the point-based pay system, known as the Hay Guide Chart-Profile Methodology. With concrete examples from their consulting experiences, Thomas P.Flannery, David A.Hofrichter, and Paul Platten clearly explain how to develop compensation strategies to support business values, work cultures, and strategic goals.

In the literature, the Hay system has been criticized because it may promote a bureaucratic culture and because it fails to differentiate between high and low performers or contributors. For example, Edward E.Lawler writes, in his 'Rewarding Excellence,' "the Hay system is the most commonly used approach for determining pay and reward levels in large organizations, although numerous other evaluation systems have also been developed. There is a real question, however, about whether Hay or any of the others is the best approach in today's business environment...Job evaluation fits a traditional bureaucratic approach to management that relies heavily on control through job descriptions, standardization of work, and hierarchical levels of management." On the other hand, after defining the Hay system as 'pay for empire,' Peter Block argues, in 'Stewardship,' "it is a widely accepted method of using job descriptions- including the number of direct reports, type of budget responsibility, and levels of responsibility and decision-making authority- to make rational the different pay levels within an organization. For what it was asked to accomplish, this system has done an elegant and durable job. But we must question exactly what it was we asked the Hay system to do-to pay people based on the size of their territory, number of subordinates, budget size, level of authority...Soften it if you like, but these are measures of empire, not contribution to the organization."

In this context, the authors say that "certainly there is truth in Block's statement. Indeed, as the title of our book suggests, people and their performance-their contribution both as individuals and as members of the organizational team-are the linchpins of any effective compensation strategy. But that title and statement do not, despite what our critics might say, signal a sudden shift in our philosophy about pay. The fact is, we've always believed that people and how they performed constitute the foundation of any successful business strategy. We've always believed that compensation is an important element of a successful human resources equation that puts people first...When the Hay system is properly used in the right circumstances, it can still be very effective in creating people-and performance-oriented pay programs."

I highly recommend this reference source on the Hay system.

The ideas in the book helped me to reshape my organization's compensation programs to align with our overall strategy. It's been great!

I got this book a few years ago after trying some beef and pork on skewers from a local Korean place. At the time I knew very little about Asian food preparation, and the book helped quite a bit:

The book begins with a glossary of basic terms and ingredients used in Asian kitchens, and also a rundown of grilling techniques, then proceeds to a series of ready meals (main grilled dish offered with one or two side dishes that are a traditional complement to the meal).

The sauces and marinades are easy to prepare and the flavors are bold and very fresh. The book utilized fresh vegetables and fruit in side dishes and salads that are amazing with the marinated and grilled meats and make a gorgeous presentation.

Furthermore, as I have discovered in the years of using the book, the recipes are also flexible and open to improvisation-resulting in possibly less authentic, but still wonderful and fun party food that can be prepared on a small tabletop hibachi grill right in front of your guests (you'll have to do prep work and make side dishes in advance, but grilling the meat and fish in front of guests has been a great way to bring a party together in my experience).

Overall, I found no fault with this book at all even from a beginner's (at the time) point of view-but the recipes are interesting enough for the more experienced chefs as well.

I also recommend "A Flash in the Pan: 100 Fast and Furious Recipes for Wok and Stir-Fry" by Liz Trigg and Shirley Gill for wonderful wok and stir-fry recipes for those beginner cooks who want to learn more about Asian food than just grilling.

This little book transports Asian flavors and textures simply to the Western reader without compromising flavor and integrity. I've tried three recipes from this book and they are very, very good. I plan to try several others but first have to replace the book. I took it to work and ended up giving it away. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves grilling and Asian flavors.

The narration and sound effects are fabulous. Keeps little ones interested. Great facts are included however, they will never realize that they are learning.

The illustrations in this book where fabulous. The details where obviously pain-stakingly done. You can tell David Kiehm puts his heart and soul into his work. I can't wait to see more of his work!

This is an excellant text book of general surgery. The book covers all the basic topics of surgery in a great mannor. There are plenty of good quality pictures and illustrations. The book is well divided into chapters. There is a summary at the end of each topic which gives a reivew of all the contents. I would highly recommend this book for rmedical students and surgical residents.

I am a graduating senior medical student, and I happened to come upon this text quite by accident. Intending only to browse it for the moment, I found the text to be captivating. The author gives a clear and concise overview of every major surgical topic in a way that is approachable and easily understandible. The tables and figures nicely complement the "high yield" text. I only wish I had this text when I did my surgical clerkship.

