This cookbook is pretty much exactly the same as any other charity cookbook you can get in any rural area. It's a collection of mostly country style recipes that were submitted by residents of Madison County, Iowa. Of course, the fascination with the bestselling novel "Bridges of Madison County" explains why this particular local cookbook was released nationally. As such, the cookbook is fine, and there are a number of stories included that some people might find interesting (again submitted by local residents).

The main fault of the cookbook is the lack of standardization across recipes, leading to recipes that are sometimes vague. For example, one recipe may call for "1 can of tomato juice," but not specify what size can to use. Many of the casserole recipes are especially vague; for example, indicating that one should "cook one chicken," but not explaining how the chicken should be cooked. This cookbook would probably make a nice gift for persons who like country style food and who already know quite a bit about how to cook in this manner. Others beware.

My daughter gave me this book & I in turn am buying it for 2 sister in laws...It is that good. The homespun stories in it are just as good as the recipes it has. I have done numerous recipes from this book & they have all been great!! My only problem with this book is I get sidetracked reading the stories...

I found this cookbook to be a wonderful addition to my cookbook library. With its downhome recipes that include ingredients that you usually have on hand, it is a joy to use. The illustrations that are included give the book a folksy feeling. The short stories give us an insight into true family life. This cookbook is a must for anyone who likes to cook for the family. They are sure to enjoy the results!

This book is great. It's great if you want to completely confrom to what's expected for you to do just because someone told you God wants you to do it. It's great if you believe a higher, supernatural power watches every step you take and actually cares what you do. It's also great for mimes, you can make some damn funny impersonations too.

Do you have questions about such things as the Bible and science, theological issues, practical living, etc., but are afraid of scientific jargon or arcane theology? Then this book is for you. Every question has a self-contained answer.

Very Biblically-based. Good answers to common questions. I've handed out 5 and am back for more!

Well from this I learned wild rice is of three categories. Paddy commercial machine, lake machine or hand, and native harvested and hand processed lake and river rice. The third is the best unsurprisingly. From Minnesota Native Americans.

Also it's "oleurpein" in olive oil which reduces blood pressure, and it's free with olive oil. That is economically no market for the ingredient in pills in other words. So eat olive oil it seems.

Fish and chips originated in Northern England when women working in cotton mills didn't have time to make a daily hot family meal, so bought from urban vendors. That would be the historical slant I guess.

Balsamic vinegar was known to the Greeks but became famous only in the 1980's due to a cookbook. It is made especially in Modena, Italy, for some reason.

Older wine types are being revived. The Vallais in Switzerland is "a hotbed of archaeological viticulture, with Humagnes and Arvines popping up everywhere." So the authors said.

An ostrich egg would make an omelet for 12 people. They eat other parts also.

All told cheese many varieties, street-food, beer, markets, biotechnology, raw food, even leftovers. Slow food in its setting here and there and even elsewhere.

Well from this I learned wild rice is of three categories. Paddy commercial machine, lake machine or hand, and native harvested and hand processed lake and river rice. The third is the best unsurprisingly. From Minnesota Native Americans.

Also it's "oleurpein" in olive oil which reduces blood pressure, and it's free with olive oil.

Fish and chips originated in Northern England when women working in cotton mills didn't have time to make a daily hot family meal, so bought from urban vendors.

Balsamic vinegar was known to the Greeks but became famous only in the 1980's due to a cookbook. It is made especially in Modena, Italy, for some reason.

Older wine types are being revived. The Vallais in Switzerland is "a hotbed of archaeological viticulture, with Humagnes and Arvines popping up everywhere." So the authors said.

An ostrich egg would make an omelet for 12 people.

All told cheese, street-food, beer, markets, biotechnology, raw food, even leftovers. Slow food in its setting.

"Slow Food" and the slow food movement deserve better than this. The subjects are interesting and informative, but the frequent mistakes in the words ( not typos - real serious errors) makes it embarassing and I finally gave up. Because of the too-fast or careless editing ( apparently by non-English speakers in many cases) I would not give this book as a gift to anyone I know who otherwise would be interested in the subject. Too bad.

Morris believes that the Bible can be scientifically proven. This is impossible, since the Bible is a religious text. It is an interesting read, but keep in mind that Morris uses bad science and fallacy after fallacy to make his religion look scientific.

