Amazon.com Review
Timeless Ireland is an apt title for this collection of photography--Ireland, for all its beauty, has never been so grandly displayed. Turning the pages is like taking a sweeping tour of all the ways and days of genuine Irish life. You nearly taste the froth off the half-finished Guinness, feel the warmth of the pub fire, smell the salty air on cliffs overlooking the fierce sea, and hear the children playing ball in the gray fog of cobblestones, buildings, and misty Dublin alleys. The buildings, like Irish music, burst with gleeful harmonies of vivid color. The expressions on the locals' faces, knowing and alarmingly frank, are simply arresting. The overall effect is irresistible. In more than 200 exquisite full-page photographs, Ireland rises up like the living being it is--scarred and weary with its history, yet triumphant with life and the gold-flecked scenery of greener pastures. Timeless and priceless, indeed. --Courtenay Kehn ... Read more

Product Description
There is a tragic inevitability about Irish history: "hatred answering hatred", as Lady Gregory wrote. Four events in particular, Yeats' "four deep, tragic notes", ring through Irish history: the Catholic revolt against Elizabeth; the battle of the Boyne, which established the Protestant Ascendancy; the impact of the French Revolution; and the fall from power of Charles Stewart Parnell, which turned Ireland away from peaceful solutions to its ills. The authors bring the story up to the present, then look ahead to the end of the century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

"Concise" is the key word, here.
This is actually a fairly easy to read and short book, due in part, to the many illustrations.If you are looking for a deep, scholarly tome on the history of Ireland, buy something else.If, however, you are planning on a trip to Ireland and want some basics with regard to the culture and politics of IE, give this a read.I read this along with the historical-fiction novel, "Trinity" to prepare for my trip and felt the balance between the two was a nice way to learn the highlights of Irish history.

Not bad for a short history, but could be better written
A mixed bag, this.Good for a brief exposure to some of the more renowned moments and movements in Irish history, but hard to follow at many spots.The early chapters seem to have been written by a different hand than the later.The language of the earlier ones is hard to follow and no coherent picture formed in my mind about that time.The later ones are easier because they're more "newsy" in style. You're only going to get the highlights of the times (up until mid-1984) and even those are at times disjointed, or strung together with facts the reader is presumed to already be familiar with.

I borrowed this from the library.I'm glad I read it, and I'm glad I didn't buy it.

Don't Waste Your Time
This is truly one of the most lacking of the general histories of Ireland available on the market.Conor Cruise O'Brien and Maire O'Brien provide a rather pourous account of the history of Ireland and manage to not quite even skim the surface.Leaving out many of the events that would embarass the author or not promote his own political agenda, this book is at best a waste of time.There are many, many better accounts available.

Ireland's tragedy in 176 pages !
This is a brief and impartial account of the history of Ireland from 3000 BC up until 1994 . There is no in depth analysis of the historical figures involved but just a simple yet concise narative of the important events that shaped this country .

It is after England's brutal conquest of the native Irish , and the protestant plantations that followed , that this book comes into it's own , as it gives the reader a clear understanding of the political dynamics at work that would eventually lead to a divided Ireland .

The book has a generous amount of illustrations and photographs that compliment the very readable text . I'd recommend this book as a starter to anybody who is interested in finding out about the tragic history of Ireland , or as an overview to more in depth books for the discerning reader .

An excellent introduction to Irish history
If there's a better overview of Irish history out there, I'd like to see it!

The book is in 'school' format, for want of a better word, that is to say very generously illustrated. Don't let that give you the impressionthat the book is superficial. This man and wife team know their Irelandinside out and are both topnotch writers. Maire MacEntee is one of the mosteminent, if not the most eminent, Irish language poets alive, and herhusband is very well known as a scholar and essayist.

Read and enjoy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fruits & Vegetables
I am a decorative artist and this book was recommended as a great source for fruits and vegetables.From what I have seen in the book it will be a valuable asset as reference material.

Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables
Book was as it was rated. Happy with the rating and product was received within days it was to be received.

A "MUST HAVE" for any Botanical Art Enthusiast or Artist
This book, illustrated by Marilena Pistoia, is an invaluable addition to the library of botanical artists or lovers of botanical art. There are 110 paintings depicting 400 plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices...all beautifully painted and reproduced. Some of the fruits are so realistic they almost make your mouth water.

The composition and combinations of the fruits and vegetables used in the individual paintings is very imaginative and complimentary in shape, form and colors.

I bought it for the illustrations but the text is very interesting and informative as well, often giving little know facts about the edible plants in our world. It is not a science book...the entertaining text is the perfect compliment to the beauty of the highly accurate and colorful representations of the paintings. ... Read more

Product Description
Cherry trees, well known in America from the George Washington legend, actually originated in China, but were not domestically cultivated until the first century b.c. in Greece, and are closely related to peaches, plums, and almonds.

Fava beans, or broad beans, have been cultivated since at least biblical times. In classical Greece, funerals ended in bean feasts, and beans were used to exorcise haunted houses. Roman high priests were forbidden from eating or even mentioning beans because they were considered so inauspicious. The Scots believed that witches rode around on beanstalks and the Celts held bean feasts to honor the fairies.

For the gardener or foodie who wants a little history in their book diet, The Origins of Fruit and Vegetables traces the rich history of more