This is defenetly ONE TO REMEMBER!! Ratha's creature came highly recomened by my big brother. I'm so glade I didn't ignore his recomendation!! You follow Ratha from her cub-hood struggles to her adult life. A wonderfull book and I recomend it to people who like books about animals with human emotions. I'm sure most who read the book would agree with me when I say this book is the best! This is my first time reading anything by Clare Bell, and I think I will read more. The emotions are so real that you can feel Ratha's joy and saddness. So well, infact it made me cry! This is mostly why I liked it I think. I normaly take a month to finish a short book,{out of lack of intrest in them} but it took me only two days to finish Rasha's Creature! If Clare Bell is reading this, I beg you to not deprive others of such a phenomenal book and put it back in print!!! On a scale of one-ten I give it a ten!! I loved it!!!

My grandmother worked for MacMillan publishers and would often bring home books that were printed backwards, upside down, slanted, whatever. I read every one, and Ratha's Creature haunts me. I must have read that book a dozen times! It is an adventure, a love story, a moral lesson that subtley instructs the reader to never judge a book by it's cover. Luckily I didn't, or I would never have had the opportunity to read this treasure!

Ratha's Creature is an exceedingly good book. It has a really good plot that sucks you in once you start to read it. I often find myself wondering what becomes of Ratha, Thakur, Fessran, and the others after the book ends...It's a great pity Ratha's Creature is no longer in print.

I first read this book when I was a kid, and have re-read it several times since. I gave it to my husband as a gift, and although usually he is not too thrilled with the books I pick, he loved this one.

Krabat, the protagonist, is a young orphan who starts working as an apprentice at a mill where black magic and witchcraft are at work. The miller has made a deal with the devil, and each year one of the apprentices has to be sacrificed by the miller to keep his side of the deal. Some of Krabat's friends end up dead. Krabat, however, finds salvation through his love, a singer from the nearby village. She is able to rescue him from certain death and put an end to satan's reign, even when the miller casts an evil spell, because her love for Krabat is stronger than witchcraft.

Otfried Preussler accomplished a miracle with this book: It has a captivating storyline which has the power to keep even adults fascinated, while at the same time the book sends a strong ethical and moral message about temptations and the power of love.

There aren't too many children's books out there which can bridge the gap between adult readers and children. This one does. And it does it exceptionally well.

It is a shame that this book is out of print... find a copy if you can! Although it contains very little gore or violence, it is one of the creepiest books I have ever read. It is an excellent account of the manner in which evil attracts and then enslaves the will. Krabat learns to use extraordinary power at the mill, yes, but only at the price of enslaving his being to the evil miller. The manner in which the miller dominates the wills of his workmen is truly horrifying. Since magic is ultimately about power and domination, it can only be defeated by its opposite, self-giving love. Krabat finds this salvation in the humility of a village girl.

This book is the alternative to Harry Potter that I have been looking for as reading material for my kids. It is surely creepy, but not too creepy for 12 year olds and up. The Potter books treat magic and evil as something trivial that can be toyed with impunity. The Potter kids find they can defeat the most horrifying evils with a few magic tricks and a little cleverness and courage. Evil deserves more respect than that, because it is far more dangerous and powerful, working primarily through corruption of the will. Preussler is a master at depicting this process, with the miller breaking the wills of his apprentices through pointless work. Eventually, the men are so dominated that they acquiece in their own deaths, literally digging their own graves.

This is a wonderful book. It leaves the reader with a lasting impression of the dangerousness and horror of evil, as well as the power and joy of agape - self-giving love.

I read this years ago, as a child and in Russian, and I still remember the feeling of genuine dread (and triumph) this story inspired. Even as I think of it now, I feel the hair rise on the back of my neck. The evil in the book does not chase after you--it waits for you to come to it, and invariably, you do. In that sense, the title THE SATANIC MILL is unfortunate--you expect the mill to be Satanic; in Russian translation, the book was called simply KRABAT (the main character's name), and you did not quite know what to expect.

The story begins as a young boy named Krabat, somewhere around present-day Eastern parts of Germany, falls asleep wandering, and dreams of ravens crowing. Their message is for him to go to the mill some miles away, to sign up as an apprentice. Which he does, of course, and soon learns that it is no regular mill. (Nor is it quite Satanic, actually--for it is not Satan who runs it). He may stay, or he may go; if he goes, he will learn magic from the Miller himself. Of course, he stays--and becomes one of the apprentices, who turn, at their Master's command, into black ravens. All peachy so far--until the cleverest (and the kindest) of all the apprentices dies an unnatural death--but not before having made his own coffin and dug his own grave.

