Perhaps you are aware of the fact that there is an oddly popular trivia game floating around that a group of clever (and likely bored) college...
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Actually, I did not read it: I listened to the audio book, and I recommend you do the same.
First off, Heaney reads it himself, and his voice is beautiful. Second, as with other alliterative medieval poems such as Sir Gawain (there's an audiobook read by Terry Jones), the alliteration and the special rhythm have much more impact when you listen to it. It's like listening to the most beautiful music, or being transported back in time. It was meant to be heard, and Heaney's translation, and reading, more than do it justice.
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
There are many books about collecting kaleidoscopes, but very few about creating them. The few I have found about building kaleidoscopes are either very technical or the designs are so simplistic that they are hardly worth making.
Gary Newlin's book is perfect: There are 24 ingenious designs made with easy-to-find objects. The beginning section has enough technical information that you can understand the basics of designing mirror systems (materials, angles, lengths)and housing them safely. The second section has color photos of some truly inspirational 'scopes to show you where you can go with kaleidoscope design. And, of course, the last section has well-illustrated, detailed instructions for building 24 'scopes.
Any artist would enjoy this book, and it should be in every K-12 science or math teacher's arsenal. It's out-of-print, so if you see a copy, grab it!
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
If I were rating this just on recipes, I'd give it a 5. The dishes in this book are beautiful, inspired and tasty, no doubt about it. While some are fairly complicated, many are a snap. The coconut macaroons are divine, and their idea to use sliced young coconut meat to replace noodles is a keeper. I also appreciated that they are not "hard core" raw.
On the other hand, the "non-recipe" portions of the book are a little too "look at us, aren't we beautiful?" for my taste. The glossy photo on the cover is a clue to the sorts of photos and minute autobiographical detail you'll find inside. But once I tried the food, I felt much more forgiving; in fact, I applaud the generosity of anyone willing to share the amount of labor that went into the development of these recipes. And, hey, you can't deny--they DO look good.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(10 of 18 readers found this comment helpful)
Wow! This is one of our favorite "family" cookbooks, for several reasons. First of all, it is geared toward making dinner in a hurry with what you have on hand. Many recipes can be made in under 30 minutes--that's faster than ordering takeout! Most recipes include menu ideas. Moreover, the recipes are highly adaptable: For instance, they have a casserole made of yams, black-eyed peas and kale, but we have substituted any yellow vegetable, any green vegetable and any mild bean. And of course, you can enjoy the pasta sauces on anything: The artichoke sauce plus quinoa and chopped veggies makes a great cold salad.
For the most part, these are quick family meals, but many work well for entertaining in a hurry. The recipes are simple and foolproof. This is an excellent first cookbook for beginners, and a great standby for experienced cooks who would like to cook more simply and healthfully.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(29 of 37 readers found this comment helpful)
This book is primarily about tempeh production. If you enjoy eating tempeh but are put off by the high cost, this book is for you. For the price of a small 8-ounce package at the health food store, you can make pounds of tempeh at home. Shurtleff covers many tempeh variations using different beans, grains and seasonings.
The instructions are clear, both for home production and for community production, with lots of ideas for inexpensive incubators, tempeh forms, and hulling methods. (We incubate ours in the oven with the pilot light adjusted to a low flame.) Shurtleff also describes methods for producing tempeh starter, most of which are very simple and do indeed produce good-quality innoculant. (For your first starter, try GEM Cultures, 707-964-2922. Excellent service. Link below.)
Beyond the excellent basic cooking instructions, the majority of recipes in this book are Indonesian, with a few "hippy"-type recipes added. If you're looking for a comprehensive book of innovative tempeh dishes, look elsewhere.
http://www.gemcultures.com/soy_cultures.htm
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(7 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)
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Annamarie has commented on (5) products.
Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney
Annamarie, March 9, 2011
Actually, I did not read it: I listened to the audio book, and I recommend you do the same.First off, Heaney reads it himself, and his voice is beautiful. Second, as with other alliterative medieval poems such as Sir Gawain (there's an audiobook read by Terry Jones), the alliteration and the special rhythm have much more impact when you listen to it. It's like listening to the most beautiful music, or being transported back in time. It was meant to be heard, and Heaney's translation, and reading, more than do it justice.
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
Simple Kaleidoscopes: 24 Spectacular Scopes to Make by Gary Newlin
Annamarie, March 9, 2011
There are many books about collecting kaleidoscopes, but very few about creating them. The few I have found about building kaleidoscopes are either very technical or the designs are so simplistic that they are hardly worth making.Gary Newlin's book is perfect: There are 24 ingenious designs made with easy-to-find objects. The beginning section has enough technical information that you can understand the basics of designing mirror systems (materials, angles, lengths)and housing them safely. The second section has color photos of some truly inspirational 'scopes to show you where you can go with kaleidoscope design. And, of course, the last section has well-illustrated, detailed instructions for building 24 'scopes.
Any artist would enjoy this book, and it should be in every K-12 science or math teacher's arsenal. It's out-of-print, so if you see a copy, grab it!
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Raw Food Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow by Matthew Kenney
Annamarie, August 10, 2006
If I were rating this just on recipes, I'd give it a 5. The dishes in this book are beautiful, inspired and tasty, no doubt about it. While some are fairly complicated, many are a snap. The coconut macaroons are divine, and their idea to use sliced young coconut meat to replace noodles is a keeper. I also appreciated that they are not "hard core" raw.On the other hand, the "non-recipe" portions of the book are a little too "look at us, aren't we beautiful?" for my taste. The glossy photo on the cover is a clue to the sorts of photos and minute autobiographical detail you'll find inside. But once I tried the food, I felt much more forgiving; in fact, I applaud the generosity of anyone willing to share the amount of labor that went into the development of these recipes. And, hey, you can't deny--they DO look good.
(10 of 18 readers found this comment helpful)
Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day by Moosewood Collective
Annamarie, April 20, 2006
Wow! This is one of our favorite "family" cookbooks, for several reasons. First of all, it is geared toward making dinner in a hurry with what you have on hand. Many recipes can be made in under 30 minutes--that's faster than ordering takeout! Most recipes include menu ideas. Moreover, the recipes are highly adaptable: For instance, they have a casserole made of yams, black-eyed peas and kale, but we have substituted any yellow vegetable, any green vegetable and any mild bean. And of course, you can enjoy the pasta sauces on anything: The artichoke sauce plus quinoa and chopped veggies makes a great cold salad.For the most part, these are quick family meals, but many work well for entertaining in a hurry. The recipes are simple and foolproof. This is an excellent first cookbook for beginners, and a great standby for experienced cooks who would like to cook more simply and healthfully.
(29 of 37 readers found this comment helpful)
The Book of Tempeh
Annamarie, April 20, 2006
This book is primarily about tempeh production. If you enjoy eating tempeh but are put off by the high cost, this book is for you. For the price of a small 8-ounce package at the health food store, you can make pounds of tempeh at home. Shurtleff covers many tempeh variations using different beans, grains and seasonings.The instructions are clear, both for home production and for community production, with lots of ideas for inexpensive incubators, tempeh forms, and hulling methods. (We incubate ours in the oven with the pilot light adjusted to a low flame.) Shurtleff also describes methods for producing tempeh starter, most of which are very simple and do indeed produce good-quality innoculant. (For your first starter, try GEM Cultures, 707-964-2922. Excellent service. Link below.)
Beyond the excellent basic cooking instructions, the majority of recipes in this book are Indonesian, with a few "hippy"-type recipes added. If you're looking for a comprehensive book of innovative tempeh dishes, look elsewhere.
http://www.gemcultures.com/soy_cultures.htm
(7 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)