Product Description
Full of insightful wisdom, hilarious anecdotes, and tasty recipes, How to Feed Friends and Influence People tells the savory story of the Carnegie Deli, home of the world-famous gargantuan sandwich. Revealing the core business principles that have made the deli such a success, the book explains why and how the Carnegie became the delicatessen of choice for presidents, celebrities, at least one sultan, and millions of other (extremely) hungry diners from around the world. More than just a delightful and delicious tale of business success, this fascinating and funny book covers the deli?s history, shows you how to make a real Brooklyn egg cream, and piles up loads of New York history. So get cooking! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful book -- exactly as described.
The perfect gift for my boss, a huge fan of the Carnegie Deli.Well packaged and speedily delivered.

I was in seventh heaven reading about the story of New York's famous Carnegie Deli
I love living in Asheville . . . however that said, I must admit
to the fact that I miss having any great Jewish delicatessens
in the location.

So when a friend gave me a copy of HOW TO FEED
FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE by Milton Parker and
Allyn Freeman, I was in seventh heaven because it's the story
of New York's famous Carnegie Deli . . . reading it was
almost but not quite as good as devouring a corned beef sandwich.

I got a kick out of reading how this particular Deli managed to grow
from a nondescript hole in the wall to the establishment of choice
for presidents, celebrities,at least one sultan and millions of other
hungry diners from around the world . . .it has done so by following
a set of sound business practices without spending any money
on advertising or promotions . . . instead, word-of-mouth
has always been the key to its success:

* The decision to add two extra inches to the pastrami, corned beef
and tongue sandwiches represented Parker's smart way of thinking
that when people from Pasadena, or from Jacksonville, or from wherever,
returned home after a visit to the Carnegie Deli, they would recount
the eating of the humongous sandwich. The diners would retell of their
ordering and fun dining adventure. Yesterday's Carnegie Deli diners
would advertise the restaurant to tomorrow's New York City visitors--at
no expense to the Carnegie Deli.

I particularly got a kick out of reading about the visits of such
comics as Henny Youngman:

* Youngman asked the couple, "Would you like to see a photograph
of my pride and joy?" When the Siegels nodded yes, Youngman
handed them a picture of Pride furniture polish and Joy dishwashing
liquid. Another time, Youngman said to Jane, "You're a pretty lady.
I'm going to give you a diam-ond pin." He handed her a dime on a pin!

And I enjoyed the accounts of actual customers, one of whom was
the writer Michael Kramer:

* Kramer was sent to Israel to do a story and the group decided to send
him a Carnegie Deli salami to keep his spirits up. When Kramer went
to the post office in Tel Aviv to pick up this treat, he discovered
an empty brown wrapper and no salami. An Israeli postal worker said,
"Even in Israel, we recognized the name of New York's famous Carnegie
Deli. We knew from the shape what was inside, so we ate it. Delicious."

I also liked the inclusion of several original recipes from the Deli's
kitchen, including chopped liver, Brooklyn egg cream, brisket
of beef and matzoh ball soup . . . methinks, though, I'll pass
on trying them out myself and instead visit the Carnegie Deli
the next time I'm in New York.

My only regret is that I won't be able to get the free slice of
cheesecake that the authors offered with all purchasers of
the book (there's a coupon in the back), in that my friend had
the unmitigated gall to rip that out before giving me HOW
TO FEED FRIENDS!

How to feed friends and Influence People
My father is 94 years old, in a nursing home in Honolulu Hawaii, and wanted cheese blintz's from the Carnegie Deli.A daunting task since they do not deliver to Hawaii.This book was an answer to my need to provide a taste of a memory for my father.The book is written tongue and check, a must to get the flavor of the Carnegie in NYC.My blintz turned out exactly as those served at the deli.Dry ice..over night delivery..$100 cost and my father's ultimate delight.The chef at the nursing home requested the recipe too.I have purchased the book to give to friends.It is an easy read and delights not only taste buds but the humor that we all need today in these stress filled times.

And Don't Forget the Cheesecake
Not quite a "must read" for deli lovers and lovers of New York City, but close...

Anyone who has ever eaten at the Carnegie Deli will appreciate this book which gives a good history of one of New York's most legendary delis, and explains how and why those great big--and wasteful--sandwiches came to be.

Lots of interesting information here, but, in the end, it reads as if it were written primarily to sell as a "souvenir" of eating at the Carnegie.
Would be interesting to know if the book is sold at the Deli cash register and, if so, how many have been sold there...

And one should note that there is a coupon for a free piece of the Carnegie's New York Style Cheescake in the back.With New York prices, that alone could offset the cost of the book.

Go for it--the book and the cheesecake.