In the (happy) end, of course, Krabat will have to choose between love and good and fairness--and magic. Between being a regular boy and a powerful Miller himself; but such a choice will not come to him easily--and he will have to fight for his life, and that of his love.

My favorite characters in the book were the idiot Yuro and the Great Pumphut, who gives the Miller a run for his money. The story is very creepy (or I think it would be for a 13-14 year old; I know it was for me), poignant and beautiful.

Men of Mathematics is one of my favorite books. These mini-biographies of the greatest mathematicians give a concise version of their lives and a pretty thorough lay description of their contributions. Dryish material in the hands of most authors, but highly dramatic stuff for Bell, a florid writer with an intense love for math and scant tolerance for other pursuits. His opinions are so firm and his reasoning so quick and sure that contemporary academic or historical writing seems tepid and mushy by comparison. The genetic source of the brilliant mathematical ability is the first order of business in the biographical formula. With the scholarly ancestor or uncle located, we move on to the educational drama, where tension is derived from the obstacles, such as idiot examiners, poetry, women, drink, that lie between the subject and mathematical greatness. Bell is outraged by the amount of time little boy William Hamilton wastes learning Oriental languages and human-calculator type parlor tricks, rather than focusing on real mathematics. The author's opinionated interpretations are not that unreasonable and his rich style is entertaining though ludicrous. In spite of the snide amusement you may derive from the language and the author's unexamined biases, his rendering of the drama behind twenty truly brilliant careers can really be quite moving. The chapter on Galois is a classic. You'll laugh; you'll cry.

This book has entertained, educated and intrigued two generations of young aspiring mathematicians, as well as people who would never grow up to do research mathematics, but who could see the beauty of number. Bell's style is addictive; he makes every personality come to life--from Galois, brilliant, unlucky and doomed, to Gauss, the "Prince of Mathematicians", to Pascal, mystical and tormented. No one who reads this book can forget, for example, the section entitled "Galois' last night", where, the night before Galois knows he will die, he spends "the fleeting hours feverishly dashing off his last will and testament, writing against time to glean a few of the great things in his teeming mind before the death which he foresaw could overtake him. Time after time he broke off to scribble in the margin 'I have not time; I have not time,' and passed on to the next frantically scrawled outline."

Which is sad, in a way, because it is, according to modern accounts of Galois' life, not accurate. The work Bell is describing was written before his last night, in no such hurry. This has been known for some time, and yet few who know, and who perhaps should know better, will relinquish their affection for this marvellous book. It so captures the enthusiasm one can feel for the beauty and poetry that mathematics brings to the mind that errors of fact are minor flaws.

And the errors are few enough that they really don't matter. In Galois' case, for example, one takes away a deeply etched portrait of an astonishing mind that descended on revolutionary France like a meteorite, and which had about as much chance of being understood. This is accurate, and Bell tells his stories so powerfully that they stay in the mind--for decades, in my case and that of others I know who have read him.

Bell includes many wonderful quotes and stories. The whole first section of the book is just a series of quotes--my favourite is perhaps Weierstrass, "A mathematician who is not also something of a poet will never be a complete mathematician." But he lards the book with quotes, and since this book can profitably be read by an enthusiastic 12-year-old, and often has been, for many people this book is the first time they will meet with such famous quotes as Newton's line about being merely a child, playing with pretty pebbles on the seashore.

Bell claims that the book is not a history of mathematics, and he's right. It's a series of chapters that provide biographical--and mathematical--sketches of thirty-odd great mathematicians, from Archimedes to Cantor. You'll learn a lot about the history of mathematics from this book, but mostly you'll be infected by the passionate enthusiasm of someone who knows and loves his subject. Buy it; read it; if you love mathematics you won't regret it.

In this book, Bell provides the reader with an engaging look into the personal lives of many great mathematicians. While most mathematical biographies focus mainly on the individual's work, Men of Mathematics pays special attention to the lifestyles and life stories of some of the math greats. Mathematical contributions of the men are not downplayed, they are just presented in the context of their social and private lives and of the society in which they lived. For these reasons, Men of Mathematics has become one of my favorite pieces of biographical literature.

