The Cultivators Handbook of Natural Tobacco: Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Bill Drake's book combines a wonderfully relaxed and friendly writing style with a beautiful layout that invites casual reading as well as serious study. He moves smoothly through four major areas: the history of Native American tobacco and its use, the growing of that tobacco and more modern varieties, an attack upon the commercial growing and production of tobacco products using chemicals and additives, and historical notes both extolling and condemning tobacco and its use.
Throughout "Tobacco Culture" Drake supplements his own writing with extensive and fascinating quotes and stories stretching from early Native American history into the 1800s and 1900s of European and modern American history. He shows an awareness of and respect for the health aspects of tobacco use, but clearly appreciates the fact that many tobacco users derive enough good in their life from such use that it may balance those health effects.
He spends one considerable section excoriating modern tobacco companies for what they have done to his beloved traditional tobacco plant and raises the question of how much of the supposed "smoking-related" health effect shown by various studies may actually be an effect of the chemically-intense cultivation and the use of non-tobacco additives to modern commercial products. Very little research has been done on the health effects of smoking pure tobacco since there are relatively few people out there who've spent their smoking lifetime enjoying such a product, but it is indeed quite possible that non-commercial tobacco could prove far safer than its much maligned cousins decorating store racks with all their bright colors and logos.
For those unfamiliar with him, Bill Drake is a cultural hero of old-line 1970s hippies for his Cultivator's Handbook of Marijuana published back in the late 60s (recently followed up with The International Cultivators Handbook: Coca, Opium & Hashish. ) He began experimenting with early Native American tobacco species in the late 70s and went on to found the beloved "American Spirit" brand of cigarettes produced by the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company. Sadly, as he outlines briefly in this book, his early vision for American Spirit and Santa Fe ran into some rocky roads after a few years and was basically swallowed by commercial interests.
I wish I had written this review a month ago as I'd have strongly recommended Tobacco Culture as a Christmas gift for anyone who loves their tobacco or has started to move toward growing their own crop. I'm about a week too late for that particular recommendation, but it would certainly make a great "After Christmas" gift for some folks and I'm sure it would be appreciated. I noticed just now that there is a Kindle edition of "Tobacco Culture" but I think a pure print version such as I believe Kindle offers would lose a lot of the flavor imbued through the author's careful page layouts and illustrations: "Culture" is definitely a beautiful coffee-table and gift book as much as it is a simple cultivator's guide. A definite five stars!
Michael J. McFadden
Author of Dissecting Antismokers' Brains

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Native Americans believe that Tobacco is one of the most sacred gifts of the Great Spirit to his People, along with corn, beans and squash.I also believe that tobacco is a great gift of the great spirit of the natural world, and I want people who enjoy tobacco to be able to liberate themselves from the thrall of the multinational so-called "Tobacco companies," whose products really have nothing to do with the sacred herb and are nothing more than industrialized poison.Now I'm sharing my years of experience raising natural Tobacco in what I hope is a useful, interesting and thoughtful book - The Cultivators Handbook of Natural Tobacco.As I hope you'll come to see, the ultimate aim of this book is to make it possible for smokers to no longer be enslaved to criminal corporations for their personal supply of pure, natural tobaccos.In addition to sharing my own growing experience, I've reached far into the past to find tobacco growing books written by masters of the subject, from Cuba to the Philippines, from America to Brazil. In an all-new Section Two I've gathered together the best advice from these old-time masters regarding every aspect of Tobacco cultivation, from which varieties grow best in which soils and environments, to the carefully guarded secrets of curing and flavoring the primo leaves of this unusual plant. Also, I'll give you an internet address where you can download all of these original, invaluable tobacco resources for free in PDF format for easy reading on your computer or any reading device.

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The 4-1-1 on Life Skills: Essential Tips on: Home & Money Management; Personal Care & Safety; and More (Volume 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)I think this book is filled with wonderful information! I wish I had a copy of it when I ventured out into the "Real World"! This book contains some very useful information on how to clean your house, how to do your laundry, when your food is spoiled, etc. and etc.! This book would make a great gift for a college freshman just leaving home for the first time! However I am 31 and I actually learned quite a bit from this book! It's a very good book to have in your library for those moments that you need some guidance!

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This is a book about the basic life skills that are not always taught in school or at home. Did you ever wonder when you were getting ready to leave home for the first time, if your parents had taught you everything you needed to know to survive on your own?Did you know how to do laundry; clean a home; balance a checkbook or cook a meal? Were you aware of the different types of deposits required to either rent or buy a home?If the answers were 'yes" - good for the role models that you had! Thank them every chance you get! If the answers were 'no" to most of these questions - don't be discouraged - there is help on the way! It is my hope that this book will help those who need it and will be shared with others who can benefit from it. This is not a 'be all, end all" book and it is not intended to replace knowledge received from professionals trained in certain areas. As a Registered Nurse, Life Skills Expert and a mother, I want to be able to help out the young adults of today and the next generation to come.

