I thought this was a very well put together book. I especially liked the Terri Clark pictures. The author was right when he said he captured her personality! It comes shooting out at you from the book

As soon as I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. It has so many pictures of my favorite stars! There is also a lot of information and stories too. If you want to know more about a country star, get this book. It's sure to have some of the answers you have been looking for.

Good Food Served Right demonstrates North Country (New York) diversity through an appeal to our taste buds. Written and researched by folklorist and home cook Lynn Ekfelt, this informative and entertaining book is part adventure travel, part ethnography, part grandmother's recipe file. It is also a great read.

"The idea of depending primarily on local products is only part of traditional cookery," Ekfelt observes in the introduction. "Another important aspect can be summed up in the old adage, 'Waste not, want not.' This guiding principle is behind the cooking of all traditions and has led to the creation of such diverse dishes as bread pudding and head cheese." The book goes beyond the recipes to explore the ways food is "so closely related to our concepts of nurturing." observing that, "food preparation and eating is an important time of apprenticeship--a time when new members of a family or community learn how to take their place as contributing members of their groups. MOre than food-related values are passed on during these sessions. They are also a time for retelling of family legends and establishing a communal response to events both within and outside the family."

Good Food Served Right is divided into three sections. "Nature's Bounty" explores the many uses of apples, cheese, fish, game, maple syrup and wild foods. "Who We Are" features favorite edibles from North Country African Americans, Amish, Armenian Americans, French Americans, Greek Americans, Homesteaders, Hungarian Americans, Italian Americans, Jews, Korean Americans, Lebanese Americans, Mennonites, Mohawks, and Yankees. "Building Community" looks at the foods traditionally served at county fairs, church suppers, fundraisers, firemen's field days and ice cream socials.

Each chapter follows a formula: a personal essay about some food-centered event or activity, tested recipes collected from local cooks, interviews with the cooks, and a history of the featured cuisine. Ekfelt sets the scene for the "Maple Syrup" chapter with: "It's a long walk from our car back into the woods to the sugar shack, and my boots get heavier with each step. Not for nothing is March known as 'mud season.' We push open the door to the shack an are met with a gust of fragrant steam." After recipes for jack wax, maple fluff frosting, maple fruit salad and more, she ends up with a transcript of her interview with the cooks and information about maple syrup, sugar maple trees and the history of the maple syrup grading system.

Lively black and white photos show us just who the cooks are in common situations at home or in their communities. The classified bibliography tells us where we can find more about our favorite topics or tastes. There is an appended "Quantities to Serve 50 People"--something I've been looking for for a long time--as well as tables on measurements, equivalents, and substitutions, and a very complete index.

If Tabasco is involved you know it's hot. Fiction has the National Book Award, children's books have the Caldecott, community cookbooks have the Tabasco Award. First place in the Tabasco Community Cookbook Award 2000 has been awarded to Good Food Served Right: Traditional Recipes and Food Customs From New York's North Country.

Good Food Served Right is more than a collection of recipes; this book is an extensive collection of traditional recipes and food customs from that area of New York State known as the North Country. Primarily a land of dairy farming and forestry located above the Adirondacks and below the Canadian border, Northern New York is that stump of the state with an independence borne from too long, arctic gray winters and only occasional notice from the rest of the world, not always a bad thing. Good Food Served Right breaks beneath that surface and reveals a riotous, brilliant crazy quilt of ethnic diversity through its food. Italian Pasta a Ceci, Armenian Shish Kebab, Mohawk Fried Bread, Jewish Stuffed Cabbage, Korean Kimchi, Lebanese Spinach Pies, and French Yellow Pea Soup are some of the recipes that represent various groups who make their home in the North Country. There are also the local annual events such as fireman's field days, county fairs, ice cream socials, hunting clubs, and cheese making in the area. Some of the other recipes that caught my eye were Maple Johnnycake, Whoopie Pies, Deep-Fried Northern Bullhead, Crow's Nest and Hoppin' John. Each of the books 25 chapters are introduced with a well researched brief history and personal essay from the author, Lynn Case Ekfelt, a university archivist and folklorist. The project was under the auspices and support of TAUNY (Traditional Arts of Upstate New York).

In this day of cookbooks touting the latest diet, or collections of convoluted recipes photographed in far flung locations Good Food Served Right is a well-written cookbook giving us a practical manual of real recipes for the home cook and a window onto the North Country's food defined by a mix of it's history, culture, and geography.

