The Lost Weekend (New York Classics)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The inside of the bottle
  • "The barometer of his emotional nature was set for a spell of riot"
  • A movie so stark, it might cause liver disease
  • Addictive Reading Material
  • One of the very best American novels
The Lost Weekend (New York Classics)
Charles Jackson
Manufacturer: Syracuse University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 081560419X

Book Description

Don Birnam is a sensitive, charming and well-read man. Yet when left alone for a few days by his brother, he struggles with his overwhelming desire for alcohol, succumbs to it and, in the resulting prolonged agony, goes over much of his life up to and including the lost weekend.

"So powerful and understanding that many readers will find themselves riveted to their chairs until the end....A mystery story, a horror story and a revelation of the forces that can move a man; a journey into fear, into the abyss." (Saturday Review of Literature)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The inside of the bottle.......2007-05-27

Having seen the film I decided to read the book. The Hollywood ending of the film spured me on to find out how the book really ended. I found the book had much more depth than the film. Jackson's way of writing is so intimate that you can feel, hear and perhaps even smell Mr. Don Birman, who is the central character in the book. Jackon takes you inside his main character and slowly brings you down, down, down into the murcky depths of a troubled human being. It is obvious that the drinking is 'only' the manifestation of much deeper problems which Don Birman has. However the mental constructions which Don generates to explain, know (absolutely!), manipulate, justify, etc. his state of being, shows how an alcoholic survives as he swims in his sea of alcohol. It is a harrowing tale. This is a story about alcoholism written from the inside out. Read the book and learn how many alcoholism stories really end up. A true masterpiece.

5 out of 5 stars "The barometer of his emotional nature was set for a spell of riot".......2006-11-03

This book is definitely an instance of the book being better than the film, mainly because there is a wealth of inner dwelling in the book that cannot be captured on a screen. Jackson's prose starts out seeming a bit overblown, but quickly develops into a selfish, self-absorbed, and often offhandedly comical muse of the befuddled brain.

Charming gallantry, lies and fictions, excursions seeking pawn money, reminiscing of days past, each one poetically narrated by Jackson. His protagonist, Don Birnam, never once denies who or what he is. He's an alcoholic, and he serves only himself.

This book captures not just the degrading life of the alcoholic but the romanticism the addict infuses upon it. Even bungled up from a bad fall on the stairs, Don emphasizes his independence and self worth, at least internally, and leaves the hospital without treatment. He doesn't need anyone but himself, except when it comes to money to buy the booze.

Don knows he is charming, and knows he can hurt people by charming them, but he does it anyway because of the need for his own personal release. His mental escapades are astounding, his tales larger than life, his delusions more than reality: his highs are extraordinarily high and his lows are extraordinarily low. What we know now that we didn't know back when this book was written is how many addicts are bi-polar, but Jackson managed to capture this aspect of addiction long before science did.

'The Lost Weekend' isn't necessarily a fast-paced read, but rather something to nibble on when one is reflecting on what life has to dish out for us. For some, the monumental hurdles are mortgage and job promotions, for others, its finding those few bucks to get the next high.

'The Lost Weekend' is a must-have for your addiction collection, exploring the inner-space of addiction rather than the outer-space, or consequences, of it. The complacency, the drama, the edginess, the fulfillment, the tides: it's all here in the quick, inside look at a singular weekend. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars A movie so stark, it might cause liver disease.......2006-04-26

In more than 60 years, I don't believe any book or film has so vividly captured the madness of alcoholism like "The Lost Weekend." The movie with Ray Milland is a chilling adaptation of Jackson's masterful novel. One weekend in an alcoholic's life, as he begs, lies and steals in order to begin a bender that will end in a funhouse horror descent into insanity.
Jackson's novel was brilliantly written, a voyeuristic look inside the mind and desperation of a drunk, who ping pongs between delusion and outright disgust about his habit. There are delirium tremens, falls down stairs, begging at the bars, the pawning of beloved items and absolute shame through it all. Jackson never tries to romanticize the disease or to add elements to it that are not already there. Alcoholism does not need a professional writer or movie maker to enhance its ugliness.
Ray Milland takes on the movie role with animation, anger and pathos that is so genuine, you will think him authentically drunk throughout the film. The viewer is alternately sad and sympathetic, disgusted and frustrated as the drunk weaves, stumbles and staggers into his spree.
Alcoholics cringe when they read this book or watch the movie. The circumstances are too recognizable, too real. The novel ends on a stark and gloomy note. The movie, which also drops the subtle homosexual undercurrent, chooses to end more optimistically.
Either way, both are as clear and chaotic as any portrayal of a chronic alcoholic can be. For this reason, "The Lost Weekend" will always stand as powerful and unflinching, much like the disease it depicts.

