Book Description
WHO DO TODAY'S TOP FANTASY WRITERS READ - AND WHY?
This was the question posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today. This book is their answer. Here are seventeen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice.
Download Description
Who do today's top fantasy writers read -- and why?
This was the question posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today. This book is their answer.
Here are seventeen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice.
Here's your chance to enjoy familiar favorites, and perhaps to discover some wonderful new treasures. In each case, you'll have the opportunity to see the story from the perspective of a master of the field.
Customer Reviews:
A very good collection.......2002-12-03
This book has a variety of well chosen stories, with the exception of "Stealing God" which I did not like. The writers have chosen works that are classic yet show a great variety. Must reads include the two Vance stories, the Harrison, and the Zelazny. This book is a good safe bet for the fantasy fan.
stiff fantacy.......2000-12-09
I bought this book because I love fantacy novels. Although, the stories are well written and classics. The book reminded me of assigned literature from english class, a bit dry. I did find a couple of stories cute, but not great. This book is easy to put down. If you wish to know the evolution of fanticy novels then you would enjoy this book.
An Excellent Fantasy Anthology.......2000-09-13
This is a very good fantasy anthology. It's got excellent stories like 'Troll Bridge' by Pratchett, 'Stealing God' by Doyle & Macdonald, 'Liane the Wayfarer' by Vance, 'More Spinned Against' by Wyndham, and the classic 'Unicorn Variations' by Zelazny.
Not all of the stories are excellent. I didn't enjoy the older ones (I always have a difficult time with pre-1900 fantasy) by Ingelow, Dickens, or M.R. James. The Harrison story had so much information in it that it was difficult to follow.
What makes this anthology stand out from others are the short introductions given by other authors in which they explain why they enjoy that particular story. They don't always go into great detail (Marion Zimmer Bradley and Tanya Huff wrote very short pieces, but the intros by Donaldson and George R.R. Martin were particularly interesting.
This anthology brought several good stories to my attention that I likely would never have otherwise read, notably the Wyndham and Doyle/Macdonald pieces. There's a lot of good fiction in here for a low price. Check it out.
A wonderfully eclectic volume of fantasy writing.......2000-08-12
I enjoyed last year's predecessor volume, My Favorite Science Fiction Story, but this volume is even better. The premise is that eighteen bestselling fantasy writers were asked to pick their all-time favorite fantasy story (by another writer). The result is a very eclectic assortment of tales. Most of these stories I had never seen before (even though I had read other stories by the same authors), but the most enjoyable part was reading the introductions, and discovering why each author picked the story he or she did.
I loved M. John Harrison's story "The Dancer from the Dance," but I think I liked it more than I would have otherwise, just because Stephen Donaldson's very evocative introduction sets the stage so well. Also, I have always loved Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" stories, and I loved reading Robert Silverberg and George R. R. Martin each explaining why they chose a different story from that book, and seeing how their opinions closely mirrored my own. Neil Gaiman chose a story by R. A. Lafferty that I had never read before. Not only did I love the story, but it also made me reexamine some of Gaiman's own work, and think about the ways which Lafferty might have influenced his writing.
If you are looking for the fantasy found in endless volumes of Tolkein ripoffs and Jordan wannabes, this is not the book for you. (Even Margaret Weis, who has often been a guilty practitioner of the aforementioned, picks a beautiful story by Charles Dickens to introduce.) But if you are looking for one of the most interesting and well-rounded collections of first-rate fantasy literature to be found in print today, you should buy this book.
Book Description
What do today's top science fiction writers read-and why? This was the question posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today. This book is their answer. Here are seventeen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice.
Customer Reviews:
Solid collection of SF stories.......2000-09-08
In this new anthology Martin H. Greenberg uses a gimmick that I've seen before, but one which still has legs. He has selected several prominent SF writers of the present day, and asked them to choose one favorite SF story. Their choices form this anthology.
Ideally, an anthology of this nature should have two aims: one, simply to present a collection of outstanding stories, to participated, if you will, in the process of SF canon-forming. Secondarily, the anthology might throw light on the influences on the selecting writers. It might suggest what stories appeal to writers, as possibly opposed to readers (something in the way that the Nebula Awards do), and it might illustrate the development process of the field. It doesn't really appear that Greenberg had any special intent to reinforce this secondary aim, however. For one thing, the authors chosen to select stories are not a particularly homogeneous group, either in age or in being members of any identifiable "school" or "movement". In addition, the stories chosen seem for the most part to be chosen as favorite reads, not so much as influences. This is not really a complaint, just an observation: what we are left with, thus, is mostly an anthology of the first type, a canon-building anthology.