I rarely read a book after I have seen the movie it was based on because it seems almost akin to reading the final pages of the book first. Why start reading a book when you already know how it ends? When the movie already gives you a mental picture of what the characters are like? When it would be impossible to read the description of a scene, a conversation, an expression, or a mood without thinking first of the director's and screenwriter's interpretation of those things?

I stand by that view, but I also suggest throwing it out the window when it comes to The Pianist.

I was so moved by the film that when I saw this book in a store, I could not help but pick it up. Once in my hands, I could not help but read the first few lines. Once I read them, I could not help but buy the book. And once I bought it, the next day and a half of my life was dominated by the chilling, horrible, graphic and compelling story.

I won't go into an overview of the plot, since my fellow reviewers have covered that territory very accurately. But I will say that this is a rare case where the value of a book is not compromised by the movie -- the story is so well told and the details (most of which the movie screenwriter was forced to leave out) are so evocative and potent that they flow over and around any preconceived notions.

The film is well done, and by all means it should be seen. But don't let seeing the movie deprive you of the pleasure of this powerful book, which illustrates once again what we have known all along -- that great literature succeeds where other art forms fall short.

Initially I had seen the film by Roman Polanski. Being so moved by the film itself, I decided to read the memoirs to see just how different the two were. Surprisingly, I was impressed that the film did stay so true to Szpilman's memoirs -- very rare in film these days.
The memoirs tell the story of a Polish Jewish pianist named Wladyslaw Szpilman. He and his family suffer under the German control and are forced to live in the Warsaw ghetto. When the time comes to be put onto the cattle car trains headed off to Treblinka (unbeknownst to them), Szpilman gets "saved" by one of the Jewish police. From there on, the memoirs talk about the struggle to survive within the ghetto, while working for the Germans, as well as in hiding.
Szpilman wrote these memoirs very shortly after the war was over and his sense of stating things simply as they were is absolutely remarkable. The memoirs do not exude a sense of blame, guilt, or hatred toward anyone; they merely state what was.

A gripping, stirring account of one man's survival through the war years: Wladyslow Szpilman is a Polish Jew whose talents as a pianist help him barely endure the holocaust years of Nazi occupied Warsaw.

The book admirably shows the survival instinct of man: just when it doesn't look like it can get any worse, it does: and yet he is able to persevere with a little cunning and sometimes a lot of luck. Also accurately depicted is the disturbing recurring theme of how evil can grow and flourish in people when there is nothing to constrain it. A "Lord of the Flies " all over again, only on a grander scale.

All in all a compelling read. Well written and hard to put down. Highly recommended!

Collection of stories by new writers. And it's an interesting mix at that. You'll find everything from spoofy humor, spooky scenery, and spinning plot twisters, with a familiar theme, that of witchcraft.

Mainly, though, it's an interesting look at 'solid' short story writing compiled by an influencial and distinguished person in the horror industry. Which means, basically, a snapshot of the level of work being published. The introduction is from the publishing house, and the subject is selling your first piece of fiction. Pretty much saying, look, this book won't blow you away, but this is what is considered good enough, and let's take some time to celebrate new writers coming into the scene.

I think buying this book with as much enthusiasm as the other reviews here might ruin the experience. These stories aren't the cream of the cream; they're not memorable. But they are an interesting, casual read which can take an amount of time: Since the stories are so different from one another, reading them all at once leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

What a great book! The Horror Writers Association has given horror fans a wonderful taste of the up and coming talent (fresh blood, yum!), and these 21 authors have great futures. And how refreshing to read an anthology whose stories were chosen for the STORY and not the "big name" authors. They were all entertaining, but like most anthologies, a few stood above the rest.

"The Child's Tale" was written by Carole Nomarhas in a unique voice with an almost lyrical, old-world style that worked very well; a beautiful read with an ending that proves there's always more than one side to a story. "As Promised" by Walt Jarvis was a little predictable, but good old-fashioned horror-fun and I loved the story. "That Old Black Magic" by John R. Platt was fun, clever, and humorous enough to make me laugh out loud, and his reader-friendly writing style immediately draws you into the story. "Trailertrash Annie" by Peter N. Dudar was a great story, although with a sad ending, and I love that title! "Hattie's Head" by Kelli Campbell was by far the scariest and most suspenseful, with an ending I would never have guessed--almost felt like the author was saying "gotcha!" after I read the very last sentence, it was that good, plus, again, I love that title! And "La Bete Est Morte" by Nicholas Kaufmann flat out gave me chills and I loved the story's background story.