This is an excellent science book that explains in easy to understand english how the amazing miracles such as creation, the flood, etc. according to a biblical perspective. Henry Morris provides many biblical references and a lot of proof. I was a Christian before reading this book, and already beleived that God created the earth and sent his son to die on the cross. However, for someone who has doubts of how creation, the flood, etc. are possible, I would highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent book. Dr. Henry Morris is a Christian scientist. In this book he looks at several different aspects of science from a Christian perspective. I highly recommend this book.

Although this book is a true love story, I found that Fridges of Madison County to be more realistic as to what happens in life. Nevertheless. Bridges is a good point of reference.

It was New Years' Eve and I was alone. With nothing much to do, I picked up a book my girlfriend had given me for Christmas - "The Bridges of Madison County."
"You've heard about this book haven't you?" she asked.
"Oh yes, of course" I replied, wondering what on earth she was talking about.

So, sitting in bed, I opened the first page. A simple introduction, explaining how the book came to be written; a mother's story. So that's what my girlfriend meant - it's a love story and it's true.

On I read. The more I read, the harder the book was to put down. Such a poignant love story; it tore at my heart and left a terrible aching loneliness. God! how this woman suffered for her love; God! how sad.

Some of you may have heard about the book. Many of you may have seen the movie. Robert James Waller writes a moving tale of two people very much in love, and destined to be apart. The story isn't true, but for many months I thought it was, and was quite relieved to realise that these people hadn't suffered the emotions I thought they had.

Quite simply, the story is about a woman alone (Francesca) for four days (her family has gone to the fair), when a stranger appears at her door. They fall in love and spend the next four days together. The place is Madison County, and the man (Robert) is a photographer for National Geographic who is taking pictures of the bridges of Madison County - hence the name.

Robert leaves, offering to take Francesca with him, but she feels a sense of loyalty to her family, so stays at Madison County. For the rest of her life she regrets the decision, but after her husband dies, she tries to find the only man she ever loved. She's followed his career through the pictures and articles in the National Geographic magazine, so she rings there first.....

And so as not to spoil the rest of it for you, I'll let you read the book. After Robert left Francesca, I started to cry. I kept on crying right to the last page. By the end of the book (which by the way I read in that evening) I was totally drained of emotion. I have never been so moved by any book I've ever read before, and certainly never cried like that.

Maybe it was a reflection of my loneliness at the time. Or maybe Robert James Waller has just written one of the best love stories in the world.

This book compiles very short quotes of Madison's on many different issues. This is a very convenient and rather short book. This is no way a comprehensive book, but rather a good reference. If you want a comprehensive book about Madison and his beliefs I would strongly recommend Ralph Ketchan's biography which is one of the best overall bios on Madison. Overall I give "Advice to My Country" 4 stars because it is a good and easy reference but nothing more. Hope this review is helpful.

Madison's thoughts of many subjects from democracy to religion are insightful because it shows what the father of our Constitution believed. I would recommend it for anybody who loves Madison.

Several years ago I urged John Seelye to edit this work for Penguin. A couple of years after that, he asked me to do it instead, and I did. This is a remarkable book about a literate Yankee (Higginson "discovered" the poet Emily Dickinson) who "discovers" the South. It's also "about" Black soldiers in a white war, white officers in a Black regiment, self-discovery, rivers, and hope. Much of the imagery and characterization in the movie GLORY seems to have been lifted from this book: it is, after all, a first-hand narrative of war by an idealist sorely tested by politics and physical hardship. Higginson's writing of the book is in part his attempt to deal with what today we would call Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder, and it is no wonder that the tone sometimes reminds the reader of Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River." Because the teller of this story emerges as an interesting person per se, this edition includes some of his other essays, ranging from his fascination with slave rebellion to his appreciation for poetry.

I like many others was impressed by this movie. Some 12 months or so ago I came across the book for a bargain price and snapped it up.The book focuses on the making of the movie but also contains superb photography of a very pretty part of the US. A book for fans and lovers of nature.

For people who have loved reading Robertson Davies' books, this is an interesting and enlightening compendium of interviews with one of Canada's foremost men of letters. The reading itself is a little tedious at times (though Davies is always lively) and if you haven't read any of Davies' other books, don't start with this one.

This book is easy to understand well at the same time gives loads of info. It describes Dolley's life from beginning to end and it helped me to understand not only the fourth first lady but also the events of her time. This book desribes how she lost her first husband and sons. It also desribes how she was disowed for marring out of her faith to James MAdison. This book is worth reading because it is informational and entertaning.