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Books: Text Books: Central and South America



Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier's Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington
by Paul Rieckhoff
List Price: $24.95
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$15.72 On 7-21-2006 4.5 out of 5 stars
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From Publishers Weekly
An Operation Iraqi Freedom vet and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Rieckhoff recounts his journey from National Guard lieutenant to disillusioned patriot in this disappointing combat memoir-cum-polemic. Rieckhoff admits that he thought the reasons for invading Iraq were "bullshit," but volunteered to go anyway. His experiences in Iraq—patrolling the chaotic streets of Baghdad in the months after its occupation—only confirmed his initial judgment that the invasion "was one of the greatest foreign policy mistakes in our nation's history." Rieckhoff is anything but humble. An Amherst grad (as he often interjects), he finds his recruiter repellant—a "slick, fat Sergeant [who] smelled like a dirty ashtray"— but enlists anyway. President Bush is "arrogant" and "a bully," and Coalition Provisional Authority head Paul Bremer is "ignorant and out-of-touch." Rieckhoff is bipartisan in his contempt: when the Kerry campaign ignores his advice, he dismisses the Democratic presidential candidate as "a calculating and coached politician." Finally, he and a "small band of pissed-off visionaries" founded their own organization, Operation Truth, to get out the word. In the end, Rieckhoff has a story to tell, but he undermines his credibility with his arrogance and petty offside remarks. (May)
Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Lieutenant Rieckhoff and his 38-man infantry platoon spent 10 months in one of the most volatile areas of Baghdad, trying to maintain order, protect civilians, track down insurgents, and protect themselves from snipers and bombers. It quickly became clear that the American mission in Iraq had vague strategy, flawed tactics, and overchallenged, underequipped soldiers. Rieckhoff made it back alive, determined to tell the truth about what was happening and demand accountability from elected officials. Although Rieckhoff does not emphasize it, it comes through clearly that Iraq War veterans are held in declining respect, evidenced by the problems they have getting help with war-related injuries, especially psychological ones. Iraq has been a rich man's war and a poor man's fight, with the Iraqi people barely visible in the American media. Moreover, Rieckhoff's experiences showed him that censorship and bias abound even in these days of "on-the-spot" reporting, distorting what anyone following the war through the general media can learn. A most commendable eyewitness report on Iraq. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Culinary Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America Culinary Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at The Culinary Institute of America
by The Culinary Institute of America and Martha Rose Shulman
List Price: $29.95
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$19.77 On 7-21-2006 4.0 out of 5 stars
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From Publishers Weekly
For anyone who's fantasized about attending culinary school—or any curious cook who wants to understand more about the fundamentals of fine cooking—this book offers a peek into an über-condensed, intensive version of Culinary Institute of America training for nonprofessionals. In an era when most bestselling cookbooks eschew traditional techniques in favor of time-saving shortcuts, the book is an anomaly. Shulman (Entertaining Light), an IACP Award–winning cookbook author, takes readers along with her as she attends the CIA's five-day "boot camp" and explains the lessons she learned, from preparing stocks and sauces, to using knives and understanding proper sauté protocol, along with (occasionally overbearing) personal commentary about the experience. Some organizational elements don't make sense—the section on stocks, for example, precedes the recipes for stocks by more than 100 pages—and some recipes are unnecessary (the author criticizes the CIA's cornbread recipe and inserts her own instead). But the text is packed with good insider info, and most of the 75 recipes, such as Spinach Spaetzle with Sapsago Cheese, and Morel and Wild Mushroom Ragoût, are time-honored yet contemporary, rigorous yet approachable. 100 full-color photos. (May 6)
Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
Experience the intensity of basic training with the "most influential training school for professional cooks" (Time magazine)

DAY 1: "Our 'drill sergeant' comes into the room and writes his name on the board. He wears the CIA staff jacket, a green name badge, and the chef's kerchief around his neck, which he later shows us how to tie. 'YOU ARE MINE!' he says with a sly smile on his face, and we know that he's going to give us the guidance we need. He'll be strict, but kind."

DAY 2: "Until I went to Boot Camp, I was never very comfortable around (or succeessful with) lots of hot oil in a pan. That was all about to change."