Product Well Received
I purchased this product as a gift.It arrived in good time and was well received. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Cooking / General; ... Read more

Product Description
Hearty, filling, and easy to prepare, sandwiches are a beloved American tradition. This mouthwatering collection of 60 recipes, both classic and inventive, includes a wide range of tasty combinations certain to please any palate. Also includes recipes for making delicious breads and spreads. Two-color illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Product Description
poetry in Pocket Poets series ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reality Sandwiches, a beat generations must
In Allen Ginsberg's book "Reality Sandwiches" Allen takes you into his world of poetry when the beat generation was at it's peak.Ginsberg is one of the all time greatest poets of all time and this shine's clear in Reality Sandwiches.It's a must read if you love or admire, or are curious about the culture of the beat generation. ... Read more

Product Description
How do you make a clock out of an ice cube? Send messages using bubbles?Make money using a tube that waltzes? This collection of curious and offbeat scienceexperiments provides the answers to these and thirty-six other fascinating questions.Accomplished physicist and science writer Neil A. Downie covers a range of phenomena, fromthe rocking and rolling that drives a waltzing tube; to the fluid mechanics of a coffee-cup revcounter and biceps made from balloons; to the simple chemistry of red–hot batteries and wetsolar cells. For each experiment, he provides historical anecdotes about the relevant phenomena,a list of equipment, detailed instructions, and a full explanation—requiring only high-schoolmathematics—of the science behind the procedure. For those intrigued by any experiment, heincludes follow-up suggestions, which describe ways to tinker with the initial "recipe."

This collection of lively experiments, with complete explanations and simple mathematics, willappeal to high–school science teachers, inveterate tinkerers, amateur scientists, or anyone lookingfor a project for the next science fair. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

PHYSICS TODAY magazine liked the book, says author
This is what the world's leading physics magazine said about Ink Sandwiches (abbreviated).
"At the University of British Columbia, we are always on the lookout for suitable projects that are eye-catching, inexpensive, and yet pedagogically solid.Ink Sandwiches, Electric Worms, and 37 Other Experiments for Saturday Science by Neil Downie has many good ideas.
The projects are pitched at a level such that a physicist can reproduce them in a few hours' work at home with commonly available materials.Alternatively, with some supervision, a student could also build the projects for a science fair or undergraduate course.The science will appeal to a broad age range.Fairly young audiences (elementary and middle school students) will like the demonstrations, with the addition of numerical analysis, they are also appropriate for grades 11 and 12 and for first-year undergraduates.Occasionally, the science and math section provides a note of uncertainty as to exactly why we see what we see - something I quite like.
Knowing something of the often exhausting business of scientific outreach and how long it takes to produce a five-minute demonstration, I recognize the huge effort that must have gone into this book.The book is a job well done and I recommend it for anyone trying to get physics across to non-specialist audiences."
Chris Waltham

THE AUTHOR, Neil A. Downie

Excellent!
Ink Sandwiches, Electric Worms, and 37 Other Experiments for Saturday Science is a great book. Good experiments with detailed explantions. One downfall might be a little complicated for grades 1-8. ... Read more

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Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Word Up!
This inexpensive book is fun to read. It is the same story as shown on TV. This helps, but it is not necessary to have seen that episode. Word Girl fans should enjoy this book. I recommend it whether it is read aloud to a young child or read silently by an older child. ... Read more

Product Description
A look at what goes into the making of a peanut butter sandwich shows readers how the bread dough is mixed, rises, and bakes, and describes how peanuts are grown, harvested, crushed into peanut butter, and jarred. ... Read more

Product Description
This book presents 228 numbered color photographs from seven chapters of Volume 2 including kerosene and suspension lamps, lanterns, smoke shades, bells, gas lighting devices, and electric lighting. ... Read more

Product Description

In our increasingly busy lives, meals need to be fast, healthy, and light. In Keep It Seasonal, acclaimed chef Annie Wayte offers 100 recipes, each with a spectacular color photograph of the finished dish, for simple soups, salads, and sandwiches organized by season so that home cooks can make the most of fresh, available produce. Keep It Seasonal is the ideal cookbook for those who shop at farmer's markets, Whole Foods, and Wild Oats.

Why purchase asparagus out of season when the prices are sky high? Why buy strawberries in winter when they are tasteless and full of water? Not only is produce more affordable when it is in season, but its quality and nutritional content are at their peak. In Keep It Seasonal, chef Annie Wayte awakens cooks to ingredients that are truly fresh, local, and in season, and explains why buying locally grown foods is better than buying organic food trucked in from thousands of miles away.

