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The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Michael Pollan

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals Michael Pollan Amazon Price: $26.37
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By: Penguin Audio
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 452 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Great Two-Thirds of a Book I Couldn't Finish 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My title says it all. I ripped through the first two-thirds or so thinking this was one of the greatest non-fiction books I've read. I learned a ton about the business of food production I never knew, told in a excellent narrative style that made the book a page-turner. But then he went pig hunting and started to bore the bejesus out of me, and the mushroom hunt was even worse. I finally put the book down during the mushroom chapter, never to pick it up again. Five stars before the pig hunt, one star afterwords.

Excellent Book, Great reading 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Feels good to be aware of what is going on w/ our food, our world, our economy, and others around us. Don't be an Ostrich....

One of the most interesting books you will ever read. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I went into this book with the expectation it would shove a bunch of ideals down my throat, and try to turn me into a vegan. This couldn't be further from the truth. From the very start of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan simply presents the facts (and his own experiences) and leaves the rest up to you. But even more, he does this with clear, compelling, intelligent writing that truly opens your eyes and makes even the most mundane science about corn more interesting than you could ever imagine. His conclusions are interspersed with fascinating stories about his experiences at farms throughout the country. And his facts are clearly presented and supported by reliable sources and impressive research. No matter how you look at food (or even if you don't, as I hadn't), this book will keep you intrigued and get you thinking about your eating habits. If you leave the book wanting more concrete advice for what to eat (or what not to), check out Pollan's next book, In Defense of Food, (another great read).

Editorial Review:

The bestselling author of The Botany of Desire explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century.

Unabridged CDs -11 CDs, 13 hours

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Michael Pollan

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto Michael Pollan Amazon Price: $19.77
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By: Penguin Audio
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 176 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Amazon Significant Seven, January 2008: Food is the one thing that Americans hate to love and, as it turns out, love to hate. What we want to eat has been ousted by the notion of what we should eat, and it's at this nexus of hunger and hang-up that Michael Pollan poses his most salient question: where is the food in our food? What follows in In Defense of Food is a series of wonderfully clear and thoughtful answers that help us omnivores navigate the nutritional minefield that's come to typify our food culture. Many processed foods vie for a spot in our grocery baskets, claiming to lower cholesterol, weight, glucose levels, you name it. Yet Pollan shows that these convenient "healthy" alternatives to whole foods are appallingly inconvenient: our health has a nation has only deteriorated since we started exiling carbs, fats--even fruits--from our daily meals. His razor-sharp analysis of the American diet (as well as its architects and its detractors) offers an inspiring glimpse of what it would be like if we could (a la Humpty Dumpty) put our food back together again and reconsider what it means to eat well. In a season filled with rallying cries to lose weight and be healthy, Pollan's call to action—"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."--is a program I actually want to follow. --Anne Bartholomew

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

Anthony Bourdain

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly Anthony Bourdain Amazon Price: $13.57
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By: Random House Audio
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 571 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Most diners believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. The truth is more brutal. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential, that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. Such is the muscular view of the culinary trenches from one who's been groveling in them, with obvious sadomasochistic pleasure, for more than 20 years. CIA-trained Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. He is obscenely eloquent, unapologetically opinionated, and a damn fine storyteller--a Jack Kerouac of the kitchen. Those without the stomach for this kind of joyride should note his opening caveat: "There will be horror stories. Heavy drinking, drugs, screwing in the dry-goods area, unappetizing industry-wide practices. Talking about why you probably shouldn't order fish on a Monday, why those who favor well-done get the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel, and why seafood frittata is not a wise brunch selection.... But I'm simply not going to deceive anybody about the life as I've seen it." --Sumi Hahn

Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 1: Dining Etiquette

Mike Lininger

Essential Etiquette Fundamentals, Vol. 1: Dining Etiquette Mike Lininger Amazon Price: $14.95
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By: Yellowstone Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Social Skills 101: An Essential Etiquette Guide

A valuable client is in town and needs to be entertained. You are interviewing for a great new job and your prospective employer suggests you go out for lunch. You are on a first date with someone special. It is time to finally ask your boss for a raise. No problem, right? You are charming, well-dressed, funny, smart, and successful. Everybody loves you. You are going to knock'em dead......but, what about your table manners? Pass the bread the wrong way and your valuable client thinks you are a clumsy halfwit. Grab your prospective employer's water glass by mistake and she begins to question your poise under pressure. Argue with the waiter and someone special decides you are really a jerk. Tear at your lobster like an animal and you can stop worrying about getting a raise and start worrying about keeping your job. Etiquette matters. Whether you are a new intern at your first formal business dinner, or a seasoned professional out for a power lunch, business meals are big business. A lack of manners is just plain bad business. Organized in five easy, enjoyable lessons, the Food Scholar Dining Etiquette CD includes all the practical information you need to make a great impression at your next business meal or social engagement. It is simply the best dining etiquette reference available. Don't eat another important meal without listening to this CD first!

Quick and easy learning. Food Scholar has made its etiquette lessons available in audio format for your convenience. Listen on CD or download the lessons to your MP3 player and learn at the gym, on the plane or in your car on the way to a client meeting, job interview, romantic dinner, or other important dining event.