DAY 3: "One of the most important terms for dry heat cookingis 'carryover cooking.' Carryover cooking refers to thefact that heat penetrates meat from the outside to theinside, and when you remove it from the oven, the meat willcontinue to cook. That's why it must rest, during which time the carryover cooking continues, the temperature equalizes,and the juices relax and flow through the meat."

DAY 4: "Our dessert was a Warm Dark Chocolate Pudding Cake, and it was served with a glass of Quady Elysium from Madera County, California. They named their black muscat dessert wine Elysium because, in their words, 'Drinking this, you can almost feel you have fallen into a rose garden and been transported to heaven.' And I must say I did. I transported myself to bed instead, thinking what an appropriate meal this had been after our first wine lecture, and about the wines I would serve with my own next dinner party."

DAY 5: "We sampled each team's handiwork, and as we were polishing off this large meal, our chef stood up to congratulate us and hand out our 'certificates of accomplishment.'"



Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America
by Mystery Writers of America, Sue Grafton, Jan Burke, and Barry Zeman
List Price: $16.99
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$11.04 On 7-21-2006 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Product Review
The mystery, like other stories, relies on believable characters, a strong narrative, and crisp prose. But it is also "a way of examining the dark side of human nature," says Writing Mysteries editor Sue Grafton. The book's 37 contributors ponder everything from brainstorming ideas to dealing with editors. Jeremiah Healy jump-starts the book with a piece that considers the unwritten "rules" of mystery writing. Stuart Kaminsky discusses research--experts, it turns out, are just waiting for you to contact them--and Sandra Scoppettone discusses vivid villains. Sara Paretsky contemplates the pitfalls of using a recurring hero, and Michael Connelly contributes a fine piece on characterization. "The best crime novels," Connelly says, "are not about how a detective works on a case; they are about how a case works on a detective." Other chapters focus on amateur sleuths, convincing dialogue, depiction of violence, and specialty genres. The book's short chapters form a sort of mystery writer's antipasti plate. Some won't resonate, while others will leave you wishing you had a larger serving. An ideal primer for mystery writers. --Jane Steinberg

Book Description
Writing mystery fiction can be a special kind of puzzle. In this new, revised edition of the mystery Writers of America classic, Sue Grafton weaves the experience of today's top mystery authors into a comprehensive mystery writing "how-to." Writers will learn how to piece a perfect mystery together and create realistic stories that are taut, immediate and fraught with tension.

The book's contributors include a "who's who" of the mystery writing elite: Faye and Jonathan Kellerman on conducting accurate research; Michael Connelly on mastering characterization; Tony Hillerman on writing without an outline; Lawrence Block on overcoming writer's block; Sara Paretsky on creating successful series characters; Tess Gerritson on writing the medical thriller; Ann Rule on the art of writing true crime. And many more!



Textbook of International Health Textbook of International Health
by Paul F. Basch
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$64.50 On 7-21-2006 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Book Description
Stanford Univ., CA. Synthesizes historical, cul- tural, environmental, economic, and political con- siderations to provide a comprehensive overview of the factors that influence the health of popula- tions and individuals. The entire text has been updated and includes many new chapters. For students and professionals. Previous edition: c1990.

Book Info
Stanford Univ., CA. Synthesizes historical, cultural, environmental, economic, and political considerations to provide a comprehensive overview of the factors that influence the health of populations and individuals. The entire text has been updated and includes many new chapters. For students and professionals. Previous edition: c1990.


Real Estate Finance Law (Hornbook Series and Other Textbooks) Real Estate Finance Law (Hornbook Series and Other Textbooks)
by Grant S. Nelson and Dale A. Whitman
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$50.50 On 7-21-2006 0.0 out of 5 stars
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Book Description
Real estate finance law is market-driven and therefore constantly changing. This treatise provides current, expert coverage on the law of mortgages; the necessity and nature of obligation; mortgage substitutes; foreclosure; statutory impacts; subrogation, contribution, and marshaling; government intervention; and financing real estate construction. Additional consideration is given to the potential liability for cleaning up hazardous waste and the impact of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

About The Author
Teaches property and real estate finance law at the J. Reuben Clark School of Law, Brigham Young University. He received his LL.B from Duke University School of Law and his B.E.S. from Brigham Young University.