Charles Calhoun's MAINE is a departure from most travel guides. Rather than just pages and pages of lists of motels, restaurants, and things to see, Calhoun focuses on the state's people (past and present), natural history, and state-of-mind. Instead of simply an address and phone number for the famous L. L. Bean's (outdoor outfitters, for example, Calhoun gives us several pages, including the story of the founder of the company.

The book opens with a chapter entitled "Learning Maine" and is organized geographically into nine main sections which cover the entire state. The final chapter, "Practical Information" gives all the usual, plus "A Dozen Fun Places to Eat" and antiquarian booksellers. Scattered throughout the book are literary excerpts and topical essays by authors such as May Sarton, John McPhee, and Longfellow. There are maps, reproductions of period art, and plenty of gorgeous color photos. Whether the reader is planning a trip to Maine or merely wishes an intriguing armchair journey, this guide is a must.

Kimberly Borrowdale, Under the Covers Book Reviews

An excellent book to take along with you during your travels to Maine. The photos in this book are simply beautiful! The photographer, Thomas Mark Szelog actually lives in the lighthouse on the cover!! I was lucky enough to meet him and he was kind enough to show me some of his photgraphs. Absolutely beautiful work. This is a great book and I highly recommend it when you travel down east!

Dr. Eisenberg is one of the poineers of the Integartive medicine in US ( which is a fussion between the conventional and alternative therapies). Western medicine has achieved things that seemed imposible 1-2 centuries ago, but it seems to be stuck with its overly rationalistic approach toward disease...is the body functioning depending from the mind? Can attitude affect one's well- being? Could ther e be somthing that we still do not know about human physiology? Western science is just entering the realm of mind/body medicine( neuroscience), while some nations (like Chinese) have millenia long history of practicing and perfecting those methods of treatment....so why not learn to use those methods? Why not integrate them into conventional western medicine? Partly because the public and the medical proffessionals are not aware of all those options, and also because there is still some stigma in medical society about the alternative practices. Dr. Eisengberg's book disspels part of that stigma in a very easy to read, livelly and plesant style...

David Eisenberg, MD, embarked upon a pilgrimage under the auspices of Harvard to China to see if ancient medical alternatives hold new promise for Western medicine. His entrepreneurial approach is admirable and opens new possibilities for the West that have been already embraced by hundreds of millions of Chinese in some cases for many centuries. The shift in interest to Oriental medicine in the quest for new alternatives commands attention. The most critical asset for Western minds viewing Oriental medicine would seem to be an open mind. Yes, the West has made great medical strides but we don't have all the answers. Why should Western bias pre-empt potentially viable solutions that have attained credence through the tests of time and strength of following elsewhere? The Afterword in this edition suggests that Americans by the tens of millions are searching for new options, especially when patients face chronic pain thwarted by Western approaches. I congratulate Dr. Eisenberg for his creative approach and imagination and hope that appropriate testing protocol will help validate those remedies that have the greatest potential in the U.S. and elsewhere. The potential upside benefit for the quality of life of millions should drive progress on this frontier emerging in the West.

This is a wonderful book that every libertarian should own. It features a solid selection of some of the best pieces in "Cato's Letters" as well as the "Independent Whig." These works expounded some of the most radical libertarian principles that the world has ever known. Trenchard and Gordon advocated natural rights, including the right to revolution, and looked upon every governmental action, as well as every individual who possessed political power, as suspect. This philosophy of is key to understanding the American Revolution, because, as Jacobson notes, Americans loved these works and read them frequently. Aside from the actual texts included here, Jacobsons' lengthy introduction and bibiography are wonderful sources of information on "Cato's" lives, thought, and influence. Nevertheless, if one is truly interesting in their work, I would suggest a purchase that the Liberty Fund's fine edition of the complete "Cato's Letters" as well.

This book is great. First of all, it gives the reader an introduction to the lives and thoughts of the two great masters. Also, it includes ample passages from both the INDEPENDENT WHIG amd CATO'S LETTERS. Reading this book often leads to the purchase of Cato's Letters in their entirety.

The book was easy to understand, easy to follow and easy to incorporate into your diet. It may not be the most complete book on the subject of nutrition, but it has excellent advice, great places to start and specific topics to peruse.