A valuable tool for any professional. If you entertain clients or dine with colleagues, your table manners reflect on your overall level of professionalism. Food Scholar's comprehensive, thoroughly researched etiquette CD quickly teaches you every dining etiquette rule you need to correctly handle any dining situation.

Vital job interview information. Your résumé may get you the interview, but it's how you handle the interview that gets you the job. Conversation, handling the utensils -- it's the little things that matter. Employers conduct interviews during meals to evaluate how applicants handle themselves in a social setting. Polish your etiquette skills by listening to the Food Scholar etiquette lesson.

For your social life. People are impressed when you treat them with respect. By completing the Food Scholar etiquette lesson you will learn how to be seated, correctly identify tableware, handle silverware, properly order your meal, handle hard-to-eat foods, gracefully pay the check, and much more!

Great gift for students or any professional.

The Food Scholar Dining Etiquette lesson includes five informative units:

Unit One: The Restaurant and Your Table (including arriving at the restaurant and being seated, understanding who is who in the dining room, and identifying silverware, plates & glassware)

Unit Two: Ordering and Enjoying the Meal (including ordering, using your napkin, handling silverware, using finger bowls & hot towels, and handling difficult-to-eat foods)

Unit Three: Handling the Check (covering paying the check and tipping the restaurant staff)

Unit Four: Special Topics (including managing business meals and handling awkward & unexpected situations)

Dining Etiquette Essentials Unit (a convenient summary of all units that can be reviewed en route to a restaurant for quick & easy reference)

The Food Scholar Dining Etiquette CD is an essential reference for everyone!

Relax Your Way to Thin! Hypnosis Weight Loss Motivation

Beverly Hills Hypnosis, Trevor H Scott

Relax Your Way to Thin!  Hypnosis Weight Loss Motivation Beverly Hills Hypnosis, Trevor H Scott Amazon Price: $19.55
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By: Beverly Hills Therapy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Hypnosis Weight Loss. Fast - Easy - Effective!
Imagine craving salad instead of chocolate or an apple instead of ice cream simply by listening to this Hypnosis Weight Loss CD as you drift to sleep each night!
Weight loss can be that easy!
Your impulse to eat unhealthy food originates in your subconscious. This weight loss hypnosis CD stops these unwanted cravings at their source. When your subconscious mind supports your weight loss goals, you will naturally make healthier choices.
Permanent Weight Loss has never been easier!
Why is "Relax Your Way to Thin!" so effective?
By creating direct access to the most powerful part of the mind, the subconscious, you can teach your subconscious mind to automatically act in the ways that best suit your goals, rather than relying on poor habits that you've built up over the years.
When you align what you consciously desire with your subconscious motivations...your possibilities are endless!
Can everyone be hypnotized?
Yes. Have you ever been driving a familiar route home and suddenly arrived at your destination without remembering the last few minutes of the drive? This is one example of our subconscious mind taking over the routine details of life. Our subconscious mind handles most of our day to day activities. That is the subconscious mind's job - to handle the details of life, while our conscious mind handles the more important needs.
Most clients are amazed at how quickly they accomplish their desired results. Unlike traditional therapies, Hypnotherapy is able to help you reach your goals without going through years of self-exploration.
When You Are Ready!
Reach your goals faster than ever! You can and will make permanent, positive changes in your personal and professional life. Beverly Hills Hypnosis offers an effective, relaxing, drug-free choice for change.

Skinny Bitch: A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous

Rory Freedman; Kim Barnouin

Skinny Bitch: A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous Rory Freedman; Kim Barnouin Amazon Price: $18.24
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 787 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Just the kick in the pants I needed 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

'Skinny Bitch'. I would not have guessed by the title that this was a book written by a couple of vegans, but I loved it! I have no problem with the language, being a foul-mouthed former Army chick myself. In fact, I loved the way they insulted my fat, disgusting *ss! Everything they write is the truth about the sick way I've been treating my body. As for veganism, having fallen off the wagon after 10 years of being a vegetarian, it was just the inspiration I needed to jump back on. The recipes were all foods that I enjoyed as a vegetarian, and reminded me that I really won't miss nasty, putrid flesh after a couple of weeks. Everyone who consumes animal products should read the chapter on factory farming. If you think it's too graphic and difficult to stomach, TOO BAD!! That's the reality of what you are doing to animals, yourself and the planet. In summary, this book excited me about getting healthy. I like the attitude with which it was presented. If I have one complaint, it is that processed vegan foods should be used sparingly, rather than as dietary staples. I would recommend this book to anyone who is concerned with having a healthy body, clean conscience and liveable planet.

Editorial Review:

Not your typical boring diet book, this is a tart-tongued, no-holds-barred wake-up call to all women who want to be thin.

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

Eric Schlosser

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal Eric Schlosser Amazon Price: $23.07
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1403 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat.