Excerpt from Good Food Served Right, "An Amish Saturday in Rensselaer Falls":

"The house, though big enough in its own right, is dwarfed by the huge barn beside it, the unweathered, unfinished wood screaming "new". In fact, the family has just hosted a barn-raising at which they cooked for 300 people. I don't hear all of the details of the meal but I do learn that 40 chickens were involved. The house, too, has an unfinished look to my "English" eyes as we drive up - no curtains dress the windows, no flowers brighten the yard. In fact there are no touches of color anywhere except the blue of the dresses belonging to the five young women in the kitchen and the plain blue wooden cupboard against the kitchen wall. Like the room, its inhabitants are unadorned. Barefoot, they wear solid blue or brown dresses fastened by pins, no buttons or zippers. Each has an apron to protect her clothing from the rigors of house work and a cap modestly covering her hair."

Using biographies of early stars, Charles Wolfe deftly weaves the history of one of the longest running radio programs. The result is a highly readable, entertaining, and educational survey of the Opry's first two decades. This period was dominated by string bands, such as those led by Dr. Humphrey Bate, Theron Hale, and the Brinkley Brothers. But individuals soon came to dominate the program. Chief among them the irrepressable Uncle Dave Macon and the man who would become the living embodiment of the Opry, Roy Acuff. Wolfe is equally adept at discussing both entertainers' personalities and the business of radio and programing. This book belongs in every Country music and radio lover's collection.

This book excels all that I have read about a fascinating subject! Contrary to most history books, you'll read this one until you finish it, I promise.

When I picked up "Gravesites", I expected to find a valuable but dry reference volume. Instead, I was delighted to find myself engrossed in this well-researched but amazingly readable narrative of the author's Graveyard Tour. Clearly, Amos has put a great deal of legwork into "unearthing" this trove of final resting places of the famous and not-so-famous of the Southern musical world. He describes in detail the locations of many graves so that any reader interested in duplicating the Tour could do so. For example, "To visit Furry [Lewis], take the rutted road into Hollywood and proceed to the second left. Just a few yards down, look to your left. His tombstone faces away from the office and is right on the road." Each description of a musician's grave is accompanied by a few lines about the personality residing below.
Amos expressly informs us in the introduction that it is not his intent to provide extensive biographical information about each musician. In fact, to do so would transform this nicely-sized volume into a potentially, very weighty tome. Nevertheless, most readers, I daresay, would not possess the extensive breadth of knowledge of some of the more obscure Blues musicians covered by Amos. Therefore, a bit more text on some of the singers might have been more enlightening. The foregoing is only a minor criticism of the work. The text that is presented is wonderfully informative, candid and, occasionally salty. Two examples of Amos' prose include, "While every two bit Confederate officer and military type gets a mention in the [Elmwood] cemetery brochure and map, the guide ignores [Jimmie Lunceford and Lillie Mae Glover]". Also, "Felton Jarvis, producer of some great Elvis records and a whole lot of [stuff], is also buried at Mt Hope".
Another nice offering by Amos is the appendix entitled, "Music to Hunt Graves By". It is an extensive complilation of some of the author's favorite works. Although, heavy on Blues and Zydeco, one also finds recordings by the B-52s and Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler, he of "Green Beret" fame! About the rcording, "Ballad of the Green Berets", Amos opines, "The whole record is just as good as the single. You can almost smell the napalm in the morning".
Do not be dissuaded by the niche-iness of this fantastic book. The author's love of this, admittedly, peculiar subject is infectious. This reviewer won't seek out all 300 graves but he'll check out, at least, a few of the tombstones.

Edward Amos's Gravesites of Southern Musicians is the perfect roadtrip companion for music fans, history buffs, and travelers with an odd sense of adventure. Amos's brief artist histories also serve as an excellent coffee table reference work, and provide valuable perspective on the importance of underservedly obscure artists.

As a road trip essential, Gravesites of Southern Musicians ranks right up there with jumper cables, a warm blanket, and directions to the best BBQ along the way. Highly recommended.

After 30 years living in England, American Irma Kurtz returns home to explore her native country. Americans she meets feel sure that she is not American whilst Brits are absolutely certain that she is not British. Fellow travel writer Bill Bryson had the same experience. This is an epic travelogue by Kurz who traverses the continent four times in an east west direction, closing the loop along the entire Atlantic coast and half the Pacific coast.