5 out of 5 stars Addictive Reading Material.......2006-04-12

When I purchased this book, many, many years ago, I opened it to a random page and read a paragraph. I was drawn in immediately, which was an indication of its long-term appeal to me. Even though I have read it through twice over the years, I can pick it up, open it to any page, find it engaging, and experience the same eagerness to see how Jackson weaves the tale.

I won't repeat the theme or plot here, you can find those in the other reviews on this page. That Don Birnam, the protagonist is an alcoholic is incidental to me, although some people will buy it for that reason primarily, having read how it changed people's views toward alcoholism. Some may buy it to compare it with the movie version. I have tried to analyze why Jackson's prose is so addictive for me. Perhaps it is because recent books strive too hard to be cool and suggest a world out there that the reader can only hope to experience vicarously, while Jackson describes everyday, mundane events and feelings with brilliance, with descriptions that make me say, "Hey, that happened to me!"

5 out of 5 stars One of the very best American novels.......2005-04-19

I read "The Lost Weekend" after seeing the fine movie starring Ray Milland. The movie gripped me, and hit close to home, but I felt that there was a quality to the writing that made me seek out the book (which was out of print at the time). Boy, am I glad I did. "The Lost Weekend" is an absolute literary masterpiece, capturing a 5-day drunk from an inveterate alcoholic with such chilling accuracy that it actually becomes a suspense novel: there's a scene where the protagonist, Don Birnam, is struggling up 6th avenue to pawn his girlfriend's coat, so he can buy more booze, that is so nail-bitingly horrific that I had to put the book down several times and catch my breath.

Charles Jackson has perfectly captured the madness, compulsion, fear, degradation of addiction and yet this book is unlike any other I've read about alcoholism--the only one that really rivals it is "A Fan's Notes" by Fred Exley, which is the *other* great masterpiece about drinking.

For those of you who might be interested in seeing the flip side of this book, ie, "the horror of sobriety," you might want to check out HALF EMPTY by Tim Hall, which chronicles the madness, fear, and antagonism of early sobriety in much the way this captured the horror of hardcore alcoholism.
How Lost Was My Weekend  - A Greenhorn in Guatemala
Average customer rating: Not rated
    How Lost Was My Weekend - A Greenhorn in Guatemala
    David Dodge
    Manufacturer: Random House
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000JV9MFY
    The Lost Weekend
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Lost Weekend
      Charles Jackson
      Manufacturer: Time, Inc
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000E7FT3W
      How lost was my weekend, a greenhorn in Guatemala ;
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        How lost was my weekend, a greenhorn in Guatemala ;
        David Dodge
        Manufacturer: Home and Van Thal
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding

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        ASIN: B0007J262O
        Weekend at the Movies: The Best Retreats from Reel to Real : Innocence Lost Retreat : Dave, Pleasantville, Big : 14 Blockbuster Retreats for Yough
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Blockbuster
        Weekend at the Movies: The Best Retreats from Reel to Real : Innocence Lost Retreat : Dave, Pleasantville, Big : 14 Blockbuster Retreats for Yough

        Manufacturer: Abingdon Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0687031818

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Blockbuster.......2000-04-02

