It's hard to believe that a book like this exists, since it claims to give all the secrets of Jewish baking to anyone smart enough to read the book. If anything, this is an understatement -- this book will teach you how to make nearly all of the New York-area ethnic breads, cookies, and cakes that I've ever seen.

I've tried about 10 of the recipes -- unusual for me, since I often only get 2 or 3 good recipes from a cookbook -- and every one has been great. The bagels taste like real bagels (not the Bruegger's sort), the black-and-white cookies have the right cake-like texture and not the sugar cookie base most non-New Yorkers use, the challah is definitive, and so on.

The book is an absolute must for anyone stuck out in the middle of nowhere (like I was) without a proper bakery. Even in larger metro areas, local variants on "proper" pizza, rye breads, etc. will drive you to insanity if you don't have this book. If I were to fault the book, it would be on its treatment of sourdough breads -- the recipes rely on added yeast for reliable rising. Still, from croissants and pizza to Kaiser rolls and sour rye, these are fantastic recipes: authentic and able to be made by a relatively inexperienced baker.

At first glance there isn't much to grab your attention in this book. No glossy colour pictures (in a cookbook, unbelievable) and the recipes look basic (a little yeast, a little water, a little flour...). But you REALLY have to read this book. The details, the tips, the tricks of the trade and the methods that Greenstein explains really do make a difference!

Greenstein has converted the recipes to be made by hand, food processor or mixer. We have a small mixer and simply halved the quantities. I cannot stress enough the surprise at how effective the results were. There was huge "WOW" factor getting the bread out of the oven.

This book has a good range of recipes for breads and things made with yeast. There is an assortment of ethnic recipes and all the favourites from bagels, foccacia, croissants, to scones and muffins. I particularly enjoyed his annecdotes and favourite toppings. Greenstein has also included 12 programmes for "a morning of baking" which set out how to fit together making a variety of breads in a short time.

On the downside, a separate ingredients index would have been useful. For example, after buying rice flour I then had to look through the whole book to find the relevant recipe. The fact that it is so short on pictures is not really a problem as the results speak for themselves.

Please God, when I die let me be Jewish!

I love to bake, and this cookbook has wonderful, easy to use recipes. I get many compliments when I make the pizza and the challah. I also have Bernard Clayton's bread cookbook, but Greenstein makes bread-baking so simple and fun! The recipes are very detailed so there's no way that one could make a mistake. If you love to bake breads, you have to put this cookbook on your shelf.

i am 14 years old and am in love with george harrison! once my family learned this, every single member presented me with a copy on christmas because they had heard how great it was. and it is. this book is practically my bible! it's awesome! i read all of the other reviews on this page, and they are 100% true. this is a great book with wonderful pictures!

This is one George Harrison that was not thrown together after his death to make a quick buck. The book is well written, full of great photos, and has a beautiful foreword written by George's wife Olivia...the book also includes personal stories of friends who were very close to George.

It's a great book about one of the great artists of the 20th century...it's "fab" and "gear"...you should be scraping your hooter in this bloomin' book!

If you want a serious, mature tribute to George Harrison, buy this book. Lavishly and lovingly illustrated, it's a compilation of wonderful articles, from "A Rare Visit to Friar Park" to "Twenty-Five Essential Musical Moments," and from "The Historic 1971 Concert for Bangladesh" to "The Strings of His Heart." Each article is excellent and makes one want to keep reading.

My favorite parts of this book are "Remembering George," a section of super tributes written by such people as Paul Simon, Yoko Ono, and Tom Petty; and "A Few Words About George," an incredibly moving, beautiful, inspirational foreword by Olivia Harrison. The latter alone is reason enough to buy this book; no true George Harrison fan would want to miss it.

I'm grateful to the Editors of Rolling Stone for publishing this book; it's a treasure I will cherish for years to come. I'm grateful, too, to Amazon.com for carrying "Harrison." I promise you, you'll not find a better tribute to this marvelous man and his music.