Within the four seasonal chapters, the recipes are organized into three sections: soups, salads, and sandwiches. Home cooks can mix and match with recipes such as Fresh Pea Soup with Morels, Crispy Prosciutto and Leek Salad with Mustard Dressing, and Grilled Spicy Lamb Sandwiches on Flat Bread with Pistachio Relish (spring), or Squash Soup with Roasted Chestnuts and Pancetta, Pomegranate Glazed Quail with Cinnamon and Raisin Tabbouleh, and Gorgonzola, Pear, and Honey Open Sandwiches (autumn). The recipes are simple and easy to prepare because the fresh ingredients speak for themselves, and each includes a full–color photo of the finished dish.

Customer Reviews (6)

simple,eloquent food
Mostly great ideas that involve work rather than esoteric ingredients, although gammon is hard to find.
Her soups mostly spotlight one ingredient(Jerusalem artichokes,asparagus) that she supports with both ingredients and techniques, and the results are exceptonally tasty.

Great Photos: wouldn't make any of the recipes!
First I'll say that this cookbook is just beautiful, the pictures are fantastic, the print/layout is just wonderful.Now for the meat of the cookbook; there isn't many of the recipes that I think I would actually prepare.

The recipes are only soups, salads and sandwiches so you're limited to no true entrees.It's then further broken down into the seasons.

Many of the recipes have ingredients while fresh and seasonal would still be very expensive and hard to find.You'd definitely have to have a Whole Foods store nearby. These are not child friendly recipes.Maybe if you lived in New York and no kids this cookbook is right up your alley.

One of the soups is Fresh Pea Soup with Morels.First off this is a spring recipe so where would you get fresh peas in the spring?Then you'd have to get fresh morel mushrooms, fresh mint leaves, and make creme fraiche.The next recipe for spring is Watercress soup with creme fraiche.The photo is just beautiful but fresh ground watercress leaves is just not appealing to me.Then the next soup is Thai spinach soup with lemongrass, coconut and ginger.It looks pretty in the photo but yet another green soup.I think you'd have to make a trip to Whole Foods everyday and get a cash advance to buy all the ingredients.

There is a recipe for eggplant and chickpea soup with chili creme fraiche.A salad recipe is green leaf salad with edible flowers and lemon dressing.Another salad is a vegetable platter with aioli, tarator and warm anchovy bath.I'm not a big fan of anchovies and it just doesn't look good to me.Yet another salad includes grapefruit, blue cheese and celery and the dressing is made with the same ingredients but pureed.There is also a salad with squid and chili-lime black bean salad.I live in the mid-west I just don't know where I'd buy all these ingredients.

One of the sandwiches is spicy lamb sandwich with pistachio relish.Suggested side is fried artichokes.I know the ingredients are fresh and I'm sure the recipes are well constructed but I just don't find any of the recipes appetizing.I know I certainly couldn't get my kids to eat any of these recipes much less squid and anchovies.We've had fresh edible flowers before and they were bitter and just awful.

I can't say anything truly bad about the cookbook, the pictures, the layout, the design on all beautiful.HOWEVER...none of the recipes are for the average person or budget.You could do better with 5 a day: savor the flavor of fruits and vegetables by Pivonka.

Tastey simplicity all year
The beautiful photos in this book make it inviting, and the recipes make you glad you accepted the invitation.I've prepared many of them and, indeed, will use the book in a cooking class I'm teaching.The focus on soups, salads, and sandwiches keeps the recipes fairly simple, while the use of seasonal food keeps the tastes fresh, even when one lives in north, as I do.

Excellent Treatment of Seasonal Dishes. Buy It!
`Keep It Seasonal' by international restauranteur, Annie Wayte is a fine example of how to do a book on seasonal recipes. While Ms. Wayte has obviously gone to school with Deborah Madison's doctrines, specifically those in Madison's `Local Flavors', it seems to me that at least compared to `Local Flavors', Ms. Wayte has actually done a better job of promoting seasonal cooking.

I am generally very favorably inclined towards books giving recipes by the season or by the month, and Ms. Wayte has enhanced this first impression by focusing on `Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches'. First, as she correctly states, sandwiches are a woefully ignored corner of the culinary world (however, the current interest in Paninis, New Orleans specialities, Philly cheese steaks, and other trends suggests this is changing). I can count on one hand, with fingers left over, the really good books on sandwiches, with only `Nancy Silverton's sandwich book' being worthy of a place in a carefully selected cookbook collection. But sandwiches are also a great subject for a seasonal presentation, as so many ingredients are fresh. And, you don't want to spend a fortune on sandwich makings, so the seasonal lettuce and other veggies are always welcome.

