5 comments about Stonewall Kitchen Harvest: Celebrating the Bounty of the Seasons.

1. I live to cook. I love to eat. The Stonewall Kitchen Harvest cookbook is an inspiration for both. Call me a "foodie", but as they say, "Don't call me late." Cook your way through this user-friendly book and you're going to have a lot fun in the kitchen and meal-after-meal of really good food. I've been a fan of Stonewall's since discovering their jams a dozen or so years ago and when I saw the book, I thought it was just a collection of recipes using their products. Not. If their first book is this good, I'm going to order a used one. On second thought, I don't think I want a used cookbook. Eeeuu!



2. Stonewall Kitchen Harvest is everything one wants in a new cookbook; lucious recipes and photos that lure the reader in. My first glimpse into the book elicited an "ooh, I want to try that" response. I was reminded that there is a small thrill in finding the freshest of ingrediants and this book celebrates those ingrediants with recipes that seem eminently do-able. Between Jim Stott and Jonathan King's stylish approach and Kathy's irresistable writing, they have produced a gorgeous cookbook.



3. This was a gift from a friend. I'm not a wonderful cook but I like to try new recipes. I have made made several recipes from this book and each has been perfect - very tasty - and not too difficult. Recently some friends came over for dinner and I made one of the dishes, and my friend now wants to go out and get it too. Highest praise, I'd say.



4. This is a wonderful cookbook. Great range of recipes wih fresh fruits and vegetables as the stars of these colorful dishes. Great for casual dinners with friends. The extra information on cooking tips, serving suggestions are helpful. This also makes a great gift - the photos are beautiful.



5. This book presents an incredible array of possibilities for entertaining friends and family with easy to prepare dishes. It pulls together many New England classics from my favorite region. The approach is so simple and straight-forward, that even a kitchen-klutz like myself can muster an admirable presentation! The photos alone will make your stomach growl! It was a finalist in the IACP cookbook awards for 2005.

3 comments about The Best of the Appalachian Trail Day Hikes, 2nd.

1. It was incredible to have somewhere to look that didn't give me 45 day journey's. I found the best trails and the steepest trails right at my fingertips. Because of this book, my husband and I decided to spend our week long vacation hiking the trail instead of day trips in NY, NJ and PA!



2. If you like to hike, but don't like to spend too long in the mountains, this book is for you. Very well thought out and rich in detail, I've found the suggested hikes to be quite accurate in their descriptions, times, etc. One of the hardest things about day hikes is knowing how long it will take, and how you will get started and finished. the authors of this book went to great lenghts to make sure that they give you exactly the kind of information you need. I've hiked about 10 of the trails mentioned in this book, and I loved every mile of them--i even made it back in time for dinner :-)



3. Just bought this and Best of the AT Overnight Hikes and am really enjoying them. I know I will never hike the whole trail, but these two books give me the best that the Appalachian Trail has to offer without having to hike evey inch of it. The books are well-organized and you can glean a lot of information at a glance; later you can go back and get the specifics of the hikes. This is edition has been a major revision of the first edition with more than a third of the hikes being brand new and all of the hike information--length, difficulty, trail route, driving directions, etc.--updated. I (and you will too) will be making great use of them.

5 comments about Broken Music: A Memoir.

1. "Son, can't you play something nicer then that," "She struggles to find a
   
   word to describe my efforts" "that broken music?' That is what the
   
   grandmother of sting said about his piano playing at a young age. The book
   
   Broken Music is the autobiography of singer/songwriter/actor, Sting.
   
   Unlike a normal musician's biography about their stardom, Sting chooses to
   
   write about moments of his life that he felt meant the most to him, though
   
   the end does give some parts to the story of how his most famous band The
   
   Police was formed and some of their early shows. The characters vary from
   
   his childhood friends to his band mates Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers,
   
   and Henry Padovini. My personal favorite part is when he visits a Jimi
   
   Hendrix concert and he gives great details on that. The one thing that I
   
   found outrageous about this book was he seemed to make everybody seem like
   
   they were always getting mad and doing bad things but it makes him look
   
   like he is the perfect person and by the things I have heard about him he
   
   has the most horrible temper and had a lot of enmity for other people. But
   
   I did like the fact that he did include the sacking of their original
   
   guitarist Henry Padovini. Over all I give the book a 4 and half out of 5.I was also glad that he did put the birth of his band The Police even though it did not go into to his stardom which was probably a good idea. I suggest this book for mature 8th graders and up because there are some scenes that contain some words and scenes that would take mature readers.But still a great book.
   
   
   -Walker Kennedy



2. I'm a great fan of Sting since a long time and I was fortunate enough to attend three Sting live concerts. I find his music and lyrics very touching and powerful. The book is written in a beautiful, poetic way as it describes the life of Sting (real name Gordon Sumner) starting from is early childhood til mid 2000s. The only complain I have regarding the book is a big deep gap in time from the end of the Police until he started his solo career. Still it's a wonderful read that will uncage your soul.



