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.

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!

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.

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!

I don't have much more to add from other reviews--they all express my sentiments about this book. I'd just like to jump on the bandwagon and urge Olivia Harrison to write her own book about George. Of all the essays, I thought hers was the most articulate and insightful. I relish reading what she has written. However, I appreciate the glimpses into George's character offered by his friends. Although all of the messages about George's character and his music stressed similar strengths and gifts, each one offered unique facets. A book to be read repeatedly and cherished.

As usual, Morris has created an easy to follow and absolutely essential book for those in the hunter circuit--and anyone else who wants to learn to ride from a master. The pictures are really helpful and all of the explanations are great. Buy it and learn!

I set a goal, less than two months ago to return to riding (10 years ago, I was a walk-trot) and learn how to jump before next year. Not only am I jumping, I'm the trainer's favorite demonstrator for her more advanced students! My secret is this book. Another trainer told me to read it, and she couldn't have given me better advice (no really, she couldn't). If you're a hunter-seat rider and if you want to really know what you're supposed to be doing, instead of guessing and second guessing your trainers' wishes, read this book!

Written in the same style as Helen Crabtree's Saddle Seat Equitation, Hunter Seat Equitation is definatly the how to guide for this seat. Again, covers everything from little details to the big picture, if you ride hunt seat you should own this book.

The other reviewers had it right: I picked up a copy of this book in a used bookstore because I wanted to get a taste of George R.R. Martin before embarking upon his lengthy epic, "A Song of Ice and Fire." The title story was wonderful, one of the best short stories I've read in years. (I'd put it right up there with Kafka's "The Metamorphosis.") "In the House of the Worm" was quite enjoyable, and of the others the only one that I found disappointing was "The Stone City." All in all this is a strong collection of short fiction that deserves to be back in print, and I'm looking forward to spending some more time with Martin's imagination in the near future.

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...

This book has some good things to know in it and it is more about the sport of model rocketry than anything else. Note of caution, there is very little in this book on designing model rockets from scratch beyond the basics. I was designing a rather advanced rocket and this book didn't help me very much.

But when taken for what it's intended for it's a rather good book. It gives a lot of advice that you might not have come up with on your own and in fact is a pretty good guide for anyone who is a light hobbyist model rocketeer and is looking at getting into clubs and more frequent and serious model rocketry. He keeps the book interesting and amusing with some comments that I found absolutely hilarious. For example he always refers to trees as "Rocket Eating Trees" and in one illustration he has a rocket saying "Bye Bye" as it is carried off with the breeze. I found those kept the book readable. While I liked the anecdotes to his own rocketry experience and found them enlightening those after pure facts may find them excessive.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

For an all too brief space of time Edie Sedgwick was the bright light of Andy Warhols' insular world of self proclaimed superstars.Beautiful, wealthy and emotionally troubled, her life of excitement and excess withered rapidly into debt, drug abuse and isolation. Discarded by the social glitterati when her instability became increasingly difficult to ignore, Edies' position as the girl of last year and eventual unremarked death stand as a scathing indictment of the fickleness of fame

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'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.

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

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.