        The back cover says it all "Youth and movies go together like popcorn and soda." This 1999 ninty-seven page paperback from Abington Press is a terrific resource for youth ministers, priests and teachers to provide a fun filled retreat experience for youth in their church, school, or youth group. This "how to" manual provides leaders with everything necessary to conduct 14 different theme retreats using videos of recent popular movies. For example, movies such as "Plesantville" "Dave" "Big" are used to reflect on "Innocence Lost" Everything is included from copyright issues and movie passes to cautions about specific issues on adult situations in the movies themselves. I reviewed this book in my seminary class and came right home and ordered one. No sense in doing extra work when God and the Abington Editorial Team headed by Wm. Eric Skinner have handed you a "ticket" to success in organizing youth retreats.
        10 Titles Sweet Valley High Series (50-59) : 50. Out of Reach 51. Against the Odds 52. White Lies 53. Second Chance 54. Two-Boy Weekend 55. Perfect Shot 56. Lost at Sea 57. Teacher Crush 58. Brokenhearted 59. In Love Again
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          10 Titles Sweet Valley High Series (50-59) : 50. Out of Reach 51. Against the Odds 52. White Lies 53. Second Chance 54. Two-Boy Weekend 55. Perfect Shot 56. Lost at Sea 57. Teacher Crush 58. Brokenhearted 59. In Love Again
          Francine Pascal , Kate William , and Kate Williams
          Manufacturer: Bantam
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Mass Market Paperback
          ASIN: B000W72C5C

          Product Description

          multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.
          How Lost Was My Weekend - A Greenhorn in Guatemala
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            How Lost Was My Weekend - A Greenhorn in Guatemala

            Manufacturer: Random House
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000GTSORQ
            John Lennon: The Lost Weekend
            Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
            • Compelling Story of Lennon in the 70's
            John Lennon: The Lost Weekend
            May Pang , and Henry Edwards
            Manufacturer: S.P.I. Books
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Mass Market Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
            Lennon, JohnLennon, John | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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            1. John John

            ASIN: 1561711764

            Book Description

            She shared his life, his music and his love. She was his intimate companion during the time known as-

            THE LOST WEEKEND.

            May Pang was twenty-two. She was John and Yoko's personal assistant, a trusted member of their inner circle of carefully chosen friends and associates. She budgeted and contracted for their albums and became an invaluable part of their creative and personal lives.

            When John and Yoko separated, May was enlisted to care for John as he embarked on a period known as "The Lost Weekend" - an intense period of enormous creativity and violent self-destructiveness. She lived, worked, and fell deeply in love with Lennon.

            Together they shared a rocky romance, with Yoko waiting in the wings for John's return. This is her record of that time, a time when John was recording, seeing friends, exploring the world and confronting his own inner demons. It is a personal account written of life with Lennon by a woman who loved and was loved by one of the most fascinating creative men of our time.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Compelling Story of Lennon in the 70's.......2005-10-08

            May Pang, a young woman in her 20's, was working for ABKCO in the early 70's. I was drawn in by the details revealed about how the infamous Allen Klein managed Apple for the former Beatles. It was in the offices of ABKCO that May met John Lennon & Yoko Ono for the first time. The couple liked May and it wasn't long before she became their personal assistant. May witnesses John being drawn into the avante garde world of Yoko and gradually isolated from his friends and family. John & Yoko were living in hotels in New York and Yoko enjoyed spending John's money and planning "art" events to display her talents, such as the film "Fly" and the album of the same name. John got high and watched TV most of the time.

            May describes how George Harrison came to the hotel to ask John to perform at the "Concert for Bangla Desh" and John initially said yes. Yoko wanted to perform too, but George only wanted John. Yoko badgered John so badly about her being in the show that John finally said he would not play at all. I began to see how the rift between George and John developed. After playing on "Imagine" for John, George probably expected John to help him out with the benefit show. John's music also suffered during this period. I've read some critics say John was simply "lazy." I suspect the answer is much more complex. Perhaps Lennon lacked the positive encouragement he needed to create great music, like the support he received from Brian Epstein, George Martin, and fellow Beatles in the 1960's.

            When John & Yoko moved into the Dakota building, May continued to work for them and had an office in their apartment. May assisted John in the studio during the recording of "Mind Games." It was during these recording sessions that a deeper relationship between May and John began to grow. John would ask May if she liked how he played a song and genuinely seemed pleased when she enjoyed his music. It was shortly after the "Mind Games" sessions that Yoko told May "it was okay for her" to start dating John. Yoko said she and John weren't getting along and she'd rather John be with her than with someone she didn't know. May reacted with feelings of confusion and embarrassment, but eventually gave in to Yoko.

