The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel Review

The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel
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If you read any synopsis of this book, you'd probably think, "Wow, how odd." Well, you'd be correct. However, putting the book down and not reading it because of that would be a grave mistake.
As debut novels go, this is certainly one of the better. It is not large, perhaps 350 pages, has a focused scope, great characters, and great writing.
Steven Sherrill's poetry background is evident in the book, but you certainly don't have to be a poetry lover (I'm not) to enjoy it. His writing is gorgeous, interspacing long lyrical lines with brief five word sentences. His descriptive talents are amazing. As one who worked in a restaurant in high school, I can say that the sights, sounds, and events that take place at the Minotaur's work are exactly correct.
Sherrill uses humor and humanity to great effect and by the first few pages of the novel, I did not find it strange at all that a creature with the head of a bull and body of a man was coexisting with humans in the modern South. I found myself identifing with some of what the Minotaur goes through, and found myself rooting for him.
If you've ever thought about taking a chance on a new author, this book is an excellent choice. It will make you smile and at the same time make you wonder about what it is to be fully human.

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cigars, 2nd Edition Review

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cigars, 2nd Edition
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I've smoked cigars in the past, even expensive ones. But, similar to my journey into wine, I was too shy to walk into a fine cigar store and ask what I thought were stupid questions about size, shape, and even the circumference of a cigar. I didn't know what made a smoke mild or robust, or why I seemed to prefer to the milder ones. In part, its a matter of taste, but as you read this book, you also learn there's a standard for most cigars, and then one can experiment with more robust or even exotic blends. After reading the book I have a great idea of what I want to look for going forward--the country, the style, the length and ring size, and what type of tobacco and wrapper will provide the taste I'm looking for. I've also learned what to pay for a good cigar, and when (and when not to!) splurge for those more expensive smokes.

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For millions of men and women, it's the ultimate pleasure ... From private parties to hip bars to posh gentlemen's clubs, cigar smoking has become an eight billion dollar global pastime. But, like wine, a fine cigar requires dedicated study and tasting. Here's the only comprehensive book on the subject, featuring all the information that novice and veteran cigar aficionados need. --New handy 6 X 9 format --Completely updated with the latest brands, product lines, and accessories --Features web-related cost-cutting tips --Step-by-step instructions for getting the most out of a cigar

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Great Vespers Review

Great Vespers
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Dr. Karkar's Natural Quit Smoking "book" is nothing more than a few poorly written pages reflecting on his own experience quitting smoking. Nothing scientific or even very helpful here. Looking through Dr. Karkar's other[...] offerings on Kindle, it seems to me to be a bit of a scam.

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Van Diemen at 17 Review

Van Diemen at 17
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Great characters, a foreign setting, lots of bratty mean girls, a prissy schoolmarm, and a hot guy to die for. The prescription for a page turner. Jeania Kimbrough's VAN DIEMEN AT 17 has it all, but never slips into genre cliches.
When an over-achieving American high school student decides to complete her senior year as a foreign exchange student in Tasmania, she encounters unanticipated expectations that bring her face to face with her biggest fear: failure. Throw in a sophisticated medical student from a prominent Tasmanian family and you have the recipe for a disastrous romance and unpredictable consequences that reverberate through the exchange program community.
I loved this book. It is told simply, with deep attention to the emotional complexity of even the secondary characters, but especially the star-crossed protagonists, who are lovingly crafted. As the story pulled me in I also gained insight into a culture that, like most Americans, completely intrigues me -- how similar the English speaking residents are, and yet how vastly different.
It was my pleasure to have Jeania Kimbrough as a student for several years, and she has made me very proud with this lovely story that goes beyond its coming of age roots to explore the impact change has on human beings and their relationships. I recommend Van Diemen at 17 to anyone interested in reading about triumphs of the human spirit.
-Connie Flynn
Published Novelist/Creative Writing Instructor