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Taylor's Guide to Orchids: More Than 300 Orchids, Photographed and Described, for Beginning to Expert Gardeners (Taylor's Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)Afraid to grow orchids? Fear no more, because this book explains everything we need to know, from how orchids grow in nature (mostly on sides of trees!) and what we have to do to make them happy on the windowsill.
judywhite is well-known in the orchid world for her wonderful way of explaining the mysteries behind how to grow them, and this book, which she also photographed (there are 300 gorgeous color photos depicting every genus in the encyclopedia section) is not only well-written, it is well-organized and covers everything from pest control to potting materials (the best resource on this subject in particular that I've ever come across) to light to getting the darned things to bloom again. The second half of the book is the encyclopedia section, describing not only species, but also man-made intergeneric hybrids, with a lot of information you can't find anywhere else in one place.
I definitely agree with others that if you only get one orchid book - whether you are just a beginner or truly advanced - this is *the* orchid book!

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One of every seven flowering plants on earth is an orchid. Interest in growing orchids has risen dramatically in recent years, and many new varieties that can be grown in the home without a greenhouse have been developed. Research biologist and full-time garden writer Judy White now brings her expertise--and her stunning photographs--to this much needed book for the expanding world of home orchid growers.

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Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs Review

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(More customer reviews)No matter how hard I search, I've yet to find the "perfect" book on herb use and herb growing. This book isn't perfect, but it does have some real strengths.
Rodale's ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS is organized in a strange way--everything, and I mean everything--falls into alphabetical order. For example, "Gardening with Herbs falls between "Foxgloves" and "Garlic" and "Growing Herbs" falls between "Grindellia" and "Hawthorn."
The book is printed on semi-gloss paper so it will stand up to use and not crumble in a few years. Each entry contains line drawing illustrations and a few sections of the book are highlighted with color photos.
The plant profiles are succinct, covering topics such as 'history', 'cultivation' and 'uses.' Many entries contain material from other sources such as Maud Grieves' A MODERN HERBAL Vols. 1-2. Some information is repeated without attribution or verification. I always find "They say" and "It is thought" offputting, while I appreciate direct citations of which there are many in this book.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA covers some topics not readily found in other books. The most useful of these is a compendium discussing the "Dangers of Herbs" (located between "Dandelion" and "Deadly Nightshade." The editors have compiled the FDA listing of "tricky" herbs (could kill or cure depending on use) from PREVENTION magazine, as well as similar ratings from James Duke's CRC HANDBOOK OF MEDICINAL HERBS, Jean Rose's HERBS AND THINGS, and Varro Tyler's THE HONEST HERBAL. You realize on reading this section that everything is relative.
The biggest problem with the misuse of herbal remedies is the misclassification of plants by the practicioner. To be an herbal healer one simply must understand botany. The second biggest problem is conflicting information about what a plant will or will not do based on singular accounts (which could be the result of a misclassification of plants or a misapplication of the plant extract). The third problem is idiosyncratic plant and human interaction. One man's poison can be another man's elixer. As with synthetic drugs, each individual has a unique chemical compostion and the herb in question may or may not be effective, or in some cases may provoke an allergy. Of course, there are some herbs that are downright deadly as every mystery reader knows.
This wouldn't be a Rodale book with out a section on "Pests" and "Pest Control" or the synergistic and conflicting effects of various plant combinations in the garden. This information and the sections on poisonous attributes make the book worth it's cost. All I can say about plant combinations can be summed up to this...plant catnip. You'll have to read the book to find out which kind.

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Understanding Wine Technology, 3rd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)To determine whether Bird's "Understanding Wine Technology" is for you, it is necessary to decipher its positioning. It is an overview of all areas of commercial wine production from a less-technical basis (meaning something like "few chemical formulas, with all jargon explained very clearly). In the introduction, Bird says, "The book is aimed at the person with no formal scientific training, yet who is interested in the science behind wine and wants to know the mechanism behind the complex transformations that take place."
The book delivers perfectly on that promise: it is amazingly readable and covers nearly every conceivable (general) topic regarding production. What it does *not* do is to provide detailed depth in any area (see below), cover non-production aspects such as details of individual varietals or wines, nor present a winemaking manual. It covers commercial rather than home production, although of course there is some overlap.
If you want one of the following, then the book is for you: an substantial breadth view of topics; an overview of the science; an overview of commercial wine production. On the other hand, if you want something else, it is *not* for you: detailed technical depth on chemistry (try Margalit instead); a guide to wines, regions, or wineries; a guide to wine making. For my part, I am an aficionado and home winemaker, and it has added breadth to my knowledge. It's a good "first source" to look up something before delving into more depth.
Preview pages ("see inside") are not yet posted for this volume, so I will clarify what it includes. There are 23 chapters that take up 290 pages of primary text. These include virtually every topic from vineyard to bottling. In addition to the usual topics ("in the vineyard", "producing the must", "fermentations", "clarification and fining", etc.) there are interesting and more industry-focused chapters, including a chapter on "quality control and [hazard] analysis". In other words, the topics are comprehensive, but at an average of 10 pages per topic, each topic provides only an overview of its area.
The print quality is good, heavy weight, glossy paper. A pleasant surprise was the number of interesting color photographs, taken in vineyards and wineries around the world. These help immensely to illustrate the concepts.
Finally, to clarify just how much depth there is, here is a paragraph describing cold soak processes:
"Pre-ferment maceration, otherwise known as a 'cold soak', can be used to extract more aromas from the skins, This is identical to the so-called 'skin-contact' process as used in the production of aromatic white wine (sse p. 104). During this period the must has to be cooled to somewhere between 15 and 4 degrees C in order to prevent the fermentation starting, so that the cells containing the flavour and aroma compounds can be broken. This is particularly effective with Pinot Noir, where the aromas are very valuable, but the danger of the extraction of polyphenols is minimal because of the nature of the thin skins." [p. 90]
That description took about 1/3 of a page. If you imagine that level of description multiplied across hundreds of carefully arranged and progressive topics, ending up with almost 300 pages total, you can imagine this book. I find it tremendously interesting and helpful, but again, it is an overview not a technical guide. Cheers!


