Since I moved to a small town in Arkansas I've been baking my own bread and this is the best cookbook I've found for sourdoughs, challah, pizza dough, Italian, etc. I made the SourDough Rye and the Potato Rye (minus the onions) for the holidays this year and they were just like a NY or Chicago deli! You can get his special flours from King Arthur catalog to be really authentic.

There are a number of excellent bread books but, for me, this one has it all. The instructions are clear, concise and the recipes have been well-tested. So far I have tried: Challah, Pizza, Sour Rye Bread, Corn Bread (absolutely delicious), Black and Whites (better than from the bakery), Wine Loaf, Bagels, French Bread, Sourdough French Bread (a family favorite) and am about to try Pumpernickel. I have had perfect results every time. Whenever I am looking for a new recipe, this is the book I reach for and if I have a similar recipe in another book, I gravitate to these recipes instead. There a "reading" baking books and "baking" baking books. This is a "baking" baking book and an excellent one at that.

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.

This book is a true gem. It is sure to delight all readers from inveterate Beatles' fans to people becoming familiar with the indelible stamp the Beatles left upon the world at large.

The illustrations add to this masterpiece. The interviews by people who knew George Harrison personally are what makes this book so effective in reaching its intended audience. Each individual's voice rings clear and pure; one gets a sense of each person and how they were touched and influenced by George Harrison.

To the editors' credit, this book does not languish during the Beatle years; instead, it picks up speed immediately and maintains an even keel throughout the late artist's life. I like the way the songs are discussed and the influences that guided and created them.

This book is a sterling work. I highly and heartily recommend it.

Unlike nearly every other book on George Harrison, this is of the highest quality & doesn't wander off into gossipy corridors. George's memory is well-served by the book's mature analysis of his wonderful music and its respectful portrayal of George as a human being. I feel compelled to say that when I heard of George's passing, I was extremely upset. Not only was George an amazing songwriter and guitarist, he was also (from what I gather) an extremely gentle person. The world is a much poorer place due to his departure.

The book is finely illustrated with many rare pictures; I was delighted that it didn't gloss over George's neglected solo career. Another particular delight is the introduction penned by Mrs. Harrison. Like her husband, Mrs. Harrison is a very dignified, articulate person and I wish her the very best. Pictures of George's son (who looks just like him, by the way) are also included. Thank you for the music, George.

This one is worth the cover price for the pictures alone. You get all the Rolling Stone interviews, the photos, and some great tributes. I've read this cover to cover several times. George Harrison guitarist, songwriter, spiritualist, producer, and gardner. You'll get a glimpse into the elements that made up the man. This book and the huge Beatles anthology sit on my coffee table and I flip through this one often. Enjoy it!

If you ride hunt seat and you only buy one book this is the book you should own. If you own more than one book this is the one you should read first AND last. George Morris breaks down every task into simple to understand steps with concise instructions and helpful pictures. As my trainer once told me, if you can follow George Morris's instructions, you'll be an excellent rider. I simply cannot say enough terrific things about this book!!

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.

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.

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...

So, I was a young man sitting in a movie theatre waiting for "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (with Donald Sutherland) to begin. I happened to overhear two people raving about this story they had read in Omni magazine called "Sandkings." I was so impressed by their reaction to the story that I made a mental note to seek it out myself.

A few months later, I found the back issue of Omni magazine and rushed home to read it. After assimilating the last glorious line of "Sandkings," I decided right then and there that it was my favorite short story of all time.

Nearly twenty years later, it remains my favorite short story.

Admittedly, I'm more of a horror fan than sci fi or fantasy fan, so Sandkings is closer to my heart that his other works. However, if sci fi and fantasy is YOUR cup of tea, you'll also enjoy the other very well written stories in this collection (including "Way of Cross and Dragon" and "In the House of the Worm.")

But I can honestly say that "Sandkings" is worth the price of admission alone. It's a true modern masterpiece.