            What started as a casual fling blossomed into a serious relationship and May fell in love with John. May lived with John for well over a year and saw John at his best and at his worst. Their time together included the recording of John's albums "Walls and Bridges" and "Rock n Roll." John's first number one single as a solo artist, "Whatever Gets You Through The Night," was released. May convinced John to see Julian more and his son came to visit him in California. John saw Cynthia again when she brought Julian to Los Angeles. It was also a time that John reached out to old and new friends. He sang with Elton John on "Lucy in the sky with Diamonds" and appeared live with Elton in New York where he sang "I Saw Her Standing There" to an ecstatic crowd. John co-wrote and performed on David Bowie's number one hit "Fame." John produced an album for old friend Harry Nillson titled "Pussycats." John wrote songs for Ringo Starr and performed on two of his albums. John even began talking to Paul McCartney again and made plans to perform on his "Venus and Mars" album, but... the reunion of John & Yoko ended all of that.

            May tells the story of how a manipulative Yoko plotted to get John back and succeeded. Before John went back to the Dakota, Yoko insisted that he stick to the story that she had kicked him out and then appeared at Elton John's concert to take him back because she could see that he was ready to come home. John agreed. We then watch as John heartlessly leaves May without an apartment or job to make ends meet. After leaving L.A., May and John had been living together in their own apartment in New York. John had picked out a house he was planning on buying so that they could continue living together. Yoko seemed to cast her shadow over everything connected to John.

            In the final chapter of the book May talks about John's murder. When she heard John had been shot, she went to David Bowie's home and together they cried over the loss of their friend. It was a very touching and unforgetable moment.

            This book is fresh and entertaining. Although there is a lot of Yoko bashing, May's need to set the record straight comes through loud and clear. I enthusiastically recommend this book to all Lennon fans. The paperback edition is only $5.99!
            THE LOST WEEKEND
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              THE LOST WEEKEND

              Manufacturer: Rinehart & Company
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000HS73OQ
              Lost Weekend
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Lost Weekend
                Charles Jackson
                Manufacturer: Farrar & Rinehart
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover
                ASIN: B000O7VWVU

                The American Ethnic Cookbook For Students: (Cookbooks for Students)
                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                • A great cookbook for teachers and adventurous eaters!
                • Especially recommended to members of specialty dining clubs
                • A Fascinating, Funny and Friendly Book about Food
                • Author's Review
                The American Ethnic Cookbook For Students: (Cookbooks for Students)
                Mark H. Zanger
                Manufacturer: Oryx Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: 1573563455

                Book Description

                The first cookbook to present the dishes of more than 120 ethnic groups now in America, The American Ethinic Cookbook for Students illustrates how those dishes have changed throughout the years. This cookbook contains more than 300 recies plus references to ethnography, food history, culture, and the history of American immigration. A bibliography at the end of each ethnic group section is included. Covering the cooking of Native American tribes, old-stock settlers, "old immigrants" from 1840-1920, and the "new immigrants," no other cookbook describes so many different ethnic groups or focuses on the American ethnic experience. Arranged alphabetically by ethnic group, each chapter consists of a brief introduction to the ethnic group, its food history and ethnogaphy, followed by recipes, with step-by-step instructions, techniques hints, and equipment information. Among the 120 ethnic groups included are: Amish-Mennonites, Arcadians, Cugans, Dutch, Cajuns, Eskimos, Hopi, Hungarians, Jamaicans, Jews, Palestinians, Serbs, Sioux, Turks, and Vietnamese.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars A great cookbook for teachers and adventurous eaters!.......2001-07-29

                This is a terrific cookbook, brimming with wonderful facts about the myriad of ethnic groups that people America! Mark Zanger has rounded up not only a great collection of recipes, but also stories about the food and the culture from which it comes. I'm a new teacher with students from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and more...and I love the information provided about favorite dishes of each of these cultures that I can share with my kids! I'm already wishing for volume 2, wanting more recipes from many of these groups. I know I'll use it often.