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Any student who s ever logged credits in a viticulture and enology class knows Bird s book. It s the most widely assigned wine science primer in the English speaking world. This completely revised and updated edition to Bird s classic textbook deciphers all the new scientific advances that have cropped up in the last several years, and conveys them in his typically clear and plainspoken style that renders even the densest subject matter freshman-friendly. New material includes: expanded section on the production of red, rosé, white, sweet, sparkling and fortified wines; information on histamine, flash detente, maceration, whole bunch and whole berry fermentation; expanded chapter on wine faults, including Brettanomyces; new section on HACCP analysis as applied to a winery; and much more.

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Salt: A World History Review

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(More customer reviews)It's become a party cliche to comment on our need for the results of combining a poisonous gas [chlorine] and a volatile metal [sodium]. Kurlansky passes quickly over such levity to seriously relate the role of sodium chloride in human society. While at first glance his account may seem overdone, a bit of reflection reveals that something so common in our lives is easily overlooked. Salt is essential to our existence. Our need is so strong and enduring that we tend to take its availability for granted. As a global history, this book is an ambitious attempt to re-introduce us to something we think common and uninteresting. It's immensely successful through Kurlansky's multi-faceted approach. He combines economics, politics, culinary practices, tradition and myth in making his presentation. About the only aspect ignored is the detailed biological one explaining why this compound is so necessary to our existence.
Because our need for salt is so fundamental, its history encompasses that of humanity. Salt was basic to many economies, Kurlansky notes. It's acted as the basis of exchange between traders, was the target of empire builders and even paid out to soldiers as a form of "salary" - hence the term. Venice, a coastal city tucked away from the main tracks of Mediterranean trade, bloomed into prominence when it discovered it could garner more profit by trading in salt than by manufacturing it. The Venetian empire and later renaissance was founded on the salt trade.
Empires may be built on salt, but can be felled by misguided policies on its trade and consumption. One element leading to the downfall of the French monarchy was the hated "gabelle", or salt tax, which imposed a heavier burden on farming peasants than it did on the aristocracy. The reputation of tax evasion borne by the French relates to the resentment expressed over the salt tax. A British regulation on salt resulted in similar reaction leading to the breakup up their own Empire. It was a "march to the sea" led by Mahatma Ghandi to collect salt that galvanised resistance to British rule. Over a century after the French Revolution, the British were displaced from India for similar reasons - greed.
While acknowledging the importance of salt in our lives, Kurlansky notes that determining how much is "too little" or "too much" is elusive. Many people today claim to have "salt-free" diets while remaining ignorant of how much salt is contained in our foods, both naturally and through processing. Yet, as Kurlansky records, salt has appeal beyond just the body's needs. He records numerous commentators from ancient Egypt, China and Rome who express their admiration for salt's flavour-adding qualities. Sauces based on various ingredients mixed with salt permeate the book. He notes that the salt dispenser is a modern innovation, supplementing the use of salt in cooking processes.
Salt's decline in conserving food, which changed the amount of salt we consume directly, came about due to increased world trade, displacement of rural populations into cities, and, of course, war. "The first blow" displacing salt as a preservative came from a Parisian cook; a man so obscure that his given name remains disputed. Nicolas [Francois?] Appert worked out how to preserve meat by "canning". Adopted by Napoleon's armies, the technique spread rapidly. The technology of the Industrial Revolution led to effective refrigeration. Kurlansky gives an account of Clarence Birdseye's efforts to found what became a major industry.
Although the topic seems overspecialised, the universal application and long historical view of this book establishes its importance. Kurlansky has successfully met an immense challenge in presenting a wealth of information. That he graces what might have been a dry pedantic exercise with recipes, anecdotes, photographs and maps grants this book wide appeal. He's to be congratulated for his worldly view and comprehensive presentation. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

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Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.

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