All these tales are worth reading, but I thought these 6 were the standouts, written by the authors to watch! Overall, a must-have for any horror fan, and far more entertaining than most of the "big name" anthologies I've read over the years. P.D. Cacek is to be commended for her story selections, and she and her authors should be proud! The talent shown by these "affiliate members" of the Horror Writers Association shines as brightly as any "professional."

And lastly, what a gorgeous cover! When I ordered this book from Amazon, there was no cover pictured. Great stories by talented authors, and a killer cover, too! I hope to see more books like this from the HWA!

The Horror Writers Association (known for the Stroker Award) had twenty-one affiliate members (new authors with a limited published résumé) contribute a short story centering on witches and their ilk. The tales take place in a variety of locales including common mundane venues like suburbia (the next election, pundits will follow the suburban witch crowd). The tales are all well written though some seem more magical.

Readers will enjoy this often-frightening yet somewhat satirical collection. BELL, BOOK, & BEYOND provides a glimpse of future ?kings and queens? of the genre, but in an entertaining way. With no weak contribution, genre fans will obtain a taste of the destined in this witchcrafty anthology.

Harriet Klausner

There are a plethora of books in the self help section, and sometimes you don't know which ones are really helpful or not... This book is a classic. It was written in 1971, and unlike many texts of that time, it is still fresh, interesting and relevant. It's written in an easy, jargon free language, which has at its heart a depth and genuine empathic concern for people and their journies.

The techniques they apply are based on the transactional analysis model developed by Eric Berne, but don't worry, you don't have to know any thing about that - the book explains itself beautifully.

The main reason I love it is that it is filled with exercises that you can do by yourself, or share with a partner, about who you are and how you relate to things. It has excellent, simple exercises that open you up to examining childhood influnces, parental attitudes and current behaviour patterns in an illuminating, non-judgemental way.

If you are interested in learning a bit more about yourself, or if you have behaviour patterns that are troubling you and aren't sure where they come from, this is a great place to start.

I've given this book frequently as a gift (adolescents love it!) and I always get lovely feedback. I would definitely recommend this book ahead of a host of others that are out there.

"Born to Win " , is a book I read 20 years back , & have kept going back to ever since. It is an insight into the inner self of a person , without a whole lot of technical jargon .Its fun reading, with a whole lot of telling-it-all pictures , stories , anecdotes. It stays simple , which is very difficult when the subject is technical.Its a great gift to a confused teenager, a groping adult, a troubled parent or just about anybody. Make sure you have your own copy .

I read this book in the mid-1970s when I was a confused mid-twenty something. After reading this book I had the drive and courage to accomplish many goals I had previously thought were only dreams. I have recently decided to give this book to my 18 year old daughter, who is a senior in high school and frightened by the life ahead of her. I hope it works as well for her as it did for me. (If I can get her to read the book with an open and accepting attitude.)

Required to read Henry for my AP English Language class, I came into the play with a bias. I honestly felt that it would be a boring political play. I was utterly wrong! A huge fan of Shakespeare, I found Henry V to be a formidable match for the Bard's more critically acclaimed plays, such as Hamlet and Macbeth. Henry has it all! Shakespeare's attitude toward Henry the King is certainly one of admiration. By communicating the fact that an effective monarch must have a complete understanding of the common subjects (Pistol and Bardolph and Quickly), Shakespeare sets up Henry to be the ideal Christian king. The controlled language of Henry's speeches, particularly his response to the Dauphin's idiotic insult, also glorifies Henry. I certainly recommend this play to anyone, fan of Shakespeare or not.

I looked long and hard (and asked many a scholar) for the "perfect" Shakespeare publication that I might purchase to study "King Henry V" (for a experiential education requirement, I had undertaken the translation of Henry V into American Sign Language). The Arden Shakespeare came highly recommended by everyone, and has lived up entirely to all its rave reviews.

I will never buy Shakespeare from another publisher. While these books may be slightly more expensive than a "mass market" edition, I believe that if you are going to take the time to read and understand Shakespeare, it is well worth the extra dollar or two. The Introduction, the images, and plethora of footnotes are irreplaceable and nearly neccessary for a full understanding of the play (for those of us who are not scholars already). The photocopy of the original Quatro text in the appendix is also very interesting.

All in all, well worth it! I recommend that you buy ALL of Shakespeare's work from Arden's critical editions.