I've been reading SF for quite some time now, and I've always liked short fiction, so the bulk of these stories are familiar to me. I was pleased to reread Theodore Sturgeon's "The Man Who Lost the Sea" for the umpteenth time: this story, Clarke's selection, may well have been mine if I were eligible to choose a story for a similar anthology. This is one of the most moving of all SF stories, and its theme lies at the heart of SF: the desire to keep exploring, the value of exploration for its own sake.
Other prominent selections include Frederick Pohl's brilliant story of what humans might become in the very far future, "Day Million" (chosen by Haldeman); C. M. Kornbluth's mordant SF Hall of Fame tale, "The Little Black Bag" (Pohl's choice), about a present day doctor discovering medical tools from the future, and the bitter misuse to which they are put; and Howard Waldrop's Nebula-winning tale of the fate of the last dodos, "The Ugly Chickens", (chosen by Turtledove). Also from the SF Hall of Fame are Lester del Rey's "Nerves", "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley Weinbaum, and "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" by Cordwainer Smith. Each of these stories is famous, thus familiar. But at the same time each is famous for good reason, and I was happy to reread them. Certainly there is no harm in reprinting them again.
The other selections are by and large fine stories as well. I was happy to see a couple of choice I wasn't familiar with, and which were pretty good: Ward Moore's "Lot" and Gordon Dickson's "Black Charlie". I felt that the second Kornbluth story ("The Only Thing We Learn", chosen by David Drake) was a bit obvious, and nowhere near the quality of his best work, and the pieces by Eric Frank Russell ("Diabologic") and Robert Sheckley ("Untouched by Human Hands") were also somewhat slight, to my taste. Again, both writers have certainly produced stories that belong in anthologies like this. And Norman Kagan's "The Mathenauts" (Greg Bear's choice), while full of fascinating ideas, doesn't really work as a story. But four merely minor stories out of a collection like this is no great weakness, especially as I'm sure the next reader will feel differently than I do. And any collection that includes the stories I've mentioned, as well as "Common Time" by James Blish, Keith Laumer's early Bolo story "The Last Command", Barry Malzberg's metafictional "A Galaxy Called Rome", and Roger Zelazny's moving "The Engine at Heartspring's Center", is well worth your seven dollars.
Inspiration, the basis for reading - and writing - SF........2000-01-23
This book is the kind which should be judged not only for the value of its content, but also for the underlying message that it contains as a whole. In other words, it is more than just a collection of stories. As the reader finishes each tale, he or she should ask the question, "Besides whether or not I myself enjoyed this story, what about it could have inspired someone to make the decision to become a writer of science fiction?" Although some might make more critical evaluations, most people should find that each entry has a common answer: the author loved his work and wanted to convey that to the reader. "Favorite" is a very subjective word, and this book is absolutely subjective. No one will agree on every story being high quality, but everyone will agree that, somewhere, we all hold a science fiction story dear to our heart. This book is good reading, if only for the joyful presentation of the genre.
Terrific.......1999-08-06
This is a spectacular anthology. The selection ranges from terrific to good to awful, but the terrific and good stories far outweigh the three substandard stories. I suggest skipping over the bad stories, which are: "The Mathenauts" by Norman Kagan (selected by Greg Bear), "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" by Cordwainer Smith (selected by Lois McMaster Bujold), and -- quite unexpectedly -- "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum (selected by L. Sprague de Camp). Actually, the low quality of an occasional story is understandable, since the writer making the selection might be choosing based not on any inherent quality but on the impact it made on him/her. (In fact, Greg Bear suggests as much in his introduction to "The Mathenauts", and even admits the story's lack in that which is usually defined as quality.)
But aside from those three, the rest of the anthology is amazing. My personal recommendations are... too long to list here without lapsing into monotony, but here are are a few hints: Theodore Sturgeon's "The Man Who Lost the Sea" (selected by Arthur C. Clarke), Eric Frank Russell's "Diabologic" (selected by Andre Norton), Ward Moore's "Lot" (selected by Connie Willis), and Roger Zelazny's "The Engine at Heartspring's Center" (selected by Gregory Benford). Oops: listed more than I meant to. Just goes to show how many of the stories in this volume I enjoyed immensely.
And since not nearly all of the "name authors" available in SF have been exhausted, I look forward to future volumes constructed along the same scheme. I can't wait.