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Blue-Eyed Son Review

Blue-Eyed Son
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Making Expression Less Taxing, a Freelancer's Tax HandbookIf you didn't experience Woodstock, the bohemian lifestyle, the nomadic make-peace-not-war routine, the openness, the protests of '60s and '70s like me--I was a Mormon missionary in Munich--but want some sense of the experience and culture, you've got to read this novel. It'll clue you in. Big time. And if you did experience some or all of the '60s and '70s Zeitgeist, this novel will resurrect some of it for you. Not only that, but it has a mythic structure characteristic of all great storytellers. Now, take your thesaurus and look up synonyms for "favorite". You'll find "blue-eyed". Now look up "paradox." You should--but won't--find Doyle Sinclair's novel, BLUE-EYED SON listed. But, believe me, the novel is, in the best sense of the push-me-pull-you word, a paradox.
In the dog days of 1969, a self-absorbed, too-smart-for-his-own-good 17-year-old testosterone-driven blue-eyed son, David St. John, gets busted for smoking pot. Not by cops in the school parking lot but by his parents in his bedroom at home. His father takes a belt to him, while mother dear urges Papa on--"Don't you stop . . . He needs a damn good thrashing!"--and promises to trash David's hippie toys: posters, record players, vinyl albums, clothes. It's clear to them that David has immersed himself in decadence. No more allowance. They tell him he is grounded and can't do anything.
"Aufwiedersehen, Texas, David says. "Guten Tag, hippiedom." He decides to Peter Pan it. Well, not literally, but you get the drift. David begins his nomadic adventure that takes him through the '70s with a band of fellow hippies to travel with, a psychedelic bus to tour in: foul-mouthed, chain-smoking pot and cigarettes, shooting-up exotic drugs, open and free sex, defiance, endless booze, petty to major crimes, and then: eluding the Man. For years on end. Stuck. And aside from the free-love, genuine love interests: Maggie and Munchie the cat. Oh, and did I mention the creepiest of antagonists, named Aaron? Well, him too. It makes me squirm just thinking of him. Then, finally, in New Orleans in 1980, "For the first time in years, David felt comfortable enough to relax and stop worrying about running from the law." And then it takes at least twenty more years to have a breakthrough in recovery. And all of this is set to the music of the times. How? Well, Sinclair has sprinkled lyrics from hit rock and roll songs of the era throughout the narrative to hype the setting and enhance his characterizations. The tactic brought for me the melodies of yesteryear to life, almost as if a needle was coursing its way through the vinyl grooves of a record on a turntable.
Don't get me wrong. Reading Blue-Eyed Son wasn't perfect for me. But it was like finding an old 1969 Camaro convertible in grandpa's garage after he's died and learning he's left the old classic to me. It's a treasure, but it needs some work. It had a few implausibility and deus ex machine dents. There were some repetitions that seemed like scratches in the paint that needed to be buffed out and repainted. And it could use a tune-up by at least a copy editor.
Overall, though, the basic story is iconic, like Woodstock itself. David chooses to leave a comfortable home and ordinary surroundings to venture into a tough, new, transformative world. And believe me it has consequences more dire than the wicked witch or the big bad wolf. It is both an outward journey and an inward journey for David. He grows and changes. Weaknesses slowly become strengths--and at times it seemed excruciating. His despair gives way to hope. Foolishness yields to wisdom. Love moves to revulsion but returns again. It hooked me and made the story worthwhile reading. It is not a book for the faint of heart or those too put off by stong language and alternative lifestyles. I can't convey the harshness of consequences on the blue-eyed son, but even more than that, on his one true love: Maggie. It is their saga. It is their song. You should listen to it. It's not just one catchy melody, but many.


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Leaving his home in Dallas in the summer of ‘69, teenager David St. John is plunged into a psychedelic explosion of light, color, drugs and music as he begins a journey through three decades. Like most teens, David has seen the incredible images on TV of the hippies in San Francisco enjoying, rock music, sexual freedom and drugs. David's parents bust him for smoking a joint, and he makes a decision that will affect his life forever. Heading west, he criss-crosses the country in a hippie-bus full of like minded kids. Falling in love with Maggie, another runaway, they attend the Woodstock concert in New York. David and his friends are involved in an incident that causes them trouble with the law. Hiding out by going underground and living off the grid, David decides that the ‘hippie lifestyle' was not as glamorous as it had appeared. Another incident causes the group to disband quickly with the law chasing them again. David and Maggie are separated and are living far apart. They both want to find each other, but are unable to reunite due to the fact that they are still on the run from the law, and have no idea where the other is hiding. David wants to reunite with Maggie, and live a normal life. They both decide to search for each other. Will they be reunited, or has time and distance separated them forever? There was more to the 60's than Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll!

