This is one of the greatest books ever to have been written by an Indian. I also rate it as one of the great novels of the 20th century. It has had enormous influence on Indo-English writing.

The book is succinct and doesn't mince words.

your book is really interesting one not only for me but also for my wife and children. especially the cute pictures which were attracted all of my family's member and also which I decided to scan and insert them in my computer project.

lots of my thanks and best regards

I read the book and found it to be very interesting.I could relate to the book because it's personal stories of normal people. I found the stories very emotional and inspirational. It moved me.
I also got good advice and learned new things like meditation and yoga in a simple and easy to follow manner.

Excellent book!!! Personal stories were utilized well and gave the reader a sense that enlightnment is not an elusive idea and can be experienced by all. I found this book uplifting and one to keep on my coffee table for future reference.

This book is inspiring an uplifting. It will help guide yourself through life. If you worry about why things never go right, then this book is for you. This book will help you understand your inner spirit and guide you to what is really the best for you overall. Once you read it you will be stronger at accepting life events and your own inner core spirit. The author uses real life examples and thought provoking philosphies. They will make you realize that we are constantly fighting and trying to change the inevitable. However, if we can just accept life and ourselves, everything will work out for the best. It is very well written. You won't want to loan it to anyone, because you'll want to refer back to it frequently!

The first time I opened the book, my eyes were filled with tears. Recipes, photographs, vignettes, even poems...the whole magic of the book overwhelmed me with nostalgic memories of my New York Italian grandparents and relatives. The recipes are pure Italian soul food ... simple and satisfying. I have made several dishes - manicotti, lemon chicken, marinara sauce, to name a few. They all came out wonderful. Of course, like every Italian cook, I adjusted most of the recipes to my liking.. my own personal touches and that's what makes Rao's recipes so wonderful - so easy and roomy enough for you to make your own classics. I would like to add a comment about the other reviewer's (below) statement on Ralphie's in South Philly. It's a fine restaurant and I have their cookbook however I find the cookbook to be poorly written. For the Cream Cake recipe, it fails to give the size for the cake pan. Rao's Cookbook is very reliable...and it's a work of passion and magic.

If you're an Italian-American, (or want to cook like one), this is a must have book. It will evoke memories of the wonderful times, sights and aromas of family dining in your neighborhood Italian restaurant. The Italain comfort food recipes, entwined with stories of the Pellegrino family, make this a great read. I know because I own a collection of about 30+ Italian cookbooks.

I first heard about this book while watching Sarah Moulton on the Food Channel. She had Frank Pellegrino and his son as guests, and they were impressive to watch. The simplicity of the recipes appealed to me, so I ordered the book from Amazon.com. What a treat!! So far,I have made the meatballs, the braciole and the Sunday Gravy, as well as the shrimp scampi. Every dish was superb. I followed the authors' advice and ordered a case of San Marzano tomatoes from The Salumeria in Boston, MA, and was very pleased with those as well. Finally, I am able to cook Italian dishes that taste truly Italian, every bit as flavorful and satisfying as the food I have eaten in Boston's North End. This is a definite winner--I can't praise it highly enough.

i think this book is too deep and meaningful.. it enters too deep into the morals and values of man....

Following the ending of "Oedipus the King," Oedipus was exiled from Thebes, blind and a beggar. We learn from "Oedipus at Colonus" that his sons, Eteocles and Polyneices engaged in a civil war for the throne of Thebes (covered in "Seven Against Thebes" by Aeschylus). The two brothers kill each other and Creon, brother of Jocasta, becomes king. He orders that Eteocles, who nobly defended his city, shall receive an honorable burial, but that Polyneices, for leading the Argive invaders, shall be left unburied. This leads Antigone, sister to both of the slain brothers, to have to choose between obeying the rule of the state, the dictates of familial binds, and the will of the gods. This, of course, is the matter at the heart of this classic tragedy by Sophocles.

But I have always been pleased to discover that many students, when reading "Antigone," quickly come to the conclusion that it is Creon who is the main character in the tragedy (the same way Clytemnestra is the main character in Aeschylus's "Agamemnon"). In this volume, Gita Wolf and Sirish Rao retell the story so that the title character is indeed the main character (I suspect they are borrowing more than a few ideas from Anoulih's retelling of the play in 1944 while France was occupied by the Nazis).

It is too easy to see the issues of this play, first performed in the 5th century B.C., as being reflected in a host of more contemporary concerns, where the conscience of the individual conflicts with the dictates of the state. However, it has always seemed to me that the conflict in "Antigone" is not so clear-cut as we would suppose. After all, Creon has the right to punish a traitor and to expect loyal citizens to obey. Ismene, Antigone's sister, chooses to obey, but Antigone takes a different path. The fact that the "burial" of her brother consists of the token gesture of throwing dirt upon his face, only serves to underscore the ambiguity of the situation Sophocles was developing.