                5 out of 5 stars Especially recommended to members of specialty dining clubs.......2001-06-08

                Superbly designed as a reference for school and professional cooking school curriculums, Mark Zanger's The American Ethnic Cookbook For Students is ideal for the home chef as well. Virtually every ethnic background represented in the American populace is represented with this impressive collection of culinary dishes that will pleasure the palate and satisfy the appetite. The hundreds of entries are arranged alphabetically by ethnicity and range from Acadian (Cajun) to Zuni. In addition to a wealth of culinary treasures, The American Ethnic Cookbook For Students is enhanced further with appendices on "How To Knead"; "The All Stuffed Cabbage"; "They All Fried Bean Cakes"; "They All Fried Dough"; an annotated bibliography, and index of recipes by states, and a general index. The American Ethnic Cookbook For Students is especially recommended to members of specialty dining clubs whose menus celebrate ethnic cuisines.

                5 out of 5 stars A Fascinating, Funny and Friendly Book about Food.......2001-04-11

                This is the first cookbook that I have stayed up reading in bed. I am not a student in chef school - this book is a gem for anyone interested in people. I loved finding out about other people's family history and heritage, and my own. The introductions to each ethnic group are short and informative. What makes this cookbook really special, though, is its style. The introduction is full of comments about good cooking practices that made me laugh out loud for their truth and wit. I also liked the sensetive comments and suggestions about food substitutions for people with religious and other dietary restrictions. Finally, the recipe directions are simple and clear, never omitting possible adjustments that sometimes are necessary, which experienced chefs would know, but that novices like myself would miss. There are clear illustrations and as always in this book, gentle humour that makes reading and cooking a joy. I look forward to the author's next book.

                5 out of 5 stars Author's Review.......2000-10-27

                I was born to write this book, was fortunate enough to get the contract, and now you can share the fun! It contains a short profile and 2-6 recipes for each of 122 ethnic groups in the United States. The recipes are almost entirely verbatim from church and community cookbooks, internet exchanges, and my files of almost 30 years as a food journalist. The publisher, Oryx Press, wanted a reference book for middle-school and high school students doing assignments in social studies, modern languages, local history, US history, multicultural studies, and those "Roots" assignments that are so popular these days. But I think this book will be delightful reading for anyone interested in roots and other peoples' roots. It's also a very good cookbook -- unlike the clever inventions of chefs, these are proven family recipes, and surprisingly healthful. The book sticks to supermarket ingredients, and the recipes have a range of difficulty. Some of the recipes with a lot of steps, such as

                the stack cakes of Icelandic-Americans, Scotch-Irish-Americans, and Melungeons, make good class or group projects.

                Speaking of Melungeons, the book contains some small and little known ethnic groups, including rare recipes from Gypsy-Americans, Vlach-Americans, and Garifuna; ethno-religious groups like the Mormons and the Black Muslims; groups that formed in the United States, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch and the New Mexico Hispanics; the ten largest Indian tribes (and 12 smaller Native groups); and almost all immigrant groups with more than 100,000 descendants on the 1990 Census Ancestry Survey.

                From the Acadians (Cajuns) to the Zuni, from Amish Church Peanut Butter Spread to Zazich and Zgance, from breakfast dishes to midnight snacks, this is a wild anthology of the many delicious ways American cooks have held onto group identities while bringing traditional dishes into American lifestyles.

                You have never read a cookbook like this before, and you may never see one another like it until I finish The American Historical Cookbook for Students next year. --Mark
                The Multicultural Cookbook for Students (Cookbooks for Students)
                Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                • Perfect for Girl Scout Troops and the classroom!
                • A great book for young cooks.
                • Brilliant, Concise Multicultural Reference
                • Provides a taste of culture and comments on each country
                The Multicultural Cookbook for Students (Cookbooks for Students)
                Carole Lisa Albyn , and Lois Sinaiko Webb
                Manufacturer: Oryx Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

