Once again i love this Authors work,i really wish he would make some new ones.However the ones that are out there are very useful.This one has some very cute figures & it goes step by step on how to make them.Everyone will want to know how you did it.It does have black & white pictures for alot of things but it does give us the final product in color & some of the steps in color.It does have a tool list so you will know the right tip to use.The figures it shows how to do are: a baseball player,a drunk looking person,a housewife w/a mop,clown,bride & groom,circus lion,motorcycle,skier,teddy bear,bonnet girl,race car,& a stork.If you like to create figures with icing this Author has great books for you no matter what your experience is.

Although this book is fairly old, it is the easiest instruction book for figure piping decorations on cakes and cupcakes. It's step by step directions and ideas make it very simple to follow. This is also one of the few books I have been able to locate on this topic. Anyone who is into decorating cakes, etc should use this book for great instruction.

This is a collection of plays that Van Itallie developed while working with the Open Theatre in the mid-70s. They are great examples of how a playwright and a group of able actors can develop something of value through collaboration and improvisation. The plays are often satarical looks at American culture.They are also valuable because they employ several unconventional staging techniques, and present several interesting acting challenges. As a theatre professor, I have often encouraged my students to use scenes and monologues from these plays. They leave a lot of room for interpretation, and for inventive staging. Reading alone does not convey their full value. On the page they seem a little nostalgic, that their appeal is to remind us of a theatre era long past. But on stage they have the same vitality and theatrical appeal that made them successful 20 years ago. (I saw a recent production of The Fable at Virginia COmmonwealth University which was quite accessible, and still enjoyable.)

This past year, my high school drama group and I performed "Interview" from America Hurrah. It was an amazing experience. Since then, we have taken it upon ourselves to learn as much of Van Itallie's plays as we can handle-none of them are easy. I found this book, which not only displays several of Van Itallie's plays but includes a few of his ideas on what true theatre should be. His plays, collaborations, and acting experiences are all brought to life in this book. There's even a letter written by Itallie to an acting company who attempted to perform his plays but ended up butchering them.

The plays in this book were written during the sixties and seventies, but they are entirely relevant today in a new millennial society full of materialism and focus on objects. They include the entire, original AMERICA HURRAH: a trilogic take on society in love, work, and play. THE SERPENT, an examination of our sins: when the forbidden fruit is eaten, an entire bag of apples is toppled out on stage to be shared with the audience to revel in ecstasy with those on stage. A few more experimental plays finish out the book.

Van Itallie truly is a theatrical genius of improvisation and experimental open theatre. I urge anyone interested in the theatre to take a look of these revolutionary plays. Warning though: it's hard to stop reading them.

This is a neatly illustrated book on two different but similar techniques using fondant /sugarpaste icing in the European style of cake decorating. the instructions and illustrations are useful and informative. However, many of the designs are a little twee. From the point of view of learning the two techniques described it is very helpful and once mastered can be transfered to other designs of your choice.

This short, but concise paperback book details the fine, meticulous art of bas relief. Instructions are provided with step-by-step photographs showing gradual progression of figure build up. Although an earlier publication, the various cake ideas are timeless and would be appreciated by any lucky recipient of such a lovely cake. Good word descriptions go along with the photo instructions. Diagram outlines for the figures are also included. Great book for the price!

I found this book to be a beautiful, yet small book on elegant and nice cakes. I was mighty surprised to see what a bargain I got. It is very informative and gives detailed instructions for all relevant information. It is a nice twist to ordinary cakes. Great for guests...

This book is full of mouthwatering recipes. Every single cake is worth at least one try. Simple to make and very easy to eat! Especially the recipe for the madeleines is divine!

I really enjoyed this book and its recipes on baking. This book is well organized, and has many recipes that we know as standards. You will find this helpful in baking cookies, brownies, and much more. The book has wonderful pictures that are helpful when baking. Sometimes it is nice to know how something is going to turn out before hand. This would make an excellent gift to a new cook!