Schlosser's investigation reaches its frightening peak in the meatpacking plants as he reveals the almost complete lack of federal oversight of a seemingly lawless industry. His searing portrayal of the industry is disturbingly similar to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, written in 1906: nightmare working conditions, union busting, and unsanitary practices that introduce E. coli and other pathogens into restaurants, public schools, and homes. Almost as disturbing is his description of how the industry "both feeds and feeds off the young," insinuating itself into all aspects of children's lives, even the pages of their school books, while leaving them prone to obesity and disease. Fortunately, Schlosser offers some eminently practical remedies. "Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," he writes. Where to begin? Ask yourself, is the true cost of having it "your way" really worth it? --Lesley Reed

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

Amy Sedaris

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence Amy Sedaris Amazon Price: $19.79
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 210 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Wow! This Is Good Stuff! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Can you believe this book???? Practical, funny, creative, liberated, boy it just racks up positive adjectives, doesn't it? But be forewarned, it's also revoltingly gross here and there and above all this is comedy, not a foray too far into Martha Stewart territory. But then again, if you needed me to tell you that you probably don't know who Amy Sedaris is. I had fun reading Amy Sedaris' assault on vulnerable Eisenhower-era values, actually learned a thing or two, and, who knows, might try a few of her recipes next time I'm feeling antidisestablishmentalitarian. And, oh yeah, her, ahem, charming wit is amusing too. (Marbles in the medicine cabinet?! What to do with organic lemons? Where the heck does she get that stuff?) I'm a fan of books that walk the thin line between parody and information, offensive and endearing, and gods help us, the irreverent I Like You does that extremely well.

Editorial Review:

The charismatic and multi-talented Amy Sedaris is many things: actress, author, and yes, David Sedariss sister. Now, she takes on the world of entertaining in this blisteringly funny collection of bizarre tips, recipes and craft ideas (like mini pantyhose plant-hangers!) perfect for hosting an unforgettable fete. Your guests will rave.

Pumpkin Soup Book & CD

Helen Cooper

Pumpkin Soup Book & CD Helen Cooper By: Corgi
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Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Warm, FUNNY, great illustrations - family favorite 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I did not know the extent to which my daughter would come to love this book when I purchased it. Had I known, I would have found a hardcover edition. Let me just say, this is the first book that my almost 4 year old memorized (word for word). This is the first book that my 9 year old will go to when he wants to read to her (e.g. he wants to read it and needs an excuse).

It is a warm tale about friendship, sharing, and overcoming conflict/compromise. It handles conflict naturally (e.g. real characters that really argue and act just like my kids). Real characters with real feelings and vivid imaginations portrayed with flawless, humorous illustrations (we especially love when Squirrel and Cat envision Duck's new shop). The colors of the artwork are warm and orange - just like pumpkin soup. You feel like you are peering in on their lives (like the two little bugs that appear on every page). Most importantly, this book does not come off preachy - so I think it rings true with children. In fact, my daughter uses this book to relate sharing issues - all I need to say is "remember how Duck wanted to use Squirrel's special spoon?" and she gets it - instantly.

And - for some odd reason - my children are now fascinated with pumpkins and want to cook. We have made pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ravioli... and.... Pumpkin soup - The Best You Ever Tasted!

Editorial Review:

By the Kate Greenaway MedalistDeep in the woods in an old white cabin, three friends make their pumpkin soup the same way every day. The Cat slices up the pumpkin, the Squirrel stirs in the water, and the Duck tips in just enough salt. But one day the Duck wants to stir instead, and then there is a horrible squabble, and he leaves the cabin in a huff. It isn't long before the Cat and the Squirrel start to worry about him and begin a search for their friend. Rendered in pictures richly evoking autumn, Helen Cooper's delightful story will resonate for an child who has known the difficulties that come with friendship. Included at the end is a recipe for delicious pumpkin soup.

Wine for Dummies CD 4th Edition (For Dummies (Lifestyles Audio))

Ed Mccarthy, Mary Mulligan

Wine for Dummies CD 4th Edition (For Dummies (Lifestyles Audio)) Ed Mccarthy, Mary Mulligan Amazon Price: $10.17
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 61 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Wine for Dummies, Mary Ewing-Mulligan teams up with hubby and fellow wine educator Ed McCarthy to guide us on an exhaustive, entertaining trip around the enological--that's right, enological--world. Though clearly experts themselves (Ewing-Mulligan is one of a handful of Americans holding the rare title Master of Wine), the authors assure us that even the most basic knowledge will undermine the very notion of wine pretension. It's as simple as this: "This wine is named for a grape variety. This wine is named for a geographical region. When they make this kind of wine, it goes into this kind of bottle." And so on.

By providing the context in which to begin exploring wine, Wine for Dummies can easily become the send-off for a lifelong education. McCarthy and Mulligan deflate many of the wine snob's attitudes; they assure us that most wine sold today is "good wine," and that any further distinctions made about wine are ultimately subjective. The practical, jovial mentoring the authors provide encourages readers to chart their own course toward drinking great wine (although the authors naturally recommend dozens of their own favorites along the way). In later chapters, McCarthy and Mulligan delve into more serious topics such as investing in and cellaring wine. Even these discussions seem appropriate, given that you'll probably find the allure of wine growing as its mystery subsides to the force of this superb introductory text. --Todd Gehman


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