The StoryThe story begins in the early 1930s in a place called Bridgeport-a dirt-poor coal mining, steel mill town that more than earned its nickname Beerport. Little more than a smudge on the map of Ohio, this was a place that one could be happy to say they were from, only because they no longer lived there. Yet, almost mysteriously, very few people ever left. It was like a Bermuda Triangle on the Ohio/West Virginia border, except it was your future that disappeared. How does a sickly boy born into this time and place-in the midst of the Great Depression - even get the idea, let alone the courage to escape Beerport? What stirs the soul to venture beyond the familiar? From whence stems the fortitude to peek over the fence and dream of a life that no one you know can confirm even exists? It can happen and Breaking Out of Beerport provides pages of testimony. It is the early life, the memoir, the adventures, of the author, Al Scheid. Al describes growing up in a culture that scorned education, as sons followed fathers into dead-end laboring jobs. He developed attitude problems in high school and was a poor student, nearly flunking out. He might have been named "most unlikely to succeed," except that most of his fellow students deserved the same title. On top of all that, he was also a loner, prone to fits of anger often leading to fights. A rocky family life contributed to his personal problems.He had one saving grace. He developed an unusual habit that was not appreciated in his environs. He loved to read; a local newspaper at first, and then books. He devoured books of all kinds, but especially classic adventure novels. This reading took him into the world of men with the courage to face life and win-men very different than those surrounding him. A wise teacher encouraged and guided his reading, which reinforced his urge to escape the life he saw around him. But he still lived in Beerport after all, and there were things there you couldn't learn by reading books. This was no place for a bookworm. Lucky for him, there were convenient places for real-life education in his town. Al learned to hustle pool for money; he phoned betting numbers and ran errands for local racketeers. Making a few dollars any way he could manage dominated his life. A relentless and deep first-love romance kept him whirling in this maelstrom. Through all of this, he learned to read people; size them up; win them over, and how to close the deal. There was little chance he would achieve higher education, but he graduated summa cum laude from the College of Street Smarts.A sudden, major setback caused him to rethink his future and hitchhike out of town. The love of his life remained loyal but didn't follow him. His is the story of an intriguing journey that will take you from this town, through the military, all the way to the gold coast of California and beyond. There are stops along the way that defy connect-the-dots logic and the love affair that wouldn't die. The rest of the book is about the unexpected events that led to a master's degree from Harvard University. The saga will keep your interest late into the night. More than a memoir, Breaking Out of Beerport reads like a novel. It is a lesson in history, a primer in psychology, and a study of culture as it explores self-realization in a time before this new-age term became fashionable. The story is not just about another poor boy that overcame adversity and achieves success - it is much more. There are frequent twists and turns, as unexpected events shape a young man's twenty-seven year journey to a goal. At the end the reader is left hoping for a sequel.

English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy was one of the most acclaimed writers of his time, and his fan base has continued to expand in the years since his death as new generations of readers discover his work. The Country House touches on many same themes that Galsworthy's best-known works explore, including the tribulations facing a new class of landed gentry in nineteenth-century England.

A richer reflection of life in early 19th-century Maryland and the Washington environs cannot be found. -- Washington Post Book World

The finest selection: Tasting notes - Over 750 cheeses - How to enjoy The most comprehensive guide to cheese. Discover the flavor profile, shape, and texture of every cheese. World Cheese Book is for the adventurous cheese lover. It takes you on a tour of the finest cheese-producing countries in the world, revealing local traditions and artisanal processes. Images of each cheese (inside and out), step-by-step techniques that show how to make cheese, and complimentary food and wine pairings make this a truly exhaustive, at-a-glance reference.

Step into the enchanting world of "The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton: The Story of Her Life. Volume I" by Lady Isabel Burton and W. H. Wilkins, where adventure, love, and courage converge in a tale as captivating as it is inspiring. Join Lady Isabel Burton on a remarkable journey through the annals of history as she recounts her extraordinary life as an explorer, scholar, and companion to the legendary Sir Richard Francis Burton. Through her vivid narrative, discover the trials and triumphs of a woman ahead of her time, whose passion for exploration matched her husband's. Plot Points and Themes: This volume unravels the early years of Lady Burton's life, from her upbringing to her fateful meeting with Sir Richard Burton. Themes of love, ambition, and intellectual pursuit resonate throughout, painting a portrait of a woman who defied societal norms to pursue her dreams. Character Analysis: Lady Isabel Burton emerges as a resilient and multifaceted character, driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Her relationship with Sir Richard Burton is explored with depth and sensitivity, offering readers a glimpse into a partnership marked by mutual admiration and shared adventures. The overall tone and mood of the book are both romantic and adventurous, transporting readers to exotic locales and historical settings with eloquent prose and heartfelt reflections. Audience Consideration: Perfect for history enthusiasts, adventurers at heart, and anyone fascinated by the lives of extraordinary women, "The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton" promises a captivating read that illuminates the courage and determination of a trailblazing Victorian figure. Since its publication, this memoir has garnered praise for its intimate portrayal of Lady Burton's life and the unique bond she shared with her husband. It continues to inspire readers with its blend of romance, adventure, and intellectual pursuit. Don't miss your chance to embark on a journey through history with Lady Isabel Burton. Let "The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton" captivate your imagination and inspire your sense of wonder. Secure your copy today and discover the indomitable spirit of a woman who dared to defy conventions and live life to the fullest.