No accounting for taste, I guess..........1999-07-20
I very much looked forward to reading this, seeing as it contains stories by pros which were chosen by OTHER pros as their favorites. Aside from the first story by Sturgeon (The Man Who Lost the Sea), which is a fascinating example of how to tease the reader, I thought this was a very poor collection. I seriously question whether the authors actually chose the stories themselves, or if they just lent their names to this book. Also, "The Black Bag" is one of the most amateurish stories I've ever read.
Average customer rating:
- O.K. But not all that scary.
- Enjoyable and Creepy
- It's okay.
- A MUST-HAVE!
- good collection of influential short horror
|
My Favorite Horror Story
Manufacturer: I Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Greenberg, Martin Harry
| ( G )
| Authors, A-Z
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0743487400 |
Book Description
WHO DO TODAY'S TOP HORROR
WRITERS READ-AND WHY?
This was the question posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today. This book is their answer. Here are fifteen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice. Here's your choice to enjoy familiar favorites, and perhaps to discover some wonderful treasures. In each case, you'll have the opportunity to see the story from the perspective of a master of the field.
Download Description
In this startling new collection of 19th century horror tales, editor Martin H. Greenberg presents:
* An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, by Ambrose Bierce
* Schalken the Painter, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
* The Doom of the Griffiths, by Mrs. Gaskell
* The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, by Rudyard Kipling
* Markheim, by Robert Louis Stevenson
* The Adventure of the German Student, by Washington Irving
* Desiree's Baby, by Kate Chopin
* The Story of the Brazilian Cat, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Customer Reviews:
O.K. But not all that scary........2007-09-25
The scariness to each author is subjective. Barely any of these stories would of ever scared me.
Enjoyable and Creepy.......2005-03-03
I agree with a lot of what the other reviewers said. A few of these stories are heavily anthologized. I think I've been assigned to read "The Tell-Tale Heart" no less than 15 times in my life as a student, and for that, I chide Joyce Carol Oates for her laziness (or maybe she was just being honest).
Some of the author introductions to stories are overblown or surprisingly unrelated to the selection that follows. But for the most part, this was an enlightening collection of stories, and some are extraordinarily creepy and stay with you long after you're done reading.
I think about "The Dog Park" by Dennis Etchison a lot, mainly because I live in L.A. and can see that he got the culture here and found a way to parlay it into a story about lost ideals and the vultures -- real, metaphorical -- who circle above the hopeful artists, waiting to strike.
"The Human Chair" by Edigawa Rampo pops into my head now and again too. A great twist. This was like the most thrilling, most bizarre "Tales from the Darkside" episode you never saw. It has a distinctly Japanese edge to it -- a little mythic, a lot grotesque. This story made me want to seek out more Japanese genre fiction.
I don't want to comment on every story, because I'd be here forever. Many of these (i.e. "The Distributor" by Richard Matheson) are classics I never knew about but see repeated everywhere now that I've read them. It's funny -- ever since reading "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" in this collection, I see references to it everywhere. Producers want scripts just like it. And if you think about it, that's exactly what half the Hollywood horror stories are like these days -- dealing with that limbo area surrounding death -- "Is he dead, does he know he's dead?," etc.
"The Pattern" by Ramsey Campbell is totally freaky. I mean, seriously. Don't read it in the dark when you're about to go to sleep in an otherwise empty apartment. Make sure someone's there with you. That's the most satisfaction I got from a horror story in 15 years. The only other time I was ever that scared was after I read "Children of the Corn" when I was 9 years old. This story can return you to that level of primal, irrational fear.
It's okay........2004-02-27
The worst thing here is having to read some of the authors' introductions. Not a few wax ABSOLUTELY lyrical about how great the story is that follows. The most laughable is F. Paul Wilson's introduction to The Distributor by Richard Matheson. At the end, Wilson talks again about the story: "Yeah, I know. Pretty damn unsettling." Was it? Was it? Wilson suggests that the story would still work today, if you substitute certain things with contemporary topics like incest/pedophilia -- I beg to differ. Nope, I am not immune to things like incest and/or pedophilia; certainly they are horrible things to happen to anyone. But, my point really is, it wouldn't work because this story, the way it's written is not terrifying at all. "This is one of the most effective uses of minimalist technique you'll ever see" Wilson adds. That's just plain exaggeration. I just found the whole effort by Matheson strained.
With regards to the book itself, there are a few interesting stories, but the rest of them are just not very good. Maybe due to the nature of these being short stories, the reader is often left unsatisfied. As I was with say "Opening the Door" and "The Rats in the Walls".