The same argument works in spades for salads, as virtually all the more common salad ingredients are seasonal, including major protein sources such as lamb and fish. Soups can come along for the ride, as they are such great accompaniments to salads and sandwiches.

Several seasonal cookbooks, such as Alfred Portale's '12 Seasons Cookbook' and Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila Latourrette's Monastery cookbooks (including soups and salads!) break things down by month, but I suspect dividing things by season is quite adequate for almost all produce.

If the seasonality thing were the only points of contact between Wayte and Madison, I would not be too impressed, but Wayte seems to have learned from (or in parallel with) Madison about the efficacy of creating stocks to match the soup. The simplest example of this is to create a broth for corn soup from the cleaned husks, after removing the kernels.

Ms. Wayte begins each season with a list of ingredients commonly available in that season, including meats, herbs, and even edible flowers along with the fruits and veggies. While she makes no special note of the fact, it is interesting to note that some vegetables such as broccoli are bi-seasonal, as they show up in the lists for both spring and fall. Speaking of broccoli, I do have to point out a slightly misleading photograph of a warm broccoli salad, where the recipe simply says `broccoli' but the photograph has broccoli rabe. I really suspect 7 out of 10 people who commonly use broccoli don't even know about broccoli rabe and would never look for it to work in a `broccoli recipe', and yet, broccoli rabe really works better in the recipe, especially with its fellow Italian ingredients, Parmesan cheese and black olives.

Otherwise, I was quite taken by the recipes in this book. There were a few `standards' such as a recipe for a Caesar's salad, which is similar to, but not identical to the Caesre Cardini original (based on the testimony of Julia Child, who was taught how to make the recipe by Maestro Caesre's daughter). This means that one can look forward to a fair number of relatively original takes on some standard themes. Ms. Wayte is especially fond of the sharp tasting greens such as watercress, arugula, and others, some of which one may have a bit of trouble finding. But then, the great thing about most greens is that they are eminently interchangeable.

If it has not been obvious from my previous statements, I must be clear that one way in which Miss Wayte parts company with our vegetarian Deborah is that Annie is highly omnivorous. There are lots of recipes for various types of animal protein in among the veggies standards, such as edible flowers and the like.

One thing that certainly impresses me about the book is that in spite of its oversized volume, it is priced below the average list of $35. This is quite in line with the number of recipes and is not inflated for the large pages or the supersized pics. It's almost unfortunate that the book has the appearance of a coffee table ornament, as it is certainly worthy to be used in the kitchen. The only problem is that its oversized proportions and glossy appearance may inhibit one. If so, be sure to buy it cheap or photocopy recipes for the kitchen rather than lugging the quarto tome into harm's way.

One thing I must point out is that some techniques for some recipes are just a bit involved. This is not your '30 Minute Meal' trip. There is much use of blenders and fine strainers on the path between the fridge and the final soup, just as there is much to do with homemade dressings. But, for the right audience, this is a plus, as one simply cannot achieve a truly gorgeously green puree of watercress without some skill and a few specialized pieces of equipment, not to mention some real attention to detail along the way.

This is a book that aimed for a really worthy target, and made a bulls-eye!

Excelente!
Excelente recetario, especialmente para gente que vive sola o que es media floja para guisar.Las recetas son originales, ricas y lo mejor es que se adaptan a los ingredientes de cada temporada.Altamente recomendable!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Amy's Bread is a legendary New York institution that serves some 50,000 customers every month and supplies bread to more than 300 restaurants and stores daily. Long out of print, Amy's Bread shares Amy Scherber's recipes and techniques for everything from basic loaves to artisan breads. Now fully revised and updated, this full-color edition includes more than fifty recipes for home bakers at every level of experience.

Amy's Bread starts with the basics like Big Beautiful White Pan Loaf and French Baguette before progressing to more complicated recipes like Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread with Oats and Pecans and Semolina Bread with Apricots and Sage. But there's more here than just bread—recipes for pizzas, sandwiches, and sweet treats are also included.

    • A helpful introduction covers basic bread baking techniques, starters, ingredients, and equipment
    • 130 full-color photos illustrate bread shaping and scoring techniques, as well as photos and personal stories that reveal the inner workings of the bakery
    • Artisan breads can cost $5 or more at the market; this book lets you make them at home for just a fraction of the cost

Whether you've just discovered the joy of bread baking or you've been doing it for decades, this revised classic will keep your oven hot for years to come.