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How to make your own Ecig Ecigarette Liquid fluid vapor at home Review

How to make your own Ecig Ecigarette Liquid fluid vapor at home
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i tried this idea but it was a stupid idea. you guys better remove this item from amazon. it just took my money and didnot worked at all.

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Make the switch from traditional smoking to Vaporizing!You can "smoke" vapor anywhere - hospitals, doctor's offices, in your carpool, and more!Learn how to make your own electronic cigarette vapor liquid for use in cartridge refills! Easily, save thousands of dollars! (Cheaper than traditional cigarettes and even less expensive than electronic cigarette refill cartridges!) Discover how you can make large quantities of refill vapor with common household items (or those found at your local grocery store). Learn how to make, and use, custom flavorings for an even more enjoyable vaping experience from your electronic cigarette. Includes step by step instructions, with photos and helpful hints, that will have you making your own home brew in no time!Learn how to make your own electronic cigarette vapor liquid for use in cartridge refills!Easily, save thousands of dollars! (Cheaper than traditional cigarettes and even much less expensive than electronic cigarette refill cartridges!)Discover how you can make large quantities of refill vapor with common household items (or those found at your local grocery store).Learn how to make, and use, custom flavorings for an even more enjoyable vaping experience from your electronic cigarette. (even menthol!)Includes step by step instructions, with photos and helpful hints, that will have you making your own home-brew in no time!For Atomizer based e-cigs of all brands.

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Rídan The Devil And Other Stories Review

Rídan The Devil And Other Stories
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Very entertaining book, and it's so impressive to imagine that the author himself lived through some of these adventures he tells. Some stories are much more suspenseful and some have a bit of humor, but i'd say almost all of them are unique and worth reading. A- ... must buy for Pirates of the Caribbean fans and pirate lovers in general

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Ridan lived alone in a little hut on the borders of the big Germanplantation at Mulifenua, away down at the lee end of Upolu Island,

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The Barbeque Joe Chronicles Review

The Barbeque Joe Chronicles
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I found the BBQ Joe Chronicles to be the perfect book for anyone who loves a BBQ.
Filled with history and plenty of laughs, this book is a quick read filled with terrific recipes and insider tips on how to unleash the BBQ Beast inside us all. I highly recommend .. the recipes alone are worth the price of admission!!! Happy Grilling!!!

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About the BookMarinate Often and Grill Responsibly! These are words of wisdom from the one and only BarbeQue Joe. In The BarbeQue Joe Chronicles, author Joe Svezia takes readers on a prehistoric expedition to discover the genealogical history of his passion for barbeque, uncovering entertaining stories, bits of advice, and tasty recipes along the way.The journey begins with BarbeQue Joe jumping 11,000 years back in time to unveil the link between the origins of barbeque and Joe's most distant ancestors, and the trail continues from Primal Man into Modern Man's relationship with grilling meat. The Chronicles also explore Barbeque Joe's theories on Modern Man's hierarchical place in the family and gives recommendations for lifestyle adjustments to balance mind, body, and spirit...all related to time spent at the grill, of course. The last part of the book offers a savory grilling guide, featuring 19 of BarbeQue Joe's signature grilling recipes. Rare, Medium, or Done'Read! About the AuthorJoe Svezia lives a multi-faceted life as a father, husband, working actor in Hollywood, senior sales executive in the realm of technology, and most recently, as a published author. In the midst of all of this, Joe has found time to continue to pursue his obsession with all things barbeque related, a passion that was set aflame when his grandfather the butcher taught him the fine art of cutting steaks, filleting chicken and cleaning fish way back when.Joe's most recent grill-minded effort compelled him to scribe an 11,000 year historical tale of Caveman's instinctual desire for combining meat and flame, The BarbeQue Joe Chronicles. The chronicle combines Joe's sometimes unsavory grilled humor with quite savory barbeque recipes, a unique blend of entertainment and education, served up as only BarbeQue Joe can stoke a fire.Joe lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son, and a huge hunk of steel in his backyard that he also spends quality time with--his beloved barbeque grill. For more information, visit www.bbqjoe.com.