I don't think I'm some kind of horror genre hater, it's just that, I'd say such stories don't work for me anymore. I mean, I used to rent every tape of Creepshow available from the store, and watched the Twilight Zone more than I did homework. But that was when I was in my early teens. Now, it is rare that I don't find a horror story predictable/laughable/ridiculous.
The stories I've always liked here include "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" and "The Human Chair".
A MUST-HAVE!.......2003-01-30
This is a GREAT anthology. The best writers in Horror select their favorite horror stories. The best thing about that is they tell you why. It helps understand what to look for in a horror story, what makes one great, and why so much in horror is just dross. We see just how important Robert Bloch has been and, sadly, much of his work is out-of-print. Richard Matheson is here too, of course, and the story selected is one I wasn't familiar with. The classics are here too: The Tell-Tale Heart, Young Goodman Brown, and two from Lovecraft. The most interesting selection is The Human Chair by Edogawa Rampo, selected by Harlan Ellison.
good collection of influential short horror.......2002-08-27
"My Favorite Horror Story" is exactly what it says it is. A handful of today's better known horror authors, including the omnipresent Stephen King, and the slightly less inevitable Poppy Z. Brite ( I loved her introduction to Ramsey Campbell's "The Pattern." Very funny.) The main drawback to this book is that some of the stories have been very heavily anthologized, such as the two Lovecraft tales and Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." And can anyone actually read "Young Goodman Brown" and not suffer horrible high-school flashbacks? That said, let us move on to the high points of the anthology. My three favorites would be the aforementioned "The Pattern," which is among Campbell's best work and is absolutely terrifying. I believe that Mr. Campbell has always done his best work in short fiction (with exceptions such as "The Parasite") and this story serves to reinforce my opinion. Look up his excellent short story collections "Waking Nightmares," and "Ghosts and Grisly Things" if you have an interest in his style. "The Father-Thing" by Philip K. Dick may seem to be out of place in a horror anthology at first, but after you read it, you may never look at your dad in the same way! Chilling. All of the late Mr. Dick's books come VERY highly recommended from me. "The Inner Room" by Robert Aickman may not seem to be as relentlessly horrifying as some of the other stories, but it has a way of nagging at your mind that leads to some very disturbing thoughts. Seek out "Cold Hand in Mine" which is lamentably out of print, for more work by this unsung hero of atmospheric, ghostly horror tales. All in all, this is quite a good collection. Every fan of horror will find something they like here.
Average customer rating:
|
Harleys Holiday (My Favorite Sound Story)
Golden Books
Manufacturer: Golden Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Popular Culture
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Baby-3
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0307711390
Release Date: 1999-12-31 |
Average customer rating:
|
My Favorite Martian (Disney's Junior Novel)
Dona Smith
Manufacturer: Disney Pr (Juv Pap)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Humorous
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Popular Culture
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0786842393 |
Book Description
Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind.
• Provides a complete introduction to the Ayurvedic science of healthy eating.
• Includes 200 vegetarian recipes to improve health and longevity.
• By Harish Johari, the bestselling author of Chakras, Tools for Tantra, and Numerology.
One of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, the Indian science of Ayurveda views the human being as intimately connected with the environment and all other life forms. It prescribes various methods of synchronizing ourselves with the world around us, placing great emphasis on diet and the specific attributes of different foods. Following these ancient guidelines, Harish Johari offers a clear and concise introduction to the principles of Ayurvedic eating and explains the healing qualities that foods and spices impart according to their subtle energies. He suggests special combinations to heal and balance both body and mind and includes 200 vegetarian recipes.
Customer Reviews:
Round out your vegetarian cooking with some knowledge of the Ayurvedas.......2007-07-19
I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons and I enjoy cooking. There are a few cookbooks that I turn to from time to time for concepts and ideas. Recipes are how you learn to cook but as you get cooking, you learn what it is that makes your food taste good or feel good (we have all had meals, hopefully not at home, which left us feeling sick afterwards). I wanted to get some understanding of Ayurvedic principles underlying traditional Indian vegetarian cooking. I am not at all religious and some small parts of the book strike me as a bit unscientific in explaining why something might work or not. However, other parts of Ayurvedic theory of medicine make sense to me. What do I expect this book to do for me? I am already an experienced and good cook so I don't expect to learn new recipes. I bought this book because I wanted to know about Ayurvedic ingredient combinations that are optimal as well as to gain some knowledge of cooking for particular conditions (say stomach problems, chills...) which we are faced with in our daily lives with our families. And this I think is a unique contribution. The fantastic North Indian vegetarian recipes are just icing on the cake. I think any cook (vegetarian or otherwise) and those interested in holistic living should have this book in their collection.