I have read and reread this book and consider it my equitation bible. It is not only for huntseat riders but the basics apply to all riders. Mr. Morris is one of the finest equestrians I know of. I own a first edition of this book and whenever I have a question I go to the master. I have always ridden according to the principles set out in this book and though I ride stockseat now , the same principles still apply. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to ride or to veteran riders.

This is the definitive equitation instruction book - it should be required reading for anyone interested in becoming a proficient, correct and balanced horseperson, or an efficient and correct coach or trainer, regardless of discipline. The longevity of both George Morris's riding and literary careers proves that correct equitation never goes out of style. The book contains detailed descriptions of basic and advanced positions and exercises for both horse and rider.

I have ridden hunter seat equitation for 16 years, I have owned this book (2nd ed.) for 14 years, and I still learn something every time I open it.

There is a reason why George Morris is such a revered member of this sport! This book is brilliantly written in that it takes a form of a horseback riding that appears so complex and makes it easy for anyone to understand. I rely on this book as the basis for my training in hunt seat. His emphasis on not only on technical maneuvers, but on style as well and, through his pages, the reader truly comes to appreciate both the athleticism and beauty of this sport.

It's only a collection of short stories, and an overlooked one at that. You have to scrounge around used book stores to find a copy, but it is worth the trouble. The rest of the stories are okay, but the kicker is the title story. With a moving plot, plenty of action, and irony that has made me read it again and again, it's the best 60 page story I've read. Sandkings tells of one man whose intrest in savage and ruthless pets goes too far when he purchases the quasi-psionic haveminds that are sandkings. Sandkings are insect like creatures with a combined mind nearly as intelligent as a human's. They war, make alliances, call truces, and worship their owner. Despite the warnings to the contrary from the merchant, the main character artificially sets up war by starving the sandkings, and in doing so twists them to hatred against him.

I wish i had some pet sandkings! But since i dont i am glad to have this book. The title story is the best of the 6 and is worth the price alone. The other stories i found to be very good were "Star Lady" and "Bitterblooms". Sandkings is really a moral based story on what power can do to people. Martin Uses the metaphor of a man who is a deity to some insects.... but trust me they are MUCH MUCH more than just insects...

Bitterblooms was a cool little story with Vampires, a Girl Trying to get through the dark woods, and a mysterious house in the middle of nowhere....

Star Lady is basically the story of a girl and an alien boy with golden skin who land on a planet and are made slaves by a pimp. its got a really cool ending...

Buy this book if you can find it in a used book store.

I first read 'Sandkings' in the annual Best of SF edition of OMNI magazine when I was in 8th grade oh so many years ago... I am STILL in awe of this story. When I saw the book at a store several years ago I figured maybe George had taken his amazing short-story and lengthened it to novel-size...or had simply written a sequel or well I didn't really care as long as it was built upon the best short-story I had ever read. I am sorry to say that it was just a collection of short stories

with 'Sandkings' being one OF them. This in NO WAY dimishes how utterly original this story is, though. I'm telling you the last written line of 'Sandkings' is worth the price of the book alone...but please, please do NOT spoil the surprise by skipping ahead and doing so. The main character is flawed in that he loves to be sadistic with these tiny adaptable creatures that learn to revere him as deity. But what happens along the way is horrific...and amazing. Spend an hour or two and read this short story and get to know one of the best novelists of the past 20 years. George R.R. Martin is fast becoming one of THE prominant names in the fantasy field (just check out his 'Song of Ice & Fire' series beginning with 'A Game of Thrones') but he was first a sci-fi author...he's not just good at both, he's fantastic...

When I first read this book, I was merely a 15 year old begginer to the wonderful hobby of rocketry. After having sifted all the fundementals and vital information that made up this fascinating field, I found that what I intially thought to be simple was, indeed, the result of meticulas and crucial technical planning. Rocketry is fun, however the complexity and engineering of a rocket lies hidden. This book enveils that complexity and helps the reader comprehend it in a relatively easy manner. This is an extremely good aspect of the book because it spares the reader of the frequent hair-pulling frustration due to confusion.

The preliminary chapters allow the reader to become more deaply familiar to the general aspects of the hobby. Things like basic model rocket components and construction as well as how to get started in order to eventually become deaply involved in the hobby are covered in these sections. You'll find that much of the information in this section is, most likely, stuff you may already be familiar with if you're a more experienced novice.