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                Similar Items:
                1. The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fun Around the World (Williamson Kids Can! Series) The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fun Around the World (Williamson Kids Can! Series)

                ASIN: 0897747356

                Book Description

                Take an appetizing tour of the world with The Multicultural Cookbook for Students. Arranged by region and then by country, each group of recipes is preceded by a brief description of the geography, history, and culinary traditions of the country. Recipes list the number of people served per dish, the ingredients--with appropriate substitutions for more exotic items--the equipment needed, and easy-to-follow directions for the preparation of dishes. A glossary is also included. Recommended for grades 4-12.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Perfect for Girl Scout Troops and the classroom!.......2004-04-22

                My girl scouts and I have used this cookbook many times for World Thinking Day recipes. The variety of recipes and countries represented is great - you will find recipes for countries not in your average international cookbook. The recipes range from fast and easy to more time consuming and complicated. However, that makes this cookbook suitable for all age groups. I have also used this cookbook in the classroom with 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders.

                5 out of 5 stars A great book for young cooks........2003-12-07

                I have to applaud this book. It blends its United Nations like ambassadorship with a practical knowledge of cooking. There are so few great cookbooks for young people and this, 1993 edition of this book, is one of them.

                As far as the authenticity of the recipes, as a Bulgarian-American, I can offer my opinion on the selections for Bulgaria. There are three accurate and appropriate yogurt based recipes: tarator, lassi and homemade yogurt itself. Certainly signature dishes from the country. (Not to mention seeing yogurt made for the first time is pretty neat when you're a kid and are used to seeing it only in little cups from the supermarket!)

                The practical knowledge presented for cooking surprised me. Usually cookbooks for children are 'dumbed down' but this one gives them real instruction while speaking to them in appropriate language. Much better in fact than handouts for Home Ec. class they'll get in middle school or junior high.

                Now a warning. There is a 2001 version of this book under the same title and template but with completely different recipes. Personally, I find this 1993 version friendlier and more appropriate. You might feel different, but suffice it to say, there are two completely different books out there under the same title and press.

                5 out of 5 stars Brilliant, Concise Multicultural Reference.......2001-01-03

                Carole Lisa Albyn, a branch librarian and former children's librarian, dedicates this book to the child, who, in a very small voice, so small that she had to lean over to hear, asked for a recipe from "Yemen, South Yemen." She says, "This is my way of apology for sending you off without anything because all I had to offer was a coffee recipe from South Yemen."

                At our library, this has become one of the most useful references for students who need concise information on a particular country. Each section is organized by geographical, agricultural and even some religious information. "Somalis are Sunni Muslim. This is important to note because no form of alcohol is allowed. Instead, Somalis drink tea or milk." There's a section on common sense, safety and cleanliness, reminding children that the book is designed to teach them about the countries, not as an introduction to cooking methods in general. In almost every case, there are at least two recipes for each country listed. Some countries have more, some have fewer. There's a glossary of terms to explain unfamiliar words. The book ends with a comprehensive index, listing recipe names major ingredients, and other terms.

                As a librarian, it is wonderful to be able to refer students to such a thorough resource. It is the dedication and drive of people like Carole Lisa Albyn that make wonderful references such as the Multicultural Cookbook for Students.

                5 out of 5 stars Provides a taste of culture and comments on each country.......1999-08-04

                This book is an excellant cookbook with recipies from many countries. I have checked it out at least 10 times from our local library and I plan on buying my own copy since I keep checking it out. I cook at least one of these recipies each month as the class studies a particular country.
                Multicultural Cookbook of Life-Cycle Celebrations: (Cookbooks for Students)
                Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                • "A" for effort; but some fact-checking and editing needed
                • A highly recommended addition to the adventurous cook
                • Multifaceted Masterpiece
                Multicultural Cookbook of Life-Cycle Celebrations: (Cookbooks for Students)
                Lois Sinaiko Webb
                Manufacturer: Oryx Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

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                ASIN: 1573562904

                Book Description

                While the literary world is filled with international cookbooks, as well as cookbooks for children, none combine both features as does Multicultural Cookbook of Life-Cycle Celebrations. Webb covers the celebrations and the recipes that take a person from cradle to grave. Arranged by region and country, the latest multicultural cookbook is an ideal resource for all classes that use culinary customs to bolster curriculums, presenting more than 250 authentic recipes, it includes interesting introductions about each celebration.