The chief virtue of this retelling, in addition to the excellent illustrations by Indrapramit Roy, is that young readers will better be able to put themselves in the place of Antigone as the tragedy plays out. Consequently, this is a much more personal version of the tale than the original play by Sophocles.

Superbly illustrated by eight of Indrapramit Roy's two-color silk-screened illustrations, Sophocles' Antigone is a splendidly presented retelling of the tragic story told by the blind prophet Teiresias of a Greek princess who discovers that her brother (a rebel against the rule of their uncle Creon) has been murdered and his body left unburied. Torn between her fealty to her uncle and her familial love for her brother, as well as deference to the gods, Antigone is a story of the tragic conflicts between love and duty, honor and the law. A physically beautiful publication, Sophocles' Antigone is a welcome and much appreciated work that will totally engage the attention and appreciation of contemporary readers.

Since writing the above review in 1999, I have become familiar with some of the more recent methods for linear optimization. If you are interested in linear/integer optimization, you may be interested to know that this book discusses the simplex method and its derivatives, and describes Gomory cutting plane method for integer programming. Lest you get carried away by the unbridled optimism expressed in the previous review , please note - this book does not cover iterative linear programming methods such as interior point methods, EXCEPT for a rather good, detailed description of Karmarkar's 1984 method (projective transformation), with a numerical example. Another omission is trust-region methods; however line-search methods are discussed. So if 0/1 optimization, interior point methods, semi-definite programming, trust-region methods is your cup of tea, shop elsewhere. I'm rolling back my previous rating from 5-stars to 4-stars on this count.

I am a sucker for books on applied mathematics. This book ranks among my most valued ones, and is always within constant reach for reference on optimization algorithms. The book covers linear programming, nonlinear programming, geometric programming, dynamic programming, integer programming, and stochastic programming. A wide array of methods which seem impressively complete are covered in this 903-page book. The addressing of the topics is geared more towards making the reader understand how the algorithms were derived (which is welcome, in contrast to chasing up the original research papers), and using them. Just about every method is illustrated clearly with examples - a welcome feature of the book. One minor drawback is that all examples and exercises that are applied to engineering, are drawn from mechanical and civil areas (note: there are also many examples that are mathematical toy problems). Having said that, I must hasten to add that I am an electrical engineer, and I have no problem at all in using this book. Strongly recommended for people who work with optimization algorithms!

A fascinating and frightening allegory of the disjointed times we live in. A world statesman - blind but fiercely determined - sets out in quest of a single effective solution to the problems of the nations in order that the United World, the organization he presides over, may fulfil its mandate.The quest takes him to various world capitals. He returns from each visit dismayed and more bemused than before. In a state of intense mental turmoil, mixed with optimism, he descends into the Grand Canyonin search of an answer - The Answer - to the nagging question: is there a world solution to world's recurring problems? A mysterious youngster, the representative of an unseen sage, the Master, helps the blind statesman find an appropriate answer. The three short tales within the story are of absorbing interest. Powerfully knit plot, gripping narration and lucid descriptions. I found the book absolutely unputdownable. Highly recommended.

An inspiring story, rich in imagery, appealing to the five senses in a visceral way, one which takes us into the realm of the soul while remaining grounded in reality, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is excited by what it means to be alive and inquisitive about the mysterious nature of our being. Dr. Rao calls upon a great wealth of knowledge, blending philosophies of eastern and western cultures, and probing the dynamics of mind, spirit and body to take his readers on a journey with a profound outcome. A book that one can read without interruption, it will deliver a powerful message about the essence of life. One which will remain long after the story ends.

I have been writting in journals my entire life and this one was just superb

I was able to hold much information of my adventures in India in this little book. It was the only one that didn't get wrecked when exposed to extreme tempatures and water. Thanks to who ever got Amazon to sell this one.

I was very disappointed with this book. First, it advocates the high-carbohydrate diet recommended many years ago, but long since discredited by a majority of health writers and medical professionals. And worse, it contains misinformation which may be misleading to readers. For example, on one page, the author specifically states that cookies have a low glycemic index. This is not just wrong, it is dangerous misinformation for many people concerned with blood sugar levels.

i don't like to change recipes that have been in my family for generations...but when my doctor told me i needed to make some major changes to my diet, he recommended this book. it has been quite useful in helping me gain an understanding of how carbohydrates interact with the body! now i can control my hunger without leaving my comfort zone. i'm going to buy copies as gifts for all my family and friends!

It seems that most people count calories, watch their fat intake, and struggle with portion size in tailoring a diet to their needs. The truth of the matter is, carbohydrates dictate our dietary well-being in a huge way! Every conscious eater should be aware of the qualities of the carbohydrate, and how to use them to one's advantage--this book is the way. I don't hesitate to call this your Healthy Eating Bible--and I don't use that term lightly!