Here are the contents of the book:
Editor's Note
Introduction
Part 1 An Introduction to Ayurveda
Ch 1 Principles of Ayurveda
Ch 2 Balanced Nutrition
Ch 3 Foods and Their Healing Properties
Ch 4 Guidelines for Preparing and Eating Foods
Ch 5 Food and the Cycles of Nature
Ch 6 Food and Consciousness
Part 2 The Recipes
Ch 1 Introduction to the Recipes
Ch 2 Snacks
Ch 3 Dals
Ch 4 Savory Rice Dishes
Ch 5 Vegetable Dishes
Ch 6 Paneer Dishes
Ch 7 Yogurt Dishes
Ch 8 Salads
Ch 9 Condiments
Ch 10 Breads
Ch 11 Desserts and Sweet Fruit Creams
Ch 12 Beverages
Appendices
App A Menu Combinations
App B Recipes for Children and the Elderly
App C About Milk
Glossary
Sources of Supply
Index
A must-have whether you're a vegetarian or not........2004-08-22
I have been cooking for myself since I was very young, and this book almost entirely changed the way I think about food. Ayurvedic cooking may sound complicated with all the terms like "sattvic", "rajasic", "tamasic", the six tastes, etc, but it is not difficult to get used to, and gives you a great sense of satisfaction. I used to be intimidated by Indian recipes that had 100 ingredients I never heard of, but this book is not like that at all. He uses relatively few spices and I can easily find all the ingredients at an International grocery store that has a small Indian section. I've made something from this book every day since I got it, and it amazes me how quick and easy it is to produce a very nutritious and satisfying meal. It is the simplest and most nutritious type of cooking I've tried. I find it very convenient. Vegetarians who have not read this book are missing out. I, however, am not a strict vegetarian, and I still find this book very useful. I was especially interested in the preperations used by bodybuilders, wrestlers, and athletes in India. I am a strength athlete, myself, and I find these very useful, as I don't bother with any supplements. In "Dhanwantari", which I also highly recommend, he recommends a handful of sprouted chana (chickpeas) each day as a general tonic. I heard about this before, being used as a sort of protein supplement by Hindu wrestlers who could not afford almonds. This alone could be so beneficial to so many people. Everyone who eats should read this book. Especially people in this fast-food society. There is so much wisdom in the words of this man who is from a place where "electricity has never been seen, phones have never been drempt of, and cars can't reach." Namaste!
Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.......2002-05-19
Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine from India that emphasizes the healing properties of food. As Harish Johari says, "food is something very personal and it should never be eaten for taste alone; its purpose is to provide nutrients and satisfaction to the body, without introducing toxins." Johari, a Tantric and Ayurvedic scholar, wrote twelve books, as well as produced audiocassettes and CDs, before his death in 1999. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: 200 Vegetarian Recipes for Health, Balance, and Longevity, published posthumously, "explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind."
Johari first introduces the principles of Ayurveda, fully discussing the role of the five elements and describing the doshas--a way of classifying body types and temperments. He also explains that there are six tastes--sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of the tastes has a different effect on the body. Foods are further classified as to whether they are hot or cold and heavy or light. These attributes also affect the body in various ways.
Understanding how foods interact with one another and how they effect the body provides a foundation for healthy eating. Johari maintains that "most diseases are the result of wrong eating habits and/or of eating antagonist foods."
He also includes information on the nutrients in food, such as protein and vitamins. That's followed by a section describing the healing properties of specific foods. He suggests using milk as a source of protein, rather than meat or eggs.
The bulk of the book is devoted to recipes, including how to prepare various Indian spice mixtures. All of the recipes are Westernized versions of Indian foods and use ingredients that can be obtained in the West. Many are prepared using a wok. Johari presents recipes for snacks, dals, main dishes, salads, condiments, breads, desserts, and beverages.
Appendices include menu suggestions, and several special recipes for children and the elderly. He finishes with a list of spice and specialty food suppliers.
Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.
Book Description
One of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, Ayurveda views the human being as intimately connected with the environment and all other life forms. It prescribes various methods of synchronizing ourselves - physically and psychically - with the world around us, placing great emphasis on diet and the specific attributes of different foods. Following these principles, Johari explains the healing qualities that various foods and spices impart according to their subtle energies, indicating which recipes are appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind.