Recipe Excerpts from Amy's Bread, Revised and Updated

Maple Walnut and Fig Bread

Goat Cheese and Roasted Vegetables on a French Baguette

Big Beautiful White Pan Loaf

Customer Reviews (13)

Unrealistic but Pretty
This book is very attracctive, and the breads are thoughtful and creative.Having said that, I would not recommend this book for the average, or even the experienced, home bread baker.I am experienced at making bread, and I am not intimidated by complex formulas or time-consuming procedures.But, as others have pointed out, many of these breads require a remarkable amount of water, and the resulting doughs are very difficult to work with.I understand that using lots of water is required to get true artisan bread, and I like wet dough.But these go to the extreme.While that might work in a professional setting with sophisticated equipment, it's not realistic at home.And to make matters worse, the book makes no mention of the gooey, batter-like doughs you often get.In fact, the instructions cheerfully tell you to kneed by hand - a near impossibility.I have no doubt that the author - a well-recognized and successful baker - knows a lot more about bread baking than I do.But with just a few exceptions (noted by other reviews), this book is not a realistic or helpful guide to baking artisan bread at home.

se você quiser um dia ser um padeiro
Eu recomendo, um livro extremamente bem escrito, detalhado, que procura mostrar a todos as técnicas de panificação, sem segredos.
Se você sonhou um dia em fazer da panificação um hobby ou mesmo um trabalho, este é o livro.

yummmm
I bought a used copy of the original Amy's Bread book and could hardly wait to get the updated one.I haven't baked bread yet, but, because I've tried recipes and techniques from the other book, I know I'll love the updated recipes.Love it!

bread making
Bread, as Amy Scherber presents here, is no longer just a main staple for meals.Amy introduces a whole new world of bread to the readers and bakers. The essential ingredients and tools are discussed at length; some complete with charts.The techniques from measuring ingredients, temperature and moisture levels; resting, kneading, rising, retarding, and shaping the dough to a loaf, all reveal her secrets and tips to better bread making.These techniques are also shown in color photographs which really help visual readers.

Likewise, Amy further discusses the oven.She details how each oven may have different thermometer accuracy and heat distribution.She then shares her moisture control technique to create browner and glossier crust.

The bread recipes in this book focus on the salty and crusty breads.Amy has another book called: //The Sweeter Side of Amy's ...// that caters to sweet and soft bakery.In addition to all the fun of making bread, Amy includes her teammates and their stories.||Toward the end of the book, I feel like an insider myself, and with my magic wand (this bread bible,) I will be able to swish a perfect crusted bread out of my very own oven, and Mm-mm ... Bread is whats for dinner!

Amy is a baking godess !
I love amys bread it is a fantastic book with tons of great recipes it is easy to follow and the breads get better every time i make them i really hope to visit amys bakery one day to experience the real thing ! buy this book you will love it.. ... Read more

Product Description
Everything covered: from a background in sandwich structures to mathematics AND the means to analyze, design and optimize various structures Unique information on properties of various honeycomb and solid core materials Over 800 formulas, tables and figures reinforce concepts Recommendations from leaders in the field of soil and crop science, agricultural engineering, wastewater and sludge treatment and industry, soil microbiology and other relevant areasThe Behavior of Sandwich Structures of Isotropic and Composite Materials provides a unique presentation of mathematics, descriptions and analyzation techniques in the growing field of sandwich structures. Everything is covered, from a background of sandwich structures, to thermoelastic problems of sandwich structures, sandwich shell theory and much more.This text is ideal for the engineer-in-training, as well as the practical engineer who desires a comprehensive understanding of sandwich structures technology. ... Read more

Product Description
Hawaiian culture as it met foreign traders and settlers is the context for Sahlins's structuralist methodology of historical interpretation
... Read more

Product Description
Come take a look at the history of Sandwich from its beginnings in the mid-1850s to today. First known as Newark Station, the town's name was changed to Sandwich in 1856 by Congressman John Wentworth, after his hometown in New Hampshire. Wentworth was instrumental in getting the railroad to stop here. Sandwich, surrounded by the fairest and most fertile country, was advertised in 1892 as one of the most beautiful and prosperous cities in northern Illinois. Its agricultural implements, made by the Sandwich Manufacturing Company and Enterprise Company, were shipped worldwide. Sandwich is now known for its annual county fair, antique shows, and shopping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great book and a great resource
This book is part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series. This book, created in conjunction with the Sandwich Historical Society, focuses on Sandwich, DeKalb County, Illinois. The book has seven chapters, which are entitled: Places of Worship and Places of Learning; Wartime; Community Events; Trains and Industry; Businesses; Home, Family, and Leisure Time; and Around Town.

The book itself is crammed full of great black-and-white pictures, and Ms. Hardekopf's captions are very well written. I think that this is a great book and a great resource for anyone doing genealogical or historical research in Sandwich. ... Read more

Product Description

In eighteenth-century England the aristocracy dominated the imagination, their exploits -- and misdeeds -- discussed, debated, and gossiped about in the salons and parlors of London. Now author Martin Levy vividly re-creates one of the most shocking and scandalous events of the period, in a riveting true tale of passion, obsession, murder, and courtroom drama.