Written by Shakespeare for Queen Elizabeth I amidst a time of Irish rebellion, Henry V more than adequately serves its intended purpose of galvanizing nationalistic fervor. It proved itself to be an unwavering and unfaltering impetus of patriotism in Shakespeare's day, during WWII, and still today it continues to resonate and reverberate this provocatively telling tale of the most gloriously revered monarch in English history.

Henry V's stirring orations prior to the victorious battles of Harfleur("Once more unto the breach") and Agincourt("We few, we happy few, we band of brothers") astonish and inspire me every time I read them. Simply amazing. Having read Henry IV Parts I&II beforehand, I was surprised Shakespeare failed to live up to his word in the Epilogue of Part II in which he promised to "continue the story, with Sir John in it." The continuing follies of the conniving Bardolph, Nym, & Pistol and their ignominious thieving prove to be somewhat of a depricating underplot which nevertheless proves to act as a succinct metaphor for King Harry's "taking" of France.

Powerful and vibrant, the character of Henry V evokes passion and unadulterated admiration through his incredible valor & strength of conviction in a time of utter despondency. It is this conviction and passion which transcends time, and moreover, the very pages that Shakespeare's words are written upon. I find it impossible to overstate the absolute and impregnable puissance of Henry V, a play which I undoubtedly rate as the obligatory cream of the crop of Shakespeare's Histories. I recommend reading Henry IV I&II prior to Henry V as well as viewing Kenneth Branagh's masterpiece film subsequent to reading the equally moving work.

In his book "The Five Languages of Love" Dr. Chapman makes the reader view their relationship in ways they never thought of before. In fact he even gives examples where partners knew what was wrong but not how to fix it and by realizing what their language was they were able to work their relationships and marriages out. It was a wonderful read full of heartfelt expressions from a counselor to his patients, that came through as more of a friend to friend one-on-one style, or the shoulder you wish you could cry on kind of read. It was full of fresh information that will make you reconsider how you've viewed your relationship no matter how long you've been together. I was very pleased to find it was not another dry, textbook example of statistical facts and hypothesis put out for you to draw your own conclusions about. In fact he shows time and again real cases where this method works even in the worst situations! It is a terrific read that I finished in a few hours and will be sure to pass along to my friends. I can't wait to get started implementing what I've learned.

I am not going to tell you about the authors writing techniques or anything else, I am going to tell you what this book has done for me.
A friend (male) suggested I read this book some time ago. Since I dont read relationship books I laughed it off, and continued with my relationship. By that time I had been in my relationship with a man for 7 years, and though we love eachother we just always seemed to fight. He didnt understand me, and I guess I didnt understand him either. My boyfriend and I decided to split and I left the country. One day I was bored and picked up the book, and from page one it made sense. I read the book in 3 hours, and I couldnt wait to call my (then ex) boyfriend back in the states. I told him about it, and asked him if he would read it. He said yes, and so I had a copy mailed to him. He read it, and everything started to come together for him also. A month later he asked me to come home, and I agreed. I can tell you these last 2 months have been the best time we have spent together in the 8 years we have been together. I wish I had the book a long time ago. Now I suggest it to everyone I know, and everyone loves it. Do yourself a favor and buy this book, it might just change your life too.

With communication being the number one factor in making relationship work, this is a must read for both spouses. Chapman hits the "nail on the head" as he uncovers the five languages of love: Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch

Chapman clearly explains each language in a five chapters. Along the way, he includes experiences from real-life couples. After uncovering each language, Chapman uses the next couple of chapters to help the reader discover his or her own love language as well as the spouse's.

Whether you are newlyweds or have been married for years, this book is highly recommended above any other book on marriage. More than likely, a reader will discover they have misunderstood a mate because they were using the wrong language! I'm seeing my mate in completely different light now. :)

--- reviewed by Ty for Christian Bookshelf

Back in high school, I made a vow to myself that I would eventually read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels. A Bell for Adano was one of the first that I read. Now, a few years later, I have read around 30 of those novels, and while many have been wonderful, few have matched the experience of reading A Bell for Adano, and I continue to return to it.

The splendid novel is set during World War II, though it isn't really a war novel. The novel is about how very different people can, and should treat one another, especially when in a difficult situation. A Bell for Adano primarily concerns Major Joppolo. He is an American officer placed in charge of the city of Adano after the invasion. Joppolo is a wonderful, though flawed man. He's always practical but remains sentimental. He sets out to make the lives of the people of Adano the best he possibly can. He does so by not treating them as the enemy but as People. The "bell" of Adano refers his attempt to restore an historic bell to the city that it had lost during the war.