This cookbooks is one of my favorites beacuse i'm not much of a cook and this cookbook explains each step very simply. My family is very inmpresed with my cooking now and they like it when i cook dessert.

My opinion about Don't Wake Up Mama is that I think it is a very good childrens book. It is a good book for young children to start reading, it has easy words, that young kids can understand. For English, I have to read three childrens books, and write a review on each one. I think that this book is a really good, well written book. My favorite part of this book is how they are treating their mother with a happy birthday. I also thought using monkey's in place of children was a great idea. It gave the book a more interesting twist. The pictures were also really great. They all went right along with the story. I highly suggest this book to other children.

A GREAT book. My 21/2 year old loves this book. He loves the pictures, and the repetition of the phrase "shhh, don't wake up mama" is fun for him to say as we read. My 6 year old loves the book, because the monkeys are so sneaky as they try to bake a surprise cake for their mother's birthday. All of the Five Little Monkey books are wonderful.

I recently checkout the cookbook at my public library and upon my surprise were some recipes that my mother used to make. This is a plus for me since my mother is no longer living and we didn't write down some of them. For someone who likes the old time cooking this is a wonderful book.

I love this cookbook! Here's a sampling of some of the recipes you will find within: Down Home Crab Cakes,Southern Barbecue,Turnip Greens,Cheese Grits,Lane Cake,---this book the is the absolute essence of Southern Cafe food! There is an abundance of recipes-some you wouldn't expect-and three Fried Green Tomato recipes.The Buttermilk Biscuit recipe is the best I have ever used.Lots of wonderful antecdotes on Alabama,Hollywood,the Piggly Wiggly,the movie- plenty of old time photos.A class act.Two words of caution: #1.)Ignore Fannie's Ode to Grapico-DON'T try the stuff! It's grape soda that will make your teeth ache for an hour it's so damned sweet! and #2.)These recipe's are NOT for the "calorically challenged"-but buy it anyway! What a great read

A simple story about a simple activity (baking a birthday cake for mother) that my children and their friends have enjoyed for several years. They repeatedly ask for me to read this book. The underlying messages in all the Flicka, Ricka and Dicka books (as well as the Snipp, Snapp, Snurr stories) encourage kindness to others and responsiblity. Not inspiring literature but a great book about somthing young children are interested in.

This is absolutely my favorite children's book! Every little girl should have a copy.

Anyone who's read any of the Marvin Redpost books knows what a delight they are. This one has some of the funniest moments in the entire series. It's well worthwhile. (As an aside, note that, now that Louis Sachar has won the Newbery and the National Book Award for "Holes," Horn Book has begun to review his books with the respect they have always deserved.)

What makes this a standout even among the Marvin Redpost series is the subtlety. As usual, Marvin is faced with a puzzling reality, in this case a new boy at school who never changes his clothes and who has serious glitches in his knowledge base. And, as usual, Marvin is faced with a moral dilemma, in this case: should he be friends with this misfit whom he discovers he actually likes? Marvin, never speculates that this boy could be from outer space, but the reader certainly does. In the end we are left wondering, is he, or isn't he?

This is an attractive cookbook and every recipe I have tried has been delicious and easy to follow. The dishes tend to be elegant and great for entertaining, but not too difficult for everyday family meals. However, I have noted a couple ingredients that are not gluten-free, such as blue cheese and beer. Overall, I highly recommend this cookbook, but do not rely on all ingredients listed to be gluten-free.

This atractively presented book has given our family a new lease of life with cooking for a gluten-freen diet. The recipes are easy to follow and well presented. The range of recipes presented in the book makes it easy to make a selection for any occasion. Dining out is nearly impossible on a gluten-free diet. This cookbook makes dining in a treat.The introduction to the book gives renewed interest in cooking for those people who suffer from food allergies (and those who have to eat with them).