Everyone is looking toward nutrition to help them out with specific problem areas, this book does just that. It shows you what is good and what is bad for specific illnesses, and symptoms. I particulary liked the glycemic portion of the glucose chapter, it puts into perfect perspective which foods are worse, better and best to control your glucose level. Since many illnesses are now attributed to insulin resistance (like PCO, diabetes, prostate problems) I thought this section was particulary enlightening.The herbs, minerals and vitamins in each portion were very well documented also, and relevant to each health area being discussed.

Its an excellent place to start for those travelling down the road of natural healing.

I am impressed! Not Blown-Away.....but impressed! A few items like the "New Food Pyramid" and the "Health Concern Assessment" section are extremely valuable (Especially for the layman).

As a Professional Nutritional Advisor though, I was a little disappointed that a publication of this high quality (Great questionnaires, great illistrations, good general health information, etc.) was lacking as much as it was. There is a section in vitamins and minerals for instance and later it touches on some herbs. What about other nutrients that don't fall into those categories?

For example: One particular nutrient (Lyprinol) is a marine lipid extract that comes from the New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussle. This Super-Nutrient is THE MOST POWERFUL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY on the planet but was somehow overlooked.

Another example: Years ago Professor Dr. Jack Masquelier discovered and patented THE MOST POWERFUL ANTI-OXIDANT on the planet. This nutrient is Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins. His formulation (OPC-85) is still unmatched by any other anti-oxidant claiming it is also an OPC. Yet this vital nutrient was completely overlooked as were several others like Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane (MSM), Detailed Amino Acids, Glucosamine Sulfate, Glucosamine HCI, N-Acetyl-Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Collagen Hydrolysate and many, many more.

The recipe, medicine chest, common ailments and food combining sections were Ok but again lacked any substance.

The various DIET sections are not as good as I'd like to see. Example: Someone who is obese would not want to follow this plan as it suggests carbs.

Overall this is a good reference and is a welcome addition to any home or office but I personally would not rely on it as my sole reference.

I have been providing free nutritional advise, counciling and training for years and I welcome any thoughts or questions someone may have.

This was a wonderful book! I have read many books on nutrition. My frustration with other books was that each book said something a little different. I've read Fit for Life, Eat Right 4 Your Type, Sugar Busters...and gained from each book. However, THIS book contains ALL that information and MORE! (Even includes a section specifically for women's health needs). The illustrations are wonderful, the charts very helpful, and a wealth of information is included in the pages. My favorite book on nutrition BY FAR! Highly recommend!

WHAT ROMANCE?! Hollis Husband DIED before the book even started, she goes away to find CLUES to his death, upon a weird invitation only a moron would accept,let alone STAY in the Mansion as long as she did. She went MONTHS with NO lock on her bedroom door! HOW DUMB to begin with?! I was expecting ROMANCE, when I bought a ROMANCE Novel. There was a LITTLE bit of susspense, Birdy the maid had a BAD attitude and was a VERY undesirable character, I would have FIRED her, theres only ONE or TWO unromantic kisses in this book,No sex, which HARDLY qualifies for a ROMANCE NOVEL! Most of the characters were boring and/or hostile. Except HOLLIS, but she was DUMB! AS a woman,I HATE books that make women look dumb, especially, the LEAD character! The so-called climax in chapter 20 was, YEAH! lol, about as boring and predictable as a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys episode! Or lets just say "A box office Flop" The end of the book, chapter 21, explains "What happend to all these characters, several years later" even THAT was a big dissapointment to, yeah, I put this book down MANY times. I buy many books from either... thrift shops/yard sales,book store sales, by MANY authors. I never HEARD of the Author, or read anything BY her, so in all fairness, It's THIS book I DO NOT recommend, if she's written 88 books, she can't be all that bad, right? But this one is DEFINATELY a flop. We all have our bad days in life, I'm just glad I got the book on sale for 25 cents, sometimes you get what you pay for.

I was so disappointed in this book! I used to love Phyllis Whitney so much about 10 years ago. But after reading Patricia Cromwell, Robert Mccammon, and M C Beaton, I just cannot go back to the black and white morals and predictability of Whitney's plots. I think if she just wrote romance, we would be more entertained, for this she does well. But the suspense part of her stories are just, well, lacking of.

I found this book in my family's bookcase. I had never heard of the title or the author before, but I thought I'd try it. It started slowly, but it was still interesting. By the time I got to the third chapter, I couldn't put the book down. Just when you think you've figured it out, there's a new twist. I recommend it.