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Let Them Eat Grass: Smoke Review

Let Them Eat Grass: Smoke
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This is the first of a trilogy by the author. The next two volumes are now available, at least directly from the author. He has taken this story all of us in the upper midwest may know, and by separating volumes, gives the background leading up to the problems in 1862 in Minnesota. I think it is comprehensive and much better than other books I have read, even those issued by the Minnesota Historical Society in that they summarize the prelude to the uprisings. This book takes it back to the proper detailed events leading up. Highly recommended. I found it by accident at Barnes and Noble.
Easy to read and filled with photos.

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This is the first of a three-volume set. It is the definitive history of the 1862 Dakota Uprising in Minnesota.

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Mister Paradise and Other One-Act Plays Review

Mister Paradise and Other One-Act Plays
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Although Tennessee Williams provided the world theatre with nearly a dozen full-length plays that are still continually done, from the very beginning until the end of his life he also worked in the one-act form. "This Property Is Condemned" and "Twenty-seven Wagons Full of Cotton" are classics of the genre. The short plays collected in this volume were mostly discovered after his death and have been published posthumously. The first few selections would probably be more aptly classified as juvenilia and are really more vignettes than actual plays. And to tell the truth, we probably wouldn't be interested in them at all if their author were not Tennessee Williams. However, their author WAS Tennessee Williams and for that reason they command our attention. We can see the small seeds that later blossomed into more fully realized work. "These Are the Stairs You Got to Watch," set in a run-down movie theatre where unsavory acts are performed by audience members in the balcony brings to mind the short stories, "The Mysteries of the Joy Rio" and "Hard Candy." "Mr. Paradise" has echoes of "Lord Byron's Love Letter" and "Auto-Da-Fe." "The Palooka" and "Escape" show traces of NOT ABOUT NIGHTINGALES and "Why Do You Smoke So Much, Lily?" and "Summer at the Lake" foreshadow THE GLASS MENAGERIE. "The Pink Bedroom" and "The Fat Man's Wife" are more fully developed and could truly be called plays. These are both bittersweet comedies about adultery and could provide good material for actors looking for scenes to perform in acting classes. The other plays are somewhat more profound. "Thank You Kind Sprit" is a sad play about faith. It deals with an ancient Negress who conducts spiritualist meetings in New Orleans' French Quarter. Her session is interrupted by boorish people who denounce her as a phony and destroy her "temple," leaving her bereft of everything except for a crippled child who still believes in her. (This one would make a good television film, I think.) "The Municipal Abattoir" deals with people living in a totalitarian regime and has a lot in common with some of Caryl Churchill's work. "Adam and Eve on a Ferry," like another Williams short play, "I Rise in Flame Cried the Phoenix," deals with D.H. Lawrence. The best of the plays in this volume is "And Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Queens..." This play was one he worked on sporadically for decades and provides insight into the mind of Williams like none of the other one-acts. Set in The French Quarter, it deals with a lonely transvestite who has been jilted and now seeks new love from men who are unable and unwilling to give it to "her." But it has a layer of symbolism that is equal to SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER.
None of these plays could be called an undiscovered masterpiece, but for Williams scholars, they provide a valuable source of insight into the major works. I also think these plays could be inspirational to beginning playwrights simply because they are so primitive. This is how Tennessee Williams started and look how much he developed. It shows the power of persistence and the value of continuing to write even if the early results are not all that great.
This volume includes a breezy introduction by actors Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach as well as some excellent notes by the editors, Nicholas Moschovakis and David Roessel.