Flora of North America, Vol. 26: Liliidae Flora of North America, Vol. 26: Liliidae
by Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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$95.00 On 7-21-2006 0.0 out of 5 stars
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Book Description
The second of five volumes covering the monocots in North America north of Mexico, this volume features some of the most spectacular and showy native and naturalized species including orchids, lilies, irises, trilliums, hymenocallises, alliums, hostas, tulips, erythroniums, agaves, and yuccas.
Plants representing eleven families following Cronquist's classification are contained in this flora along with many species and genera of special interest in the horticultural trade or of conservation concern. The genus containing onions, garlic, and chives--Allium--is represented in the volume by
almost 100 native and naturalized species. The Chicago native and enigmatic Thismia americana, one of five species in three genera of the mostly tropical Burmanniaceae, is included along with four families (Aloaceae, Stemonaceae, Smilacaceae, and Dioscoreaceae), each represented by single genera.
With 112 illustrations and 1,066 individual species distribution maps, this thorough volume has identification keys, summaries of habitats and geographic ranges, distribution maps, pertinent synonymies, descriptions, chromosome numbers, phenological information, and other significant biological
observations for each species.


Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America
by Adrian Forsyth and Ken Miyata
List Price: $14.00
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$10.50 On 7-21-2006 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Product Review
E. O. Wilson Tropical Nature is superior by virtue of its freshness and authority. It is an account of the extraordinary richness of the tropical forests by two gifted young biologists who have recently experienced it and are experts on their subject. They write with the crispness of journalists sending dispatches from the field.
Ernst Mayr Combines excellent science, often based on original observations, with a warm sympathy for creatures big and small. A worthy successor to the writings of the great naturalists of the American tropics. I know of no better introduction to tropical biology.
Newsweek Tropical Natureseeks to provoke curiosity about the forests -- not just provide facts about them -- and succeeds splendidly.Tropical Nature evokes the magic and wonder of a world completely contained within itself.
Smithsonian It invites an appreciation of biology as few other books do and does so with extraordinary grace and humor.
Philadelphia Inquirer one of the best natural-history books in recent years. Lyrical, richly detailed and delightful to read.

Product Review
E. O. Wilson Tropical Nature is superior by virtue of its freshness and authority. It is an account of the extraordinary richness of the tropical forests by two gifted young biologists who have recently experienced it and are experts on their subject. They write with the crispness of journalists sending dispatches from the field.

Ernst Mayr Combines excellent science, often based on original observations, with a warm sympathy for creatures big and small. A worthy successor to the writings of the great naturalists of the American tropics. I know of no better introduction to tropical biology.

Newsweek Tropical Natureseeks to provoke curiosity about the forests -- not just provide facts about them -- and succeeds splendidly.Tropical Nature evokes the magic and wonder of a world completely contained within itself.



World's Great Men of Color, Volume II: Europe, South and Central America, the West Indies, and the United States, Including Alessandro de'... World's Great Men of Color, Volume II: Europe, South and Central America, the West Indies, and the United States, Including Alessandro de'...
by J. A. Rogers and John Henrik Clarke
List Price: $16.00
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$11.20 On 7-21-2006 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Product Review
William Loren Katz Author of Eyewitness J.A. Rogers's anthropological and historical research and careful documentation sought to rescue his people from the humiliations of white scholarly mythology. Rogers's classic World's Great Men of Color has added vital pages to what has become known as Black Studies. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description
An eye-opening account of the great black personalities of world history.

In this first volume: outstanding blacks of Asia and Africa, and historical figures before Christ -- including Akhenaton, Aesop, Hannibal, Cleopatra, Zenobia, Askia the Great, the Mahdi, Samuel Adjai Crowther, and many more.

World's Great Men of Color is a comprehensive account of the great Black personalities in world history. J. A. Rogers was one of the first Black scholars to devote most of his life to researching the lives of hundreds of men and women of color. This first volume is a convenient reference; equipped with a comprehensive introduction, it treats all aspects of recorded Black history. J. A. Rogers's book is vital reading for everyone who wants a fuller and broader understanding of the great personalities who have shaped our world.

The companion volume covers the great Blacks of Europe, South and Central America, the West Indies, and the United States, including Marcus Garvey, Robert Browning, Dom Pedro, Alexandre Dumas, Joachim Murat, Aleksander Sergeevich Pushkin, Alessandro de' Medici, St. Benedict the Moor, and many others. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.


Additional Pages:  1   2    


© Adapt, Inc. 1998-2006








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