On a spring evening in the year 1779, a young woman emerged from London's Covent Garden Theatre amid a grand swirl of lords and ladies, their servants and coachmen. From out of the shadows a man emerged, dressed in a black suit. He raised a pistol and fired one fatal shot point-blank into the woman's head. A sudden and brutal murder, it was all the more shocking because of the identities of those involved. The victim was Martha Ray, famed aficionada of fashion and the arts, and longtime live-in mistress of the Earl of Sandwich, high-ranking minister to King George III. The assailant was James Hackman, a respected Anglican minister and Martha Ray's former lover.

It was a savage crime that rocked both British high society and the church, and inflamed the interest and imagination of such renowned personages as Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, noted biographer and lover of prostitutes and executions. And it resulted in a courtroom extravaganza unique in the annals of legal proceedings -- where passion was the motive, the madness of "momentary phrenzy" the mitigating circum-stance . . . and love the ultimate justification for a crazed act of murder.

With consummate skill, author Martin Levy brings to breathtaking life the sights and sounds of an unparalleled era in history -- when hangings were public entertainment and debauchery was a popular pastime of the wealthy and the titled -- and expertly unravels the mystery behind a truly sensational slaying. Fascinating, startling, edifying, and entertaining, Love and Madness is a brilliant tale of crime and punishment as vivid and compelling as the headlines of today.

Customer Reviews (4)

Some Things Never Change
Some things never change, like war, taxes, and the public's morbid fascination with crimes that involve the rich and famous.

Love and Madness is the retelling of the murder of Martha Ray, an actress and singer who was also the mistress of the fourth Earl of Sandwich.The crime rocked eighteenth century London and drew spectators, from all walks of life, to the courthouse to witness the trial of James Hackman (Martha's one-time lover and murderer).

Martin Levy starts the book on the evening of the murder and then deftly weaves in bits of backstory to give the reader a full picture of the crime and the players involved.He includes contemporary accounts and surprises the reader by indicating that most of British-society viewed Martha Ray's murderer with more sympathy, and seemd to treat his memory with more care, than they did the victim.

The Positives:

Love and Madness is written in an easy-to-read, easy-to-engage style that immediately draws readers in, even those without much experience ineighteenth century studies.Levy stays focused on the tragic story of Martha Ray's murder but is clever enough to include quotes from 18th century illuminaries like James Boswell, Charles James Fox, Lady Sarah Lennox, and Horace Walpole, making this true-crime tale read like a savory article from PEOPLE magazine.

Levy does a splendid job of bringing James Boswell to life (using only a dozen or so pages).Indeed, he piqued this reviewer's interest about the famous lawyer and diarist's insatiable proclivities enough to send her back to Amazon in search of a more complete biography on the man.

The Negatives:
The story is told in a coldly detached manner that this reviewer found disappointing, and, a trifle disconcerting.Clearly Levy is an accomplished researcher, historian, and journalist.However, he tells this passionate, tragic tale as if merely relating dry facts.He does not bring Martha Ray, James Hackman, or the Earl of Sandwich alive.He does not give the story the heart that it needs to really rivet readers.For those who would like to know more about the life and loves of Martha Ray or the motives that inspired her lover to murder her, this is not the book.For those readers who simply want to know the who, what, when, why and how of a tragic crime, Love and Madness will satisfy.

The Bottomline:

At less than 200 pages, this slim volume is an entertaining look into a forgotten, but once notorious, crime.

Wonderful Period Detail
While I'm not a fan of true crime, I do enjoy 18th-century British social history. I found plenty to like here. The book is rich in details, and therein lies its interest for me. For instance, the first chapter presents a vivid picture of the last night of Martha Ray's life. She went to the theatre and the reader goes along for the ride. We even see tufts of grass growing between paving stones. At the theatre, a bell signals the start of the performance. So on and so on. The book is full of these period details. The diet at Newgate, for those who couldn't afford to buy their own food, was a penny loaf. And "all prisons in England had a table of fees, and Newgate's was inscribed on a painted board hung up in the felons' court." Also, prisoners were charged three shillings as an entrance fee! (If a prisoner couldn't pay, was he turned away?) We're also given a detailed picture of the trial and the procession from Newgate to the place of execution. I could have done without the latter, but it belonged in the book. Overall, well done.