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Thirteen previously unpublished short plays now available for the first time.
Tennessee Williams had a distinct talent for writing short plays and, not surprisingly, this remarkable new collection of never-before-published one-acts includes some of his most poignant and hilarious characters: the indefatigable, witty and tough drag queens of And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens...; the strange little man behind the nom de plume Mister Paradise; and the extravagant mistress who cheats on her married man in The Pink Bedroom. Most were written in the 1930s and early 1940s when Williams was already flexing his theatrical imagination. Chosen from over seventy unpublished one-acts, these are some of Williams's finest; several have premiered recently at The Hartford Stage Co., The Kennedy Center, the Manhattan Theatre Club and the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Included in this volume:
These Are the Stairs You Got to Watch
Mister Paradise
The Palooka
Escape
Why Do You Smoke So Much, Lily?
Summer At the Lake
The Big Game
The Pink Bedroom
The Fat Man's Wife
Thank You, Kind Spirit
The Municipal Abattoir
Adam and Eve on a Ferry
And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens...
Long associated with Williams, acclaimed stage and film actors Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson provide a fresh and challenging foreword for actors, directors, and readers.

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Spirit Of The Mountain Man/ordeal Of The Mountain Man (The Last Mountain Man) Review

Spirit Of The Mountain Man/ordeal Of The Mountain Man (The Last Mountain Man)
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I purchased this product for my father for Christmas. I haven't listened to the tapes or anything, but my father was pleased so that's all that matters.

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The Message Was Written In Blood: Bring Me The Head Of Smoke Jensen! A hard term in Yuma Prison gave Ralph Tinsdale and his gunhawk sidekicks time to nurse a deep hatred for Smoke Jensen--the man who put them there. A bloody escape gives them the chance to get even. Their posse is already forty strong, the price on Smoke's head is up to twenty grand, and with Jensen's own wife shanghaied into Tinsdale's deadly trap, this time there's more at stake than Smoke's own life . . .

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Turbulent Journey: A mother's perspective on Mental Illness and Addiction Review

Turbulent Journey: A mother's perspective on Mental Illness and Addiction
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Turbulent Journey is is one of those must read books - informative, spiritual in it's message and heart-warming in the love and care required to support someone suffering from mental illness and/or addiction. Being part of generation Y, I have numerous friends who have mental illness and addictive problems, so this book opened my mind by providing me with a more homely insight into their ongoing problems and the family support required. This behind closed doors viewpoint is something other books rarely offer. I love the ending with the focus being on the misconceptions of mental health and the lack of community awareness. I highly recommend purchase of this book and believe you will be better for reading it.

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A mother's perspective on Mental Illness and Addiction offers a powerful look through a mother's eyes at the ways her son's drug addiction and mental health issues have affected the family. This compelling and moving story focuses on the struggles of her son and her family in dealing with her son's addiction and mental illness. Her love, anguish, frustration, and passion will touch readers-not only those dealing with similar issues in their own families, but any reader who has experienced the anxiety that comes with a loved one having an ongoing health crisis. In addition to painting a vivid portrait of the daily life and the crisis points in her journey, Caring Mother gives a wonderful gift to other caregivers by reassuring them about the range of emotions they feel and describing ways she found to cope and maintain her focus on her son and her family.Caring Mother takes time to set the stage at the beginning of the book by telling her own family's health history. The concluding chapters are insightful, as the author looks at the misconceptions and stereotypes involving the mentally ill and how images in the media play a role. This true story is a book with the capacity to send a heart warming message of strength to readers - one that can radically improve their lives.

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Workbook of Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates: Second Edition Review

Workbook of Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates: Second Edition
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I am reading 1969 version of this book. I have borrowed this book from a Professor. It is a good stariting point for the formulation basics in dispersion. Up to now I had seen the names of Gaussian type, had never faced with the formulations. Thanks to Bruce Turner

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TobakkoNacht - The Story Review

TobakkoNacht - The Story
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i would like to see this author.s other work available on kindle. thje anti smokers brain.