3. Sting has really hit a home run with Broken Music. It was very interresting to see how a above average gradeschool kid from a disfunctional family, with little ambition, turned into one of the most recognized, rock and new-age composer/singers of the last thirty years. The only explanation has to be - 'he didn't have a choice, it was meant to be.'
   
   Sting shows great skill in describing the settings, characters and events of various eras in his life. Unfortunately, this particular memoir only really takes you as far as the first Police album in the late 70s. It did leave me wishing for more however.
   
   My only problem was the extremely abrupt ending. I was totally involved in the story, and I was looking forward to learning about how he and the band responded to super stardom - and it was over. The words stopped, and I was stunned.
   
   The book contains some harsh language, but it only helps you understand the real conversations he was involved in during his life.



4. I had already read this book at my local public library and decided I had to purchase it for my own. If you asked me why I can give you a variety of reasons. I could say that I've always been a huge Sting fan and his music has always inspired me. I could say that I found his writing to be very personable and to read his story felt almost like having a chat with him. However, the fact of the matter is that I enjoyed reading his story. It is honest, funny at times, and highly thought-provoking.



5. As music fans we have a tendency to believe that the glamour and stardom for any artist makes them immuned from life's problems and pain. We see them as icons and not as the human beings they are, and that's a big mistake....."Broken Music" gives the reader the inside track on what it took for Sting to reach the heights of his accomplishments. Hard, hard work, emotional toll, intuition, luck, passion, to finally make it. After reading this book I am left with a tremendous amount of respect for "Sting" the Man.

5 comments about Road Biking Massachusetts: A Guide to the Greatest Bike Rides in Massachusetts (Road Biking Series).

1. This is the book we have all been waiting for! Easy to read, concise maps with clear and honest descriptions of road and traffic conditions for each ride. Keep this guide handy since it will be a well-used resource when planning your next road ride with family or friends.



2. I've used this book to find great riding in the Berkshires, central Massachusetts and the South Coast. Each ride has been a winner. If you're tired of riding the same old roads around your house, this is the book to get you exploring where ever you find yourself.



3. As a new rider over the past 8 months I have found this to be a terrific resource. I have tried several of these routes and found them to be quite enjoyable. Tom's descriptions are spot on and have led me to try routes in areas I would not necessarily have tried on my own. I look forward to riding them all!



4. The book description does not inform the purchaser that this is not a family friendly guide book, kids 8yrs old and casual rider friendly. It's very good for people who are avid bikers. All roads detailed have a lot of climbs that a child could not do.
   
   The seller needs to change the description.



5. What a wonderful guide book! The routes generally range from 20 to 50 miles, plus a few at 100 miles or more. The rides cover all types of terrain - expect some monster climbs, some gorgeous views. The maps are extremely well laid out with a terrain-style map, as well as a chart showing how the climb varies over the course of the route.
   
   There are precise descriptions of the restaurants and food found along the way. I like the photos that accompany the rides, showing you what you can expect to see.
   
   The directions themselves are well done with the cumulative mileage as you go, perfect for tying into your GPS or bike computer. I would also like to see mileage for each leg of the journey too.
   
   Highly recommended.

2 comments about Phantom Gourmet Guide to Boston's Best Restaurants 2008 (Phantom Gourmet Guide to Boston's Best Restaurants).

1. I just picked up this book and already, I'm hungry.
   Separated by location, category and all time favorites, I have so many new places I want to try. Keep it in your purse or car whenever you leave the house. Reviews on great stuff like burgers, french fries, subs not just the posh restaurants. I love it and can't wait to start trying this stuff.



2. I'm always looking for new places to try, while at the same time don't want to get burned on a meal/restaurant that isn't great. That's why the PG 2008 guide is fantastic.
   
   This guide has recommendations on restaurants and their specialties. So you always know what to order when you get there.
   
   In ME, decent pizza is hard to find. I checked the Pizza Great Ate, and Regina's is at the top. Regina's is worth the trip. So I know if this book recommends Regina's, then I'm gonna really enjoy all the other recommendations, too.
   
   I'm looking forward to trying more Great Ates. This is a book to keep with you so you can always find a great meal.

5 comments about Austenland: A Novel.

1. I usually don't read any of the Jane Austen inspired books but this one caught my eye in my local library. Jane Hayes has been living with a secret for most of her life and through a gift from her great aunt gets the chance to live for several weeks the life of an Austen character. Getting used to wearing corsets and empire dresses takes some getting used to but she manages it well. The men, on the other hand, are a little more difficult to fathom and Jane finds herself divided between the pretend Austenland and the real world of today. As well as the two men claiming her affections. The ending is funny and so worth this written equalivent of a lazy afternoon spent in the warm sunlight of a time long ago.