Seems like a missed chance to me
I was a little disappointed.While I admit it's a captivating title, Love and Madness goes little beyond tabloid speculation in its investigation of the murder of Martha Ray in the 18th Century.Set in the midst of a fascinating political and social era, the book should have filled in a lot more gaps than it does.

An apparent celebrated crime of passion, much is made of the young man's utter desolation over the lady's death, of his willingness to die for his crime, of his total infatuation with his victim and of his completely unrealistic expectations with regard to their relationship. Meanwhile, despite the author's professed concern that the victim herself received little attention or sympathy during her time, he too focuses more on the prominent males of the era and on the pathetic condition of the perpetrator of the murder.He gives a slight nod to the lady's ability to hold her own in a class where she was neither accepted nor treated with civility, but one feels that a lot more might have been said.Given the power of mistresses in the English and French courts of the time, it's difficult to believe that the lady had no impact on the decisions of the day.

Martha Ray was the mistress of a powerful governmental figure, the Earl of Sandwich, who as Minister of the Admiralty figured prominently in George III's conflicts with the American revolutionaries.This was the world of William Pitt and Samuel Johnson, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, James Boswell and the Fielding brothers, a raucous world with one foot in the risque and boisterous past of the 17th century and one in the buttoned up world of the upcoming Victorian England of the 19th century.Though she was perhaps a peripheral character in the ongoing events of the time, Ms Ray's was a story that might well have cast considerable light on these transitions.Almost in passing does one learn of the status of women at the time, about society's expectations of class behaviors, misbehaviors and interactions, about the avenues for advancement of the average person, about how individuals fit into world events etc.

In reading Mr. Levy's book it would be difficult to say whether Ms Ray was a victim of society, a major player in affairs of state, whether she was happy or not.Certainly she seems to have been a competent individual in so far as one has any access to her personal life.Since the author makes use of most of the documentation available from the time: biographies, letters, newspapers, diaries, one must assume that there is simply little more than bare detail known about the woman, her life, influence and the events of her death. Since the Earl himself fell into disgrace not long thereafter and fades into obscurity, one can only wonder if Martha's death was part of a plot to damage an unpopular bureaucrat.It certainly seems odd that the murderer could grab hold of the woman's skirt, draw two pistols--both of which would have to be manually cocked to fire them--and manage to fire one fatally at her and the other at himself.Something doesn't quite ring true.

Seems like a missed chance to me.

For those WRITING PAPERS in:English or 18th Century world history, sociology, anthropology, political science, or women's studies:How might the biography of a woman such as Martha Ray illuminate some of the social and political events of her time in a way that those of more prominent individuals might obscure or miss?What was the status of women during her time?How did it compare with earlier times (think of pre-Roman and post-Roman times as well as Anglo Saxon and Norman Britain)?Later times (think of Victorian, Edwardian and Modern England)?What kinds of political clout did mistresses of important individuals exert on the politics of the day?Might this be considered an avenue of professional advancement for a bright and capable individual for whom other avenues were essentially closed?Could such a person actually have more latitude for expression of power as an "outsider" of upper class society than mainstream individuals might?What happened to children of such individuals (you might look at the lives of Juan, Cesare and Lucetcia Borgia among others)?What impact did they have on society?Would they have been so positioned had their mother not chosen the lifeway she did?

A Question of Two Pistols
Martin Levy, a scholar of 18th century life, exhaustively covers the public murder of the mistress of Lord Sandwich by a clergyman and spurned lover. Although Levy's scholarship and research is everywhere evident, the writing is nowhere leaden or academic; he approaches his subject with the relish of a true-crime writer. In an age when criminal justice was in its infancy, the corpse of the slain woman was carried to the nearest alehouse and left there for all to see; her killer was brought to trial just nine days later. While the Rev. Hackman admitted he killed Martha Ray, he said he did it in a "momentary frenzy" and actually intended to kill only himself. The argument over why, if this was his intention, he brought two pistols to the scene of the crime is a fascinating one, and Levy offers arguments on both sides. The killing was a cause celebre in its time, and the latter half of this slim volume contains examples of the poems, broadsides, ballads and even a short novel published at the time. A remarkable achievement, and highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
A fun-filled--and somewhat gross--spiral-bound, mix-and-match book on an easel stand lets children create the most amazing hero sandwiches ever, as they build a gastronomic delight out of prunes, pretzels, hair, spiders, and various other ingredients. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book!
My pre-schoolers find this book very funny and easy to manipulate.It is a great book to address similar sounds and contrasts.The built-in book stand makes it even easier to read to a group!

This was the best picture book that i have looked at
This was a good book.I enjoyed the pictures that were displayed inside.But I did have a hard time understanding the book ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

You Know You Want One
I finally procured a copy of this out-of-print book and my BLTs improved immediately.My sister had always said to start the bacon in a cold pan, but Jordan recommends preheating a heavy pan for 90 seconds before adding the bacon.