I can never do justice to my favorite novels when I review them, and this is one of them. I can't say enough good about it. The characterizations are strong and the interactions between the characters are touching and thought-provoking. Joppolo's relationship to the city's people is truly remarkable. It makes one think about America's relationship with foreign countries. The story is heart-tugging and humorous. There are few novels written this century that can touch a reader as much as this one does, and this one can make you think a little, too. A Bell for Adano certainly deserved its prize, and it definitely deserves to not be forgotten.

I loved this book. I will admit that I'm a fan of the 1940s, both movies and books. However, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel transcends all that -- it's simply a fine story. Even though the theme is World War II, this is not a story of battle. Instead, it's about a compassionate major and his attempts to bring humanity to a war-torn town in Italy. The books is funny, charming and moving. It's a quick read and a worthwhile one. I highly recommend it.

This book is wonderful in its clear language and soft touch. You will instantly feel a part of the town and its inhabitants. The book tells the story of a small town in Italy occupied by the Americans at the end of WW2. It relates how the occupied village interacts with its human, caring "occupier", an American army officer. Much like Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres, this book puts a massive event in world history into focus. I highly recommend the book.

Heaven's Banquet has a recipe format that I've never seen before, that makes the instructions very easy to follow. Every recipe I've tried has come out perfectly and is utterly scrumptious. I feel that this is the last cookbook I'll ever need to buy. It has everything I need to make healthy and delicious meals--two concepts that don't usually fit together! also, Miriam Hospodar has a wonderful sense of humor that makes reading and using the book a lot of fun, and makes the serious knowledge it contains go down easy.

Before this book, I'd be a devoted Ayurvedic cook for about one week and then fall off the wagon when I got bored "eating Indian" at every meal. Hospodar's recipies are varied (providing Ayurvedic versions of well-loved dishes from around the world) and their flavours and seasonings diverse (even finding favour with my non-vegetarian husband who claims the Moussaka on p. 96 is the "best dish" I make). Other family faves--scones, paella, squash with wild rice succotash, dal II, chili (be prepared for a taste surprise--it's not your traditional chili, but if I don't call it "chili" I always get compliments on the unique seasonings in this dish). Not only are the recipes simple to make, they're also easy to adapt, allowing even the non-experimental cook like me the joy of substituting ingredients and still having it turn out okay!

Hospodar's introduction to Ayurveda is an adequate first overview, but those interested will learn more about this ancient practice by reading Robert Svoboda or Nancy Lonsdorf's books. I also found a better background on Ayurveda in the first Morningstar cookbook (although her recipes, while delicious, are pretty much all "Indian" in taste).

I recommend this over any other Ayurvedic cookbook--and I've used several over the past 8 years. These recipes allow practitioners of Ayurveda to eat standard fare ("what's available elsewhere") without straying from a path to good health and balance. No need to be suspect of this review: I was introduced to this book at a panchakarma retreat so can't be counted as a friend or relative--just a grateful reader!

As you can guess from my name, I'm related to the author - I'm her brother. Though this review has an admittedly built-in bias, I thought I'd let you know something about the years of work and dedication that went into this book, and why I think Heaven's Banquet would bring cooking and eating pleasure to people with diverse food preferences. Ever since she was a child, the author has been cooking family meals. She was always an adventurous cook, trying out different recipes on our family when it was her night to cook. Cooking and seeing people enjoy a good meal seems to be in her blood. At 17, she became a vegetarian and then in her early 20's, took a professional interest in cooking. This interest took her to several countries, working as a hotel chef. Everywhere she went, she picked up ideas and recipes, and in 1980 wrote her first cookbook. Heaven's Banquet was first conceived as a revision of that first book, but in time, took on a life of its own, incorporating the author's almost 20 years of cooking, travelling, and teaching experience since then. Several precepts have always been a part of her cooking. 1. The health of the person one cooks for is important. 2. Recipes should be easy to follow, and work. 3. Cooking is a creative act. More than merely printing recipes, her book gives you the knowledge and freedom to create your own recipes and cooking style. Heaven's Banquet is, then, the culmination of a lifetime of cooking, learning and experimenting, world travel, and a burning passion for delicious, healthful eating. Heaven's Banquet contains recipes from all over the world. Whether or not you're a vegetarian (I'm not), this book's recipes are just downright delicious! Lastly, her non-preachy personality and great humor are evident in her writing. Heaven's Banquet is a pleasure to read!