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On one dark night in 1938, just days after Adolf Hitler consolidated his hold on the German Reichstag, twelve hours of terror descended upon the Jewish population of Berlin and other large German cities. Jewish ghetto districts saw entire blocks of store windows smashed, synagogues burned to the ground, hundreds of Jewish men killed with thousands more arrested for defending their families and properties, and Jewish women and children raped and battered. Hitler's Aryan gangs intended to teach the 'vermin' a lesson they'd never forget. That night has come down in history to us as "The Night of Broken Glass" . . . Kristallnacht. TobakkoNacht -The Story! is not meant in any way to detract from the horror of that night. On the contrary, while writing it and sharing it with others I discovered how sadly Kristallnacht itself has been forgotten by far too many. Perhaps this story will help remind some of that history. TobakkoNacht! is divided into six short parts spaced over 10,000 years. Each part is very different not only in content but also in writing style. This is deliberate and will hopefully prove to be as enjoyable to read as it was chilling to write. Note: this Kindle edition consists of a 7,500 word political science fiction novelette, a postscript, and “bonus materials" consisting of a much shorter science fiction piece, “Breathers," and three chapters (“Hate," “The True Costs," and “Truth, Lies, and Ice Cream") from my previous full-length non-fiction book, "Dissecting Antismokers Brains." It is not a full-length book but at 20,000 words it is a respectable and thought-provoking read.

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Deliria: Faerie Tales for a New Millennium Review

Deliria: Faerie Tales for a New Millennium
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First, a word of warning: There is a LOT of detail and information in this book.
Now, on the plus side - this book really does contain everything you need to run the game. The setting is something like everything Neil Gaiman has ever written, plus the later Books of Magic (Timothy Hunter). But even that's not the limit.
The style of gaming is truly interactive - both the players and the game-master work together to craft the story, with both setting in limits and ideas to the setting. Your character is important to the setting, and without what you put into it, no story will happen.
This book changes how games are played, in a good way, and its very design encourages a more cooperative spirit than most previous games. I give this a really high recommendation.

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What is Deliria?It's a setting where ordinary people face an extraordinary world. Like the heroes of traditional faerie tales, these men and women are normal folks whose lives suddenly upend, pitching the old rules out the nearest window. And like those traditional heroes, these modern-day Jacks and Beautys must face challenges of body, mind and spirit... or face dark consequences.Deliria is a realm of innocence, challenge and transformation. A place where the tales you tell are yours. A place where hope remains the bravest force, and cleverness brings giants down.Deliria's Prime Codex contains:Roleplaying rules for any venue--tabletop, street theatre, and Internet; A setting that ranges from coffee shops to kingdoms; A realm where broken hearts mean more than broken bones; Lore about faerie tales and the lessons they provide; Many tales about Deliria's domain; Art that strides beyond cliché; And inspirations and affirmations about who we are in our world and what can do to change it.

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Pride Of The Mountain Man Review

Pride Of The Mountain Man
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Non stop action in the tradition of the dime store Western! Missouri bushwackers get their come uppance in the wake of a Dodge City bank robbery. After the Rebs lost the war they should have stayed the Hell out of Dodge!

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Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue: Barbecue Your Way to Greatness With 575 Lip-Smackin' Recipes from the Baron of Barbecue Review

Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue: Barbecue Your Way to Greatness With 575 Lip-Smackin' Recipes from the Baron of Barbecue
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A few days ago, I interviewed a thin, oversized book entitled `The Big Grill' published by a minor, undistinguished publishing house. The book had all the look about it of a volume destined to go directly from the publisher to the discount stacks, and I found nothing in the book which changed that opinion. The only puzzling aspect of the book is that the thumbnail biography of the author on the back jacket listed some very serious credentials for the author, Paul Kirk. By chance, I soon ran across this volume by the same Paul Kirk, published by the very serious Harvard Common Press, with very high powered blurbs on the back jacket from the likes of John Thorne and Tony Bourdain, plus several luminary barbecue restaurateurs. Like the case with my poor review of one of Nigella Lawson's lesser efforts, I was anxious to find a genuine source for all this admiration. Therefore, I do this review of a book that is dramatically different and better than `The Big Grill' potboiler.
A superficial look at the size and the cover of `Championship Barbecue' may give you the impression that the book is similar to Steve Raichlen's encyclopedic collections of barbecue recipes. While Raichlen's excellent `BBQ USA' gives a great history of the subject and a thorough collection of recipes from around the country, Kirk's `Championship Barbecue' is almost entirely the story of how to participate in and win barbecue contests, a skill he seems to have mastered early and excelled in often.
The very first thing which struck me about Kirk's description of what it takes to win at a barbecue contest is how similar it is to lessons learned by traditional chefs doing haute cuisine. Kirk repeats the mantra told by everyone from Daniel Boulud to Paul Robuchon that a lot of the secret comes from practice and attention to details. This is why he can freely teach people his recipes and techniques with little fear that it will give them the means to beat him at the next competition. To have even the smallest chance of matching Kirk's performance requires years of practice and experience, plus the stamina and discipline to check a smoker every 90 minutes overnight, thereby giving up a perfectly good night's sleep in order to insure 16 to 24 hours of smoking at a consistent temperature.
The only thing Kirk does not tell us is the recipe for his latest rubs and sauces, as he changes them for each year's competition. He is more than generous in telling us just about everything else. The book starts with three chapters, about fifty pages, on competition planning, equipment, rules, and preparation before he even gets to the recipes. The next hundred pages cover pantry preparations such as marinades, mops, sops, slathers, seasonings, rubs, sauces, salsas, relishes, and dipping sauces. Some recipes are borrowed (or stolen) from friends, but most are the author's own creations. My favorite recipes were for the most basic staples such as catsup, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. The chapters where recipes cover completed dishes are:
Hog Heaven begins with a long essay on pork primals, brines, woods, whole hog smoking, and the recipes. While Kirk is based in Kansas, which is beef country, most big competitions have pork contests and some of the biggest contests such as the Memphis in May invitational are all pork. Note that Kirk is crystal clear on the difference between barbecue and grilling and he includes a lot of grill recipes which correctly are fast cooking over high heat, while barbecue is slow cooking with smoke over indirect heat.
Steer Crazy covers beef recipes, both for barbecue and grilling. Some recipes include veal and sweetbreads, but the main attractions are burgers, kabobs, sirloin, strips, filets, ribeye, and brisket. At the beginning of the chapter, Kirk clearly indicates which cuts are best for grilling and which cuts are best for `cue and which cuts can go both ways.
Lamb and Cabrito covers lamb and goat cookery. Cabrito is a method of roasting a whole goat that originated in Mexico. Lamb recipes cover Greek, Lebanese, Japanese, Indian, Caribbean, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, French, and plain old barbecue.
Putting on the Dog covers all things you can stuff into a pig's intestines, otherwise known as sausage. It includes kielbasa, chourico, andouille, Italian, Texas Hill sausage, bratwurst, lamb, gyro, apple, and venison, oh my.
Plentiful Poultry covers birds, including burgers, wings, jerk, grilled, smoked, fajitas, quesadillas, Cornish, turkey, duck, dove, and quail.
Smokin' with the Fishes covers fillets, lots of catfish, grouper, mackerel, lots of salmon, lots of swordfish, lots of tuna, crabs, lobster, oysters, octopus, shrimp, and squid. Most recipes for fish are for the grill, but there are some smoker recipes for some of the firmer fish and game fish such as mackerel, salmon, and trout.
On the side is... sides dishes, mostly salads, casseroles, and bakes with potatoes, macaroni, and beans. Southern and Yankee cornbread and hoe cakes round out the list. I am really surprised to discover here that it is the Yankee, not the Southern cornbread that contains the sugar.
The book ends with an excellent section on sources for grills, spices, wood, and charcoal. Early in the book, there are also contacts for the three major barbecue competition certifying organizations. Be very clear that this book is great even if you never take the first step towards entering a barbecue competition. What makes great competition barbecue will make great home barbecue.
With two big caveats, almost all the recipes are pretty simple. The first gotcha is that a grill or smoker setup, even with Kingsford briquettes can be a pretty big chore, especially if outdoor space is tight. The second gotcha is that even reasonable quality barbecue needs a lot of attention to maintain a constant temperature with natural materials.
If you are up to the fire outdoors, this is the book for you!

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