Irma is not your average American. As she says "America is a road country. To be without wheels is to be lame. The truth is I am a hussy of low appetites who always yearns shamelessly for rough travel, and I grab the chance whenever I can to arrive at my destination exhausted, knowing I've earned my goal the hard way. Greyhound and I were made for each other." Irma learned to drive late in life, never learned to enjoy it and as her mother so eloquently puts it "Irma is anti cars."

Thus begins her huge journey, one of epic proportions. The book colourfully describes the passing scenery, geography, topography, climate and people of the country. Lots of history is thrown in along the way, some of it landmark stuff in over 200 years of American settlement, whilst plenty of it is local, irrelevant in the wider scheme of things but overwhelmingly fascinating. We also learn of the human dynamics of Greyhound Bus travel, the unwritten protocol of who sits where, back, front or mid-section, near the toilet, near the exits, far from the driver or wherever: the protocol of avoiding eye contact with oncoming passengers if discretely trying to preserve the free seat alongside yourself. Then there are the passengers with whom Irma strikes up friendly and promising relationships which come to an end all too soon as one new friend after another finishes their relatively brief journey.

Many of her fellow passengers she describes as she observes them from across the aisle or across the waiting hall in the bus terminals. It is such a truism that the key conversation topic with the elderly is their state of health, and if the Greyhound environment can be a factor so much the better. "Last time I went on the bus" one old lady told the other "I got spasms. I hadda go lay across those three seats at the back." "My tooth was calcified to the bone" came the reply. "They hadda drill a hole so the infection could run out." Then there are the young ones she befriends, girls running away from failed love affairs back to the comfort of their home state, or girls traveling forever onwards into the hopefully awaiting arms of their lovers. A young model is traveling from Reno to "Dez Moynees" for her mother's wedding. "I hope she'll be very happy" says Irma. "She'd better be. It's her fourth time" is the response.

The story telling style is not dissimilar to that of the previously mentioned Bill Bryson. Her tale links the many places she visits with the people she meets along the way and the anticipation of the sort of establishment in which she will next have a night in bed and not on the bus. Whilst Bryson regularly enjoys a drink or two (or three) in the evenings and happily wanders into bars around the world, Irma is less able to be as adventuresome. However, her hip flask is always at hand and frequently requires refilling as she crosses the continent.

"The Great American Bus Ride" is a lively, entertaining, humourous travel book which everyone with a love of life and a sense of adventure will enjoy. If you've never been on a Greyhound Bus in your life, this book may not persuade you to do so, but it will certainly be your next closest experience.

Jump on board, grab the appropriate seat, sit back and enjoy the ride.

spend a few months touring America by Greyhound myself. This book was witty and charming and fun to read. I have ridden Greyhound a lot, but never for more than 6 or 7 hours at a time, so my experience cannot compare to hers. Only quibbles: she tends to run into more strange and unlikable people than I do, perhaps because she sought them out more than I do, perhaps because such people are more interesting to write about.

To the stories of the great flood from the Bible, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the classical myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, we can add this Karina version of the deluge story. The Karina, called the Carib Indians by their Spanish conquerors, are the descendants fo the the people that occupied eastern Venezula from the Orinoco River to the coast. "The Great Canoe" tells the story of how, a long time ago, Kaputano, Dweller of the Heavens, appeared to the Karina and warned them that a great rain would fall and water would cover the earth. Kaputano urged the Karina to join him in building canoes in which to escape the flood, but only four couples believed him. This is their story.

Almost as interesting is the quest of Maria Elena Maggi, who wanted to set the story of Noah's Ark in the New World, only to discover various Karina versions of the deluge story. While Maggi worked on weaving the story into the world of the Karina, artist Gloria Calderon studied the fauna and flora of the Caribbean region to work into her gorgeous illustrations. Orignally published in Venezelua as "La Gran Canoa," this English version is translated by Elisa Amando. An afterword will be of little interest to young children, but teachers and parents will enjoy learning about how Maggi and Calderon immersed themselves in their research for this story and the various antecedents for both the legend and the artwork.

I am putting together a Comparative Mythology course and stories like "The Great Canoe," which can be compared and contrasted with myths and legends from other cultures around the world, are perfect introductory material for such a class. However, for the young readers for whom this book is intended, simply listening to the story and looking at the detailed pictures, will be enough.