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 use this manual to help me teach both Sea Cadets and CAP Cadets about Model Rocketry. Or more to the point, I use parts of it. Even though the late Mr. Stine had ensured that this book is fully comprehensive, It can have a tad TOO MUCH information. Still, the book does not detract from telling the reader how good, fun, and educational Model Rocketry is. I would recommend it for educators and advanced Model Rocketeers who wish to take their interest to the next level.

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!

The late G. Harry Stine is considered the father of model rocketry and was also the founder of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). In this book, Harry explains the basics of model rocketry, including propulsion, stability, recovery, design, launching, safety and much more. And the language is on a level that's easy to read and understand by both young and old. This book is truly the bible of model rocketry and should be in every rocketeer's library. Great job Harry - Thank you!

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.

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.

If a book on the American Revolution has the names Scheer and Rankin on it, buy it.

This superb work by two noted historians tells the entire tale of the Revolution, interpersed with myriad first hand accounts from those who marched and fought the breadth of a continent and defeated the greatest military power in the world at the time, albeit 'with a little help from out friends.'

I have found this volume extremely helpful in doing my own historical research, and have recommended it many times to my students. It is clear and concise, informative, and is an excellent read. It is one of the best books in print on the American Revolution, and is easily also one of the most accurate representations of the period that has ever been written. Accurate, compelling, with a definite epic story to tell, it is invaluable for all students of the period and will stand the test of time, as it already has.

While it is among the earliest batch of Flashman novels that Fraser wrote, I read it as number seven of a chronological survey of the life and times of Harry Flashman. Again the reader gets one of the best examples of bringing the (military) past to live by a combination of meticulous background research and extremely engaging story telling.

Unintentionally, Flashman gets involved in two battles and crosses a large stretch of the Asian continent in between. Especially, after the current doubt regarding the justification of the war on Iraq, Fraser's analysis of the political process preceding the Crimean war shows you that times and situations may change, but that Nietzsche's "eternal return of the same" still is history's greatest lesson. Undoubtedly due to Fraser's personal battle experience, his description of both battle scenes puts the reader in the middle of the action in a way few movies have been able to match.

To someone uninitiated to the history of the Asian continent during the 19th century it was really interesting to read to what extent current political skirmishes find their origin in British and Russian colonialism. Especially the final part of the book teaches some important lessons of how deeply rooted the idea of Jihad is in parts of central Asia.

Other reviewers have commented that the portrayal of Flashman as "the toad that shagged me" may help sell the book, but detracts from the excellent history writing. I beg to differ. By keeping his "hero" a flawed but very likable survivor and having him participate in and comment upon the British colonial wars, Fraser really turns history into a first person experience. Since I think it is unlikely to be included in any military history of post-second-world-war Europe, I may add that the largest brothel I ever saw in my life was in Wiesbaden, Germany, right next door to a major American military base. Thus, these "distracting" aspects of Flashman's personal life may also be dead on. Moreover, following the Flashman character chronologically, Fraser gives this larger than life character his own brand of character development into a fully three-dimensional person.

In all, another solid 5-star read, too bad there are only four more volumes left, but who knows, Fraser may still serve us with an encore

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!

Too bad they didn't have frequent flier miles in Flashy's day; this Flashman adventure starts in London and sees the character halfway around the world to India, with stops in the Crimea and the Russian heartland. As one would expect, its a story global in scope and as usual for the series, quite true to history. Disparate topics such as the treatment of Russian serfs and the Afghan rebel leaders are woven well into the tale.

Another reviewer hits on the only problem in this book: the number of locales strains against the bonds of credulity. Flashman, dispatched to fight in the Crimean War, is basically involved in an entirely different story by the end of the book. I really would've liked to see a little more of the Charge of the Light Brigade and less of Russia.

But Fraser does such a great job of painting these historical scenes and Flashy is just so entertaining, that I can't give this book any less than 4 1/2 stars. Since Amazon doesn't offer that feature, there's really no problem in rounding up to 5.