The book then procedes to more detailed and more technical aspects of rocketry. From chapters 5 and on, more technical information is presented, however, in a format that makes understanding easy. Rocket motors, ingnition systems, stabilty, rocket aerodynamics and altitude determination are some of the many aspects covered.

Another great feature of this book is that BASIC type computer programs that simulate and caculate crucial values and overall rocket performance can be found in the books's appendix already written. All you have to do is re-write the code in a BASIC computer program compiler and you're ready to make complex mathematical calculations for your rocket design in a matter of seconds.

All in all, a great reference that any model rocket enthusiast will want to cherish forever. I also find that this book is great in terms of further inspiring young rocketeers, like myself, to persue a career in the field of rocketry and aerospace. It sure has for me!

Thankyou Mr. Stine!

I got this book from the library as a beginner hoping it would be useful. I opened it up when I got home and was amazed. This book had everything i needed to know and much more. It Has a good description of everything about model rockets Including tricks and tips, what not to do, how things work and how to get them to work properly, flight, safety, and construction. This is a great book and perfect to keep by your work table if you want a new idea or need to know something. So overall, i think this book could not of been better!

G. Harry Stine is considered one of the founding fathers of model rocketry by most rocketeers. This book, The Handbook of Model Rocketry is insightful, always interesting, often humorous, and remains as Harry's gift to our rocket community. Harry is no longer with us for he passed away recently but his legacy lives on in this terrific handbook. A "must read" book for all model rocketeers!

Having read the Oxford History of the US volume on the American Revolution many years ago and being bored to tears, I was reluctant to tackle another book on the subject. My children purchased this for me while at the Concord Bridge Museum this summer and I felt an obligation to try another book on the subject. What a great work! The narrative is clean and flows smoothly. Numerous and often lengthy quotations from contemporary figures--some well known, some just your everyday foot soldier--are deftly interwoven throughout the volume to create a hughly entertaining, yet historical document. I found it very readable and would highly recommend this book.

Most books on history tend to be dry, detailed narratives. This book brings the story of the American Revolution to life through first person accounts of the experiences of men and women from both sides of the conflict. These first hand accounts give the reader a real sense of what the participants thought and felt at the time the events took place. I highly recommend this book.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. I ACTUALLY FOUND MYSELF ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT MORE THAN ONCE. VERY WELL WRITTEN, THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS GIVES IT HEART AND SOUL AND PUTS YOU THERE WITH THE MEN WHO DIED, AND IT'S ALL HELD TOGETHER WITH A SUPERB NARRATIVE!!

It is unfortunate that you really can't pick up one of these Flashman novels without seeing the words, "bawdy," or "sexy," or "lusty," emblazoned all over the cover. It's done, of course, to help sell the books, but I can't help wondering sometimes whether more discerning readers skip over these titles in the mistaken belief that these novels are nothing more than fleshy potboilers. If this is the case, they are missing what is truly one of the great feats of historical romantic fiction in this century.

The premise of these novels is that the "Flashman Papers" were discovered in a Leicestershire attic in 1965. In them, the English soldier and adventurer, Harry Flashman, recounts his adventures throughout the British Empire during the latter half of the nineteenth century. They are helpfully "notated" by the "editor," George MacDonald Fraser, who occasionally comments upon the authenticity of Flashman's recollections. And what do you know! Flashman just happens to have been present at just about every single major military event in English history of these times! Lucky us!

In this one, Flashman recounts his experiences leading up to and at the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in the Russian Crimea in 1854. He is subsequently captured by the Russians, escapes, is captured again, escapes again, and with the help of Tajiks and Kazhaks, battles the Russians and makes his way to British-controlled India. Believe me, this is just as fun as it sounds, but what takes it to the highest, most delightful level is the sheer narrative force of Fraser's Flashman, unquestionably one of the most enjoyable narrators ever created.