In this compact introduction to the life and work of eminent African American composer William Grant Still (1895-1978), Catherine Parsons Smith tracks the composer's interrelated careers in popular and concert music. Still merged both musical traditions in his work, studying composition with George W. Chadwick at the New England Conservatory, collaborating with Langston Hughes on "Troubled Island," and working as a commercial arranger and composer on Broadway and radio during the Harlem Renaissance. Still also played in the pit band for "Shuffle Along," served as recording director for the first black-owned record label, Black Swan, and arranged music for artists such as Sophie Tucker, Paul Whiteman, and Artie Shaw. Best known for his "Afro-American Symphony" and other works that drew heavily on black American musical heritage, Still struggled against financial hardship and declining attention to his work, which he attributed to political and racist conspiracies. This "dean of Afro-American composers" created his own, unique version of musical modernism, influencing commercial music, symphonic music, and opera in the process."

Join a fellow traveler on a walkabout through Paris and London, and then travel with him across England, Scotland and Wales. After those walkabouts, accompany him as he journeys across America and follows the equator to Australia. Finally, wander with him along the corridors of modern and postmodern philosophy, and as he travels with old and new Philosophes, who all voiced an opinion as regards this travel book. It is a book that people won't buy, won't read and won't praise. Mark Twain After reading only a few pages, I gave up the study of philosophy forever. Voltaire I cannot look upon the book without shedding tears. Bertrand Russell If I could only make a travel book like that, I would be perfectly willing to die-even anxious. John Dewey I have seen a great many travel books in my time, but none that this one reminds me of. Will Durant This travel book is one-third fabrication, one-third prevarication and one-third barefaced lies. However, the rest of the book is the unadulterated truth. Dr. Morris A. Nussbaum

The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami See how easy it is to make the most appetizing, delicious and satisfying food ever by including ingredients with umami, the fifth taste. What is umami? It's another basic taste, like sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. But it's not an ordinary taste. Umami is that rich, savory, extra-satisfying taste of mushrooms, steak, cheese, oysters, and red wine — just a few of the many foods loaded with umami. Umami is a quick and easy way to boost flavor dramatically by waking up taste buds you never knew you had. Science only recently proved its existence, and the world of food and cooking is catching on fast. In the last year, reports on umami appeared in the New York Times, Saveur, Wine Spectator, Food and Wine, The New Yorker, and numerous other publications. And every day more chefs and home cooks are wowing guests, family and friends with fabulous-tasting umami-rich food. The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umamiis the first book ever to tell what umami really is, which foods have it (and which don’t), and how to use umami every day for some of the best meals you’ve ever had. -------- With more than 50 umami-rich recipes from 25 top American chefs. Advance Praise forThe Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami “Anna and David Kasabian have not only written a scientific tell-all book about this mysterious ingredient, but they have also included amazing recipes - revealing a new genre in cooking and exciting new tastes for the palate.” Mario Batali, chef and author “Great cooks throughout the centuries have spontaneously understood the essential quality of individual ingredients and have instinctively combined these to create superlative concoctions. In this fascinating book, the Kasabians argue convincingly that this intuitive knowledge of cooks has a name: Umami.” Jacques Pepin, chef, author and educator “Finally a cookbook I've been waiting for-one that explains the elusive qualities of umami. Anna and David Kasabian are trailblazers. Not only do they explain and describe this mysterious element of flavor, they show us how to use its power in our cooking. An important and original book." Michael Ruhlman, author,The Making of Chef,The Soul of a ChefandCharcuterie “I found the book to be an excellent synthesis of what umami IS with its practical use in cooking. I believe it will be a milestone in the deliberate incorporation of umami into western gastronomy.” Dr. Robert L. Wolke, author,What Einstein Told His CookandWhat Einstein Told His Cook 2, The Sequel “As exciting and intriguing a read as you’ll find in any cookbook published this year. Then there are the recipes. If umami is a good taste — and it is — what better than a cookbook to showcase it? Mark Bittman, author,How to Cook Everything(From the Foreword) Over 50 delectable umami recipes, for every occasion and for every level of cooking skill, such as: ·Spicy Chipotle Pork Tacos with Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa from Rick Bayless ·Sea Scallops with Mashed Potatoes and Red Onion Confit from Daniel Boulud ·Cornish Game Hens Braised in a Pot with Summer Vegetables from Bradley Ogden ·My Father’s Famous Shrimp Hors d’Oeuvres from Lydia Shire ·Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes from Christopher Kimball ·Spicy Sour Botan Shrimp from Nobu Matsuhisa Plus more everyday umami recipes, including ·Maxed-Out Meatloaf ·Ragumami Tomato Two Meat Pasta Sauce ·Asparagus Frittata ·Coq au Vin Nouveau ·Please-Pass-the-Umami Toasts ·Vegetarian Muffaletta Roll-Ups ·And more