                Customer Reviews:

                3 out of 5 stars "A" for effort; but some fact-checking and editing needed.......2001-06-25

                "The Multicultural Cookbook of Life-Cycle Celebrations" presents more than 500 recipes (from about 140 countries) for foods eaten at important "life-cycle celebrations", e.g., birth, coming of age, marriage, housewarming, etc. The recipes are accompanied by introductory texts containing cultural and geographic information. The recipes are modernized and streamlined for cooks in the developed world (e.g., canned and frozen foods are used in place of less processed counterparts, more common ingredients are often substituted for rarer ones); this may be a good thing or not depending on what you're looking for. The book is aimed at students and has a class-project feel to it. While there is much to admire here, I found several things that concern me. Consider the following from the "Africa" section of the book:

                1) A recipe from Tanzania with the Swahili title "Ndizi na Nyama" is called "Stewed Tomatoes with Bananas". "Ndizi" means "Banana" (or "Plantain"), "na" means "and", and "Nyama" means "Meat", but there is no meat in the recipe. Maybe the recipe is "Ndizi na Nyanya" (i.e., "Bananas and Tomatoes").

                2) A recipe from Gabon for "Gâteau" is a recipe for French bread. "Gâteau" is the French word for "cake", and "pain" is the French word for "bread". The text explains that people in Cameroon and Gabon use the word "gâteau" (instead of "pain") to refer to bread. I lived in Gabon for two years and will be the first to admit that the French language as spoken in Africa often differs from that in France, but I never met anyone who called bread anything other than "pain". Perhaps things are different in Cameroon. (Interestingly, the Gabonese almost always did use the word "gâteau" to refer what the rest of the French-speaking world call "beignets", that is, "doughnuts".)

                3) Why does a recipe in the "Egypt" section for "Egyptian-Style Eggplant Salad" have the title "Auberginen auf Ägyptische Art" (which is German for "Eggplant in the Egyptian Style")? I don't get it.

                4) Why call the "stiff cornmeal porridge", which is eaten all over Sub-Saharan Africa, by its Lesotho name "Putu" even when it appears in dishes from other countries where it is called by other names? The more common Eastern African name, "Ugali", is never mentioned.

                These may seem very small matters, and they don't affect the quality of the recipes, but they make this reviewer begin to wonder about the rest of the book, especially unfamiliar recipes. Despite the fact that most of the recipes and related texts seem correct (as far as I can tell), until this book gets a complete going-over by a team of fact checkers, I cannot recommend it.

                5 out of 5 stars A highly recommended addition to the adventurous cook.......2001-02-24

                Drawn for all corners of the world, the recipes found in Multicultural Cookbook Of Life-Cycle Celebrations are organized by nations of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, North and South America, and the islands of the sea. From Yegomen Kitfo (Collards with Spiced Cottage Cheese), Talamee (Syrian Loaf Bread), and Kielbasa z Kapustoy (Sausage with Cabbage), to Vadas (Fried Lentil Puffs), Bacalaitos (Fried Cod Fritters), and Los Camotes (Candied Sweet Potatoes), these dishes represent the complete spectrum of cultures, countries, and culinary customs. Multicultural Cookbook Of Life-Cycle Celebrations is a highly recommended addition to the adventurous kitchen cook and a super reference for ethnic "theme" dinners and dining clubs.

                5 out of 5 stars Multifaceted Masterpiece.......2000-12-31

                This is a reference book packed with information on the history, population, celebrations, customs, rituals and feasts of many countries and cultures of the world. It has proven valuable for students writing papers on "A Typical Day In The Life Of A Syrian Teenager", as well as brides planning an authentic French wedding complete with Croquembouche and Beignets Souffles. Extensive explanations are given, at the beginning of the book, for necessary ingredients and common techniques in the recipes listed. This is wonderful for young adults, and the definitions are thorough every step of the way. An excellent book to have in your own cookbook collection.

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