2. I love this author, however this book was a little strange. I made it through to the end, but it was bumpy. There wasn't a smooth flow and it was just a little difficult to follow the jumping around. Also, if one has not read the books by Austen mentioned in this one, some of it doesn't make sense.



3. I just love her other books, Book of a Thousand Days, The princess academy, The Goose Girl and Enna burning. My friends warned me it wasn't the same and they didn't like it. When I read it I figured out why. It lacks all of the depth and imagination of her children's books. It is basically one makeout session after another, NOT my type of book at all. It was very disapointing and I really couldn't believe the unreal ending either. In the fairy tale type books the fairy tale type endings work and she does it masterfully and usually with a twist. This ending was just bizarre and it leaves you wondering if the main character will ever ever grow up.



4. Austenland is the story of Jane Hayes, "a thirty-something woman in possession of a satisfying career and a fabulous hairdo," who finds herself unmarried and harboring a dangerous obsession with the A&E production of Pride and Prejudice. Her aged great-aunt figures out Jane's little secret and leaves something special for Jane in her will: an all expense paid trip to Pembrook Park, Kent, England.
   
   At Pembrook Park, Austen's world comes alive with everyone taking on a different "character" and every detail of Victorian life painstakingly reproduced (right down to the corsets!). It is quite funny to follow Jane's slow conversion to playing along with things, and read about her internal struggle between fantasy and reality. I laughed out loud several times, and found myself smiling through nearly the entire reading.
   
   If this book hasn't been optioned as a film yet, it should be. PRONTO! That way I can eventually put the DVD right next to my own copy of the A&E masterpiece and have more outlets for my own Austen addiction!



5. This bittersweet, funny slim little novel is first and foremost a love letter to Jane Austen, despite its well-deserved (and hilarious) dedication to Colin Firth. For those of us who, like the novel's heroine Jane Hayes, have happily reread all of Austen's novels over the years (except, as Hale points out, Northanger Abbey (Vintage Classics), which only got that one read), this story is a pleasant romp in Austenland. I was pleased with the way Jane questioned what in the world she was doing at what amounts to a Regency period fun park, with the way she alternately resists giving in to the fantasy and longs to dive in with reckless abandon. And I enjoyed the romantic comedy finish line ending.

5 comments about The Hay Day Country Market Cookbook.

1. I received this cookbook as a gift, and bought another copy for a friend from Amazon. This is my favorite cookbook. Everything I have made is delicious, fresh and has an original twist. The recipes are simple to make and fabulous. Everyone that eats one of these dishes asks me for the recipe.



2. This book is full of delicious and unique recipes. The recipes are very detailed--the writers do not leave out any steps (which is good for a beginner like me). The book is also fun to read through--there are interesting tips on a variety of foods and stories about the original markets.



3. Words cannot describe how great this cookbook is. The pages are all covered with my exclamation points that I don't give out easily. I don't often repeat recipes...except the ones in this book. Inventive but also classic, seasonal, informative, fresh, healthy, flavorful, yum yum yum yum. If you don't like this book I will refund your money--just kidding, but that is how much I love it and want to spread the gospel.



4. One of the best I've used and I have a lot. The recipes are well written along with advice and stuff tastes great.



5. This cookbook is wonderful. The recipes are easy to follow and turn out great! Would recomend to anyone.

1 comments about Hidden New England: Including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Hidden Travel).

1. Like the book My wife and I like going to new places for a weekend .

2 comments about Sermons in Stone: The Stone Walls of New England and New York.

1. This book was truly an unexpected pleasure. Its not a how-to book but rather a history of the stone wall. Surprisingly, that history takes the reader into a wide range of topics: geology, botany, architecture, colonial american history, among others. Because stone walls were so commonplace, their builders left very little discussion of their motives and means. Allport acts almost like a detective, piecing the story together. Additionally, because she clearly loves stone walls (and writes well), she is able to capture the mystery and the beauty of her subject. This is a great read for a wide audience: from the historically curious to anyone who wishes to build a wall of stone.



2. If you think that a book on the stone walls of New England might be "dry," you are wrong. This brilliantly written and researched book is as riveting as any thriller. You will gain a new appreciation for the countless anonymous generations that went before us and left their mark-- those beautiful, enduring stone walls. An absolutely fascinating book!

1 comments about Weekend Walks in Rhode Island: 40 Trails for Hiking, Birding & Nature Viewing, Fourth Edition.

1. This book provides detailed and accurate suggestions and advice for weekend rambles. It was a great way to introduce my 5 year old and 3 year old to the outdoors, and a good introduction to the lovely countryside of Rhode Island as well. Much better than some other similar guides which were not well researched and suggested trails that got us lost!