And finally -- instruction on the order of the ingredients!Slather a piece of lightly toasted bread with mayo.(Use a trough if you tend to skimp.)Place thinly sliced tomatoes on the bread, and salt and pepper them.Next the bacon, then the lettuce, finally the top piece of slathered bread.

Beautiful writing extols the pleasures of fatty bacon, farmers market tomatoes, and the freshest lettuce (of whatever variety) you can find. This modest little book also covers bacon soups, salads, and pasta, as well as touching on vegetarian and seafood BLTs.

Bacon.Is there anything it can't do?
There's just something about the combination of the crunch of bacon, the coolness of lettuce and tomato, and the chewiness of a good, rustic toast.Comfort food at its finest, and it is well explored in this book.All the flavors of a BLT in a variety of forms, including soup, salad, and, of course, sandwiches.

Great pictures of the food, too. ... Read more

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Known as the place where glassblowers produced masterpieces for international markets in the 1800s and where some of New Englandís oldest homes still stand, Sandwich is a vibrant community rich in history. Founded in 1637, this gateway town to Cape Cod is actually a time capsule of the last four centuries, from prehistory, when it was the territory of the Native American Wampanoags, to the tourist destination and bedroom community of Boston and Providence it is today. In Sandwich: Cape Cod's Oldest Town, the reader will be taken on a historical journey to enchanting places, such as the Sandwich Glass Museum, featuring masterpieces from the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company of the mid-1800s, and Heritage Plantationís seventy-six acres of landscaped gardens and antique displays, including a working 1912 carousel. Visit the Green Briar Nature Center, which produces jam made by the sun; a museum featuring native son Thornton W. Burgess' Briar Patch children's stories; the venerable, classic saltbox-type Hoxie House, where life in those earliest years is re-created; and the Wing and Nye homesteads, which in summer represent several centuries of Sandwich culture and history. ... Read more

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It's the verge of the millennium, and the California economy is booming.
The backdrop for this hilarious novel is the sprawling, colorful, bursting-at-the seams megalopolis of San Diego a picture-postcard setting with a seamy underside, where blind ambition and entrepreneurial zeal blur boundaries of law, common sense, and decency.
Protagonist Wallace Noe and his wife, Hannah, are card-carrying members of the sandwich generation: squeezed between raising children and looking after an elderly parent, struggling to make ends meet and to keep their marriage together.
When a family tragedy forces Wallace to reevaluate his life, he stakes his future on a start-up company and the values and work ethics of his father's generation, never imagining the sequence of events that will shatter his comfortable world.
With sharp humor and masterly insight, author Eric Peterson dishes up a rollicking account of California's modern-day gold rush the heady times of the high-tech boom, when stories of mind-boggling riches are commonplace and everyone wants a bigger piece of the pie.
In Life as a Sandwich, Peterson delivers more than a romp of a novel. It's a devastatingly funny look at one man's quest for identity and the unforgettable cast of characters that threatens to turn a crusade for redemption into a staggering, personal defeat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Well worth the read!
This book is an interesting read.Following Wallace Noe as he balances the pressures of raising a family and the fast paced, cutthroat life of a start-up technology business is riveting.The book is filled with twists and intrigue and was hard to put down.A recommended read!
Tom C. (Sata Clara)

An entertaining story appealing to the minds of many Americans
Pressure from all sides makes people do strange things. "Life as a Sandwich" follows Eric Peterson, a member of the sandwich generation, a term applied to those who care for elderly parents as well as their own children. Eric, unable to take the financial pressure, goes to make the gamble of a life time in his own business. "Life as a Sandwich" is an entertaining story appealing to the minds of many Americans.

Couldn't put it down!
This was one of the best books I have ever read.Reason being.......I couldn't put it down! The author, Eric Peterson, kept the story going with so many twists and turns that you can't wait to find out what happens next.I was worried that the main charactor would never get out of his problems, however, the ending was great.I can hardly wait for Mr. Peterson's next read!

Witty and Engaging
What a great new book.I was hooked from the beginning.The characters in this book each have distinct well-developed personalities.There is so much going on that you feel as if you are a member of the office staff of colorful characters.I love when wallace and his mother-in-law gets into it.Lots of twist and turns. I could hardly put it down.I can't wait for Eric Peterson's next book.

Funny because it feels so true!
This novel had me laughing and nodding my head a lot--uh-huh, uh-huh...Know that guy, know that lady. Been there, done that. If you've ever started a business or lived in So Cal, you'll love this book! ... Read more