The Great Canoe: A Karina Legend is a tribal tale retold for preschool readers ages 2 to 5 and superbly illustrated by Gloria Calderon. The Karina were a tribal people living along the banks of the Orincoco River in what is now Venezuela and were known as great navigators, traders and warriors termed "Caribs" by the Spaniards. In the story, Kaputano, dweller of the Heavens, appears to the Karina people and warns them that a great rain would come and water would cover the earth. Kaputano urges the people to join him in building a canoe, but only four couples agree to help. They built a huge canoe and bring two of each kind of animal on board with them, plus a seed from every plant. Just as they finish their work a huge storm begins and a flood of water covers even the tallest trees drowning all the humans and animals left outside the boat. After many days the water subsides and Kaputano realizes that the survivors cannot live in such a flood ravaged world so he creates marshes, rivers, mountains and trees for them. The Great Canoe is a welcome and highly recommended addition to family, day-care center, preschool, and community library fairytale, mythology, and folklore collections.

for any environmental studies program. Ideas put to the test on an island with very little outside resources. Excellent discussion material. Unique insight into the revolution.

Cuba's social and economic systems have been in crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The prime concern of the country is how to feed its citizens so that every member has an adequate and nutritious diet. Rosset and Benjamin's scientific delegation to Cuba examined the history leading up to the current crisis, and the social, political and economic factors which maintain the food shortage up to this day. They then launch on an encyclopedic survey of the agricultural and social reform programs launched by Cuba's government to remedy the crisis. The country has adopted a Low Input, Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) style of food production in order to cope with drastically reduced inputs of chemicals, fertilizer, fuel, and capital since the USSR collapsed. Research programs abound, with several hundred research and development facilities in a country little larger than Vancouver Island, B.C. They are studying and implementing programs in non-chemical control of insects, weeds, and disease; soil remediation and fertility; labour distribution; post-harvest physiology and storage; and the distributions of production and population centers. The Greening of the Revolution combines the expertise of a 20 member delegation who spent a week in 1992 travelling the country. It reads like a comprehensive Annual Review article, with insightful analysis throughout, but not for the faint-of-heart looking for a light read. The 1992 date is now 7 years past, it would be of great interest to have a second edition of the book published in a repeat of the 1992 surveys. The book could also use some close editing; although logically laid out and of strong scientific style, there were reduncies and inconsistencies sprinkled throughout the text. In all, though, an excellent and compelling analysis of a country in transition.

What a great collection, the pictures were just amazing and I certainly won't be taking the postcards out of this book. As well as the great pictures there are also detailed captions, some of which are funny but mostly descriptions of the growing set up or the strains.

Wow, I couldn't believe how great these cards are, I felt like I should have been able to smell the sweet buds. And the size of the growing facility was mind boggling, Trichome Tech must have more bud than they know what to do with.

This book certainly comes in handy to anyone desiring to explore Lancaster county's Amish Country. It was full of useful facts and information needed to fully enjoy this beautuful and simple lifestyle and country. I highly recommend it to all readers.

Very detailed. Other PA guide books are too general and only have one chapter on PA Dutch. This is a whole book dedicated to just the PA Amish Country. My favorite part was the self-guided tour of the Amish farmland (complete with approx. miles, etc.) and the covered bridges! It includes places to eat and stay (including B&Bs). It's a great guide that covers all the bases. I've been visiting Pennsylvania Dutch Country since I was little and this book really gave me the information I needed to get the most out of a recent long weekend there.

This, and the other book by Sue Newhouse, are my favorite embroidery books because they really opened my eyes to the possibility of doing original work - and having it be easy! The stitched examples are by Ms. Newhouse's embroidery students - not by the author herself - showing how these techniques really can foster creative expression. One thing I like better about this book is that she provides the sizes of the pieces - it's easier to get a feel for a piece with a sense of scale. The book does provide good instruction on technique but I found the photos of embroideries to be the most important feature. I highly recommend this author's books!

Probably the most difficult thing about this new method is learning how to translate from the Queen's English to North American English. One of the primary items used in this technique is hessian. Hessian is burlap! English sheeting is bed sheets, the high quality 180 count sort. The technique is applied embroidery. Various parts are made separately and then attached to a painted background. It is akin to stumpwork but with a modern twist. The examples are pleasing and imaginative.