Cecile Lamalle's second entry in her culinary mystery series featuring Charly Poisson, chef and owner of the best (and only) French restaurant in Van Buren County makes an entertaining read and actually makes you want to cook! Charly, very French and vey quirky, is also an amateur sleuth, much to the chagrin of local law enforcement. When the seeming suicide of Patty, the pastry chef's friend, Amanda, turns out to be murder and the county is hit by a series of antique thefts, Charly is drawn into the search for the culprits. Mix in the mob and you have a situation that could turn out to be very dangerous. Both the believable characters and the mystery make a very agreeable diversion.

An exquisite picture book. It averages 1-2 pictures per page. Including some great details. The only part about the pictures that is unusual is that occasionally a picture of a Morroccan is thrown in amongst all the pictures of architecture.

Unfortunately the text isn't of as high a quality. You'll also notice that the type is slightly larger than normal perhaps as a way to fill space. Much of the text is background history which is rather basic, while this is good for the beginner I was hoping for a little more detailed information.

The stories around the two families traveling in covered wagons across the country are touching and have a feeling of being your next door neighbors. Very real. The stories made us laugh and they made us cry, but my kids came away with a feeling that these things might have really happened rather than reading a "history book". There was a sense that these were real people. I would highly recommend it to kids studying this period of history as well as just fun reading.

Charly Poisson is the chef and owner of LeFermette, an excellent French restaurant in upstate NY. His former partner Maurice is trying to get him to use premade entrees from a new company he has invested in, Fabulous Foods. The owners of that company are a pair of shady businessment Charly has met before. While walking his dog, he finds the body of a local conman. He finds that many of his good friends are suspects. Is the murder connected to the owners of Fabulous Foods? Charly wants to find out.

This was a pretty entertaining mystery. The characters were realistic and eccentric at the same time. Charly relies a little too much on Dr. Bach's Flowers, but other than that I really enjoyed the book.

Cecile Betts has led an extraordinary life! A 20th century woman, she coped with all the issues her sisters did, but she did it in a cold, undeveloped Alaska territory without any of the conveniences she had grown up to expect. She raised two children without the luxury of an established educational system that looked out for their safety and security. She coped with an abusive husband without the aid of protective agencies or safe houses. She helped to establish an orderly society where there little law and order. She dealt with illness in a place where, often, doctors were a plane ride away. She actually participated with her own hands in building her house, a log cabin. She worked side-by-side with her second husband running a Lodge frequented by hunters, construction workers, and the occasional fellow settler of the Alaska territory. And she thrived. No challenge was too great; no defeat was final.

This book is inspirational. All those who read it will be impressed by her courage, her persistence, her work ethic, and her sense of humanity.

An interesting collection of true tales by the newlywed wife of a civil engineer in the jungles of south and central America. There are clues to the dates, but no dates! The woman obviously loved the adventure and the tropics, but had more mixed feelings about the commercial aspects that made her travels possible. I read one review that goes on about the gender and sexual aspects, but that reads too much into this book -- it is an adventure story, plain and simple.

The Thanksgiving Parade Surprise was a cute book about one of the traditions of Thanksgiving - the parade. It briefly talks about the meaning of Thanksgiving but focuses more on Elsie's puppy. I think this is a good book for transtional story time, but not to be used as a lesson.

Rich's poetry is really very intense. It tends to undulate between being ethereal and straight-forward. The first poem really impressed me... especially the line "Two women sleeping together have more than sleep to defend." I really recommend this book. It was my first of Rich's work and I've since gotten 3 of her other books and plan on getting more when I finish reading them.

This book contained many interesting pictures and well drawn diagrams, but could have been better organized and more detailed in it's explanations. Overall, this book did satisfy the basic principles and ideas generally found in chemistry 101 and chemistry 102 courses.

It was not difficult to understand. It was very well written and thought out very well. Students who use this book has no difficult time with it. I would surely recommend it to be used as a teaching tool, and maybe as a reference guide to those who have already had basic chemistry and have already acquired a knowledge of basic chemistry.

I used this book for AP chem. I know one of the reviewers claims that it doesn't prepare you for the test. I think though, that it covers all the information you'll need to get a five on the AP, as I used this book, and I got a five. Perhaps, the practice problems aren't exactly AP chem test type problems. Therefore, to study for the actual test, go find a practice AP chem book like Barrons. They give you myriad practice problems. This book though, explains chemistry, not just how to do problems. Some people think that its over simplified. I think that its just written well and doesn't over complicate matters. Everything you need to know for a first year non calculus based chemistry course is in this book...and its accessible. The language is clear and concise. The sample problems are very useful because they cover basic problem solving techniques. I also enjoyed the little notes in the margins, they're kinda funny (this refers to the third edition). Anyway, if you want a general chem book that is not too complicated but still covers alot of material, this one's for you!

I had high hopes for this book based upon the description and reviews of it. Once I started reading it, I was completely disappointed. It is filled with all kinds of unsubstantiated statements about how humans are destroying nature. That is a very politically and emotionally charged issue that she states as fact, without reservation. There is do doubt that humans have an impact on the environment, but just how much and how bad is open to debate. Many things humans do to the environment actually benefit human beings.

Well, I let that issue slide. However, she then points out as supposed proof of how screwed up our society is that Texas allows concealed handgun carry, and that traffic altercations in Texas result in gunfights. Well, I agree that there are many things about our society that are screwed up, and I can understand how many people are fearful of guns and do not like the idea of concealed carry, BUT it is definitely not true that traffic altercations in Texas result in gunfights. In fact, studies show that citizens with concealed handgun permits commit crimes at a lower rate that citizens without gun permits, and citizens with gun permits commit crimes at a lower rate than sworn police officers. ... So, if Cecile Andrews makes factually incorrect statements about a subject that I happen to have some knowledge about, how can I possibly believe anything she has to say about that which I do not have much knowledge about (that is, seeking a more simple and rewarding life)???

Cecile does a good job of relating her personal simplicity journey. I especially enjoyed her insights about organized religion and how lacking it is in teaching us how to connect with our individual spiritual side. Some of her life experiences, as told, seem a bit trite, but it is her story. As a reader of many of these books I found the book to be 'fresh' in some of its ideas.

I almost fell out of bed when I reached the chapter espousing communism as a better way of life. Her premise being that it forces simplicity upon the participants thus saving them from a mis-guided life of the pursuit of riches. This chapter comes towards the end, I disagreed with her point of view so vehemently on this subject that I have to admit it did sour my overall enjoyment of the book. I found her view to be contradictory with personal choice.

Cecile writes in a very genuine voice. I found some good references in her book for further reading and research.

This book is one of the finest resources for someone contemplating a simpler lifestyle. The book succeeds on its strong points of which I found two. First, the philosophy of simplicity that is suggested is non-dogmatic. Recognizing that everyone starts from a different place and will find different solutions in their quest to simplify their lives. If you are expecting a one size fits all simplicity strategy, you won't find it here.

The second point, and the jewel of this book is the concept of "simplicity study circles" a Swedish derived process that brings people together to explore that age old form of human wisdom -- conversation with kindred spirits. I cant think of a better way to insure the long lasting success of your personal simplicity program than to have the support of other like minded people.

Buy this book and start to simplify your life today.