As a small-town west coast preteen in the 60s and self-absorbed teen in the 70s I was peripherally aware of the "pop" scene in New York City (mostly from my mother shaking her head over the photos and stories in "Life" magazine). When "Edie" was published I ran across it in a book club review and it just sounded intriguing. I ended up reading "Edie" so many times the cover practically fell off. Then a few years ago it mysteriously vanished from my bookshelves -- did I lend it to someone who was as morbidly fascinated as I by the tragic rise and fall of "Warhol's little queen" (as the Cult song says)??? One thing's for sure: Edie was a victim of Warhol's astounding ego -- or madness -- sucked into the black hole of his twisted little soul. Of course, she came from a long line of borderline personalities in a high-society family. The excesses of the 60s were absolutely the end of the road -- or rope -- for many of these types. As one who "missed" the whole self-indulgent and uncontrolled scene, after reading "Edie" I finally realized that I'm much better off having just read about those times. It's a real collage of that generation's high-fliers and fringe dwellers that will not cease to amaze. So why am I writing this review now? I just heard the song I referred to earlier, the Cult's "Edie," and I am now ordering a new copy of the book. Plimpton's word-of-mouth writing style brings the viewpoints of so many people who were there it's like theater in the round, or something -- you see and experience the scene from every angle. You don't hear just from the heads and freaks, you hear from the spectrum of New York's inhabitants, plus many of Edie's kinfolk. I recommend the book to anyone who likes to see how the stranger half live and who wants to experience the story-book coming of age and final degradation of a fragile, lovely girl who was caught in the sordid vortex of the pop culture.

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.

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.

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!

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.

In times past the function of biographies was generally to elevate their subjects to noble heights and focus on the individuals accomplishments. In modern times the function of biographies often seems to be to tear down their subjects, ruthlessly exposing every flaw and possible past transgression of the person under examination. This biography of film director/producer George Lucas is an evenhanded look at his life and work, even if some of the conclusions it's author arrives at are necessarily personal rather than certifiably factual in nature.

The book is peppered with many quotes from Lucas himself as well as Spielberg, Coppola, Milius and others which lends it a feeling of legitimacy which I believe is probably lacking from other, less sympathetic biographies. Lucas himself is quite forthcoming about his feelings on his own work and what he sees as his limitations as a director. His comments on Hollywood were amusing if understandably bitter, especially for someone who has worked there in the past.

If one omits his earliest film shorts such as the student version of THX 1138 and the documentary Filmmaker, Lucas has only directed three films in his career, THX 1138, American Grafitti and Star Wars. His function since that last mega-smash has primarily been as producer and head of the state-of-the-art Skywalker Ranch production facilities up in scenic Northern California. He has also helped finance a number of less "mainstream" works such as Kurosawa's Kagemusha. It's unfortunately probably true that Lucas has never been taken seriously by many critics ever since Star Wars because that film was so consciously intended as a "kids movie". Despite the fact that it was embraced by popular culture around the world due to its quality and mythic resonance it does tend to overwhelm his early, more adult-oriented films. Lucas himself is quite skeptical of some of the intellectual critical analysis that has been produced on what was intended to be an innocent hommage to 30's style action movie serials and not a "think piece". It's also surprising that so many people continue to consider the Star Wars films science-fiction when they really fall much more into the fantasy genre despite all the high-tech trappings.

Of course this book includes reams of trivia on the films, from the origin of all of the characters names in Star Wars to the details behind preview screenings and loads of very funny anecdotes that could only have been provided by an industry as crazy and high-stakes as Hollywood. Mostly however this is the story of a man from modest origins who managed to beat Hollywood at it's own game and achieve financial independence from "the system" through a combination of very savvy business choices, luck and a personal vision that happened to coincide with what a large number of the paying public wanted to see on screen.

This review refers to the original 1983 hardcover release of this book.

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'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.

I first read this book on holiday in 1989, I put it away on the bookshelf and take it down every couple of years and read it again. All I really wonder is what happened to the second promised Haviland Tuf book, it mentions George R R martin is working onit on the jacket of my book. Well worth a read Steve