As well as being reliable and honest--qualities a reader hopes at the very least to get in a first person narrative--he is also extremely intelligent, witty, funny, and very, very opinionated. Thus, in describing the Russian peasantry, we don't get a carefully-worded, afraid-to-offend, cautious assessment, we get this: ". . . this dull clown was just standing and letting himself be caned by a fellow half his size, hardly even wincing under the blows. There was a little crowd of serfs looking on, ugly, dirty-looking rascals in hairy blue smocks and rough trousers, with their women and a few ragged brats--and they were just watching, like cowed, stupid brutes." You may wince at his less than diplomatic commentary, but you may be sure you are getting the truth unvarnished, told as only the indefatigable Flashy can do.

These novels are also historically accurate, and meticulously researched even to the tiniest detail. From the lay of the land on a battlefield, to a description of the Russian steppes; from the uniforms worn by various regiments of various armies, to the weapons and ordnance available to each; from the subtle nuances inherent in the languages he encounters in central Asia, to the slang routinely used by Englishmen; it is clear that Mr. Fraser has a unique and thorough understanding of England and the British Empire in the nineteenth century. In fact, it is impossible to believe that there might be another living human being who knows more. The reader gets the sense that he is in the hands of a master; there is nothing here which strains credibility.

In fact, Mr. Fraser has us so firmly in his stead that the romantic elements strewn liberally throughout these novels barely raise an eyebrow. Thus, the scenes when Flashman is chased by wolves over the snowy steppe in a rickety sleigh, or thrown into a dungeon and threatened with the vilest torture, come across as believable and exciting, rather than foolish or cartoonish. And yes, yes, there are dalliances with beautiful women, but what kind of an adventure/romance would this be without them?

In short, the Flashman novels provide everything the lover historical fiction dreams of: exciting and historically accurate plots, careful attention to detail, a thorough knowledge of the subject matter, and, perhaps most importantly, a witty and delightful guide to show us the way. Bravo, Mr. Fraser. Bravo.

The great Flashman series is probably the funniest nad most entertaining series of history books ever written. Reading it is a brilliant history lesson, far better than any avaliable in a textbook. For all ages!

Not only great humongous fun to read, thanks to this book I managed to boggle several acquintances in Sofia, Bulgaria. They can't understand how an Indonesian could know such detail about Count Ignatieff (a street in Sofia was named after him), especially that wonderful gem about his eyes. Loved all the stuff about the charge. What wonderful history lesson! I've read nearly all the Flashman series, and I dread the day when the well dries up. Please Mr. Fraser, keep 'em coming!

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.

Edie is a book that never fails to astonish. Although much of the book is about Warhol's Factory and ALL the people surrounding it, Edie does tend to be a centre character, providing the base for the book, much like in real life...She was a fixture of the factory, a piece of art in herself. Great photographs, excellent anecdotes (missing couch from moving van - where is it now?) You will never forget the self-destructive beauty that was EDIE!

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.

I'm a Star Wars fan, and always wondered what kind of person George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, was. This book pretty much answered any and all questions I had about the Master Jedi himself.

Pollock's narrative of Lucas's life begins with George's childhood, then proceeds into his rebellious teen years--which was the inspiration for American Graffiti--then straight onto Lucas' student filmmaker years and finally to his highly successful movie career. The latter of which is when Star Wars and its sequels were produced and established Lucas as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of the medium.

The book offers a balanced, journalistic account of Lucas' life, with very little opinion injected into the book. Some places Pollock seems to praise Lucas too much, but it's nothing too extreme.

The only real problem is that the book was written during the production of Return of the Jedi, when Skywalker Ranch wasn't finished, George was still married to first wife Marcia, and before the flops Willow and Howard the Duck. I read the revised edition which has an intro mentioning these things, but the book's main narrative is about what's happened to Lucas up to 1983.

I'd recommend this book to any fan of Star Wars, and anyone else curious about Lucas himself.

A long time ago in a galaxy far,far away George Lucas revolutionized modern movie making, and captivated a nation with his spectacular movie Star Wars. Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi became one of the worlds most beloved trilogys. After Star Wars, George Lucas contintued to dazzle the public with his unique story-telling by bringing us another wonderful trilogy-The Indiana Jones trilogy. This book is an excellent read on how these and other movies from George Lucas made it to the big screen. With excellent background history on Lucas himself, this book is a must for anyone who admires Mr.Lucas. A well-researched book,it gives a detailed account of how some the most famous movies in cynematic history made it to the big screen. Overall I thought it was great and urge anyone who loves Star Wars, or just wants a good book to read to get this book. :) May the force be with you!

When I Bought this book, I thought it would just tell me about George Lucas's youth and how he made his movies. Very shortly into starting the book did I realize he has a rare story. Must read if you love star wars, lucas, Biographies, Ect. It's Very Moving and addictive, and the reason why it's moving was because it's very happy and can be, at certain parts, very sad. Also a great story about friendship, youth, and mostly the work ethic.

I've read literally thousands of science fiction novels in the last 35 years (all the masters back to the very beginning), and Tuf Voyaging rates as one of the top five science fiction novels of all time. When it comes to a plot and ideas that that stick with you, it rates number one. I've waited in vain for a sequel or a film or a television dramatization. Tuf Voyaging tells the story of a highly moral man gifted with virtually absolute power. I read it every few years and continue to flip flop about the rightness and wrongness of his final acts. Was Tuf corrupted, or was he indeed uncorruptible? In the end, was he a man, or was he a god? It's that good. It doesn't let you go. The book touches on issues humanity faces everyday, issues that are becoming increasingly more urgent: populations outstripping food sources, species extinctions, short term political thinking, cruelty, abuses of power, etc. I keep two, very much read and battered copies of the book, one for myself and one to lend to others. This is the book that sent me in search of everything else George R. R. Martin has ever written. While his writing is always excellent, Tuf Voyaging is his greatest masterpiece. The book creates a variety of emotions in the reader, amusement (it has wonderfully humorous sections), anticipation, dread, exhilaration, and uncertainty. Once again, it's unforgettable and has been responsible for single handedly hooking several young people I know on science fiction. If you haven't read it, track it down and do so. If you have read it, read it again and see if your opinions have changed. If you have any influence on the author, demand the character return in another book!

I first came across these stories when reading "The Plague Star" in an issue of my father's Analog magazine. Ever since, I've avidly consumed everything I could find by Martin. This collection of stories is such a pleasure to read, I can't do it justice here. If they book has any weakness, it is that the stories were written over a fairly large span of time (ten years, or more - I can't remember). Because of this, the quality of the written varies, growing better as Martin developed his skills.

The stories work on so many levels, and Tuf is such a singular character, the stories remain in my mind almost daily even ten years after I've read them. The fact that these stories live in the 'ghetto' of science fiction shouldn't scare away those who don't typically read it. Martin's grasp of humor, horror and the human condition is unmatched. I've often compared him to Mark Twain, in that his writing is so simple and universally appealing, yet contains so much more moving beneath the surface.

It's a wonder to me that with Martin's forays into screenwriting that he's never decided to pitch "Plague Star". It works almost perfectly as a feature film, with just the right length, rhythm and imagery. Perhaps the one thing holding him back is the lack of the standard 'human' element in all these stories - Tuf is profoundly asexual, and indeed, seems to have almost no typical heartwarming hooks that Hollywood demands be in virtually every film it rolls out. There are no love interests, no (traditional) paternal emotions. There's no boy meets girl here, just boy meets destiny. Yet I think that it could appeal to a wide variety of viewers nonetheless. The book after "Plague Star" has a fairly strong 'population control' message that might not appeal to the religious right, but I have a feeling the message would go right over their heads - history has shown us that people aren't to quick to pick up these subtleties.

Accessible and rewarding. If you can find this gem, don't let it slip through your grasp.

I'm shaking my head wishing I had taken better care of my Tuf Voyaging. This is science fiction the way I like it: an interesting character, unusual situations, clever writing. No techno-babble, no first of a 4-part "saga" or "cycle" or whatever, no pseudoscientific straining to make us believe the science. Good storytelling, episodic self-contained tales, a fun read. Only Zelazny's Lord of Light comes to my mind as a book I'd reread in parts again and again. Or would reread if I still had my copy.