Author, artist, and world renowned scholar of Tantra and Ayurveda, Harish Johari has gathered his extensive knowledge into a treasury of culinary wisdom and authentic Indian recipes (all vegetarian), based on Ayurvedic principles of healing.
Includes information on harmonizing the humors, elements, and tastes. Provides special suggestions on cooking for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Customer Reviews:
Some information about the author would be appreciated.......1999-12-14
I found the best part of the book to be the theory sections including the sections about ingredients which includes summaries on the qualities & health benefits of different foods.. Even so it is not an exhaustive list of foods.. For example, the author doesn't mention avocado, asparagus, celery, mushrooms, jackfruit or broccoli even though there are recipes that call for them... There is information about other ingredients however, like tomatoes, grapefruits, turnips, carrots, lemons, potatoes etc.. & particularly interesting the information about spices.
The recipes are interesting in that some use vegetables like celery & broccoli which are readily available in a western grocery yet previously uncommon to indian cooking. Also the recipes are health conscious with greater use of ghee rather than oil, and jaggery in sweets instead of refined sugar. Many recipes are run of the mill home-style north indian cookery which is good for the newcomer to north indian cooking but less interesting for the regular north indian cook.
Finally i would like to know something about the author. Most books especially those offering advice on health include some information about the author's training, history & professional background. I would like to know where he learned about ayurveda? Is he self-taught? If the author is a world renowned scholar, as is claimed on the book cover, i think the reader has the right to know about his credentials in order to afford greater credibility to his book.
Superb book... *and* vegan-friendly.......1998-12-20
I could write a very long and thorough critique of this book, but i won't. i just want to make a few points. First & foremost is that this is the only book of its kind (that i'm aware of); that is, it's a vegetarian indian cookbook based directly on ayurvedic science, with a complete introduction to ayurvedic theory & application... and it's vegan-friendly... (there's a small section of the recipes devoted to paneer cottage cheese and yogurt, and some of the other main recipes call for yogurt or cream, but these are few comparatively, and of course soy could be substituted).... As an introductory guide to ayurveda, it is pretty good (the organization isn't the best, compared to "Ayurveda" by Dr. Vasant Lad, which is the *only* definitive modern introductory guide to ayurveda that is clear, concise, thorough, complete with practical application).... Johari covers food and spice qualities and combinations and how to apply all of this to best suit your constitution... this is really good stuff & easy to grasp... his recipes are *superb* & come from his intuition.... (keeping it short): my only "complaint" is that there is no verbage to go along with the recipes; that is, which constitution the recipe is best for; what it will aggrevate or subdue; how the individual spices & veggies are working together in the recipe... example: at the beginning of the recipes, i'd like to see something like "This will subdue vata & kapha & aggrevate pitta; such & such spice prevents gas formation; such & such spices are digestive tonics; tonic for such & such conditions; good winter dish"..... In sum, vegetarian indian cookbooks are indeed rare (why is this?).... this is the *BEST* i've ever come across.... ("Classic Indian Vegatarian & Grain Cooking" is not all that great)
Books:
- Oh What A Lovely War (Methuen Modern Play)
- One Nation Under Therapy: How the Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Reliance
- Our Solarian Legacy: Multidimensional Humans in a Self-Learning Universe
- Overcoming Overeating
- Paying the Piper (Drake, David.)
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements ... A-To-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies)
- Pride and Pinstripes: The Yankees, Mets, and Surviving Life's Challenges
- Psychohistorical Crisis
- RealAge: Are You as Young as You Can Be?
- Realm of the Tri-planets (Perry Rhodan #31)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly: The Remarkable Story of the Friendship Between a First Lady and a Form
- History: Fiction or Science
- At Home in Thrush Green
- Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening
- Disney Pixar: Finding Nemo/A Bug's Life/Monsters, Inc.
- Finite Difference Schemes and Partial Differential Equations
- Fountain Pens : United States of America and United Kingdom
- House in the Sun: A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert
- Beyond the Timberline: The Trials and Triumphs of a Black Entrepreneur
- Brazil Business Law Handbook, 1999
Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
The War of the Worlds (Modern Library Classics)
The Mammoth Book of Sorcerers' Tales : The Ultimate Collection of Magical Fantasy from Tom Holt, Ursula K. LeGuin, Michael Moorcock, Peter Crowther, Louise Cooper, and many more
The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction
