It’s difficult to imagine the average home cook not gaining wisdom, skill and confidence from this worthy addition to the...
“I’m too busy.” “It’s too expensive.” “I don’t know how.” Celebrity chef and author Oliver (Jamie’s Food Revolution, 2011, etc.) doesn’t want to hear your excuses for not preparing home-cooked meals. None of them are true anyway, and he sets out to prove it.
The author provides an eclectic assortment of recipes for 50 entire meals—not just single dishes—that can be prepared in around 30 minutes. The key to foolproof success, Oliver writes, is smart preparation of the kitchen workspace, having the right tools on hand and learning to excel at multitasking. If readers find the system a bit intense at first, the author promises that it becomes easier with experience, and, he warns lightheartedly, possibly even a little addictive. Oliver provides simply stated and easy-to-follow instructions for every aspect of the process, from getting started to serving. He lays out the steps for each meal like a lavishly illustrated road map; which dish to start first with, when to begin the second dish, when to start dessert, etc.—it’s all plainly indicated on the page. Those who might prefer to prepare a single dish rather than the entire meal will find that easy to accomplish, as all the individual dishes are indexed at the back of the book, with vegetarian dishes designated.
It’s difficult to imagine the average home cook not gaining wisdom, skill and confidence from this worthy addition to the Oliver Empire.Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2011
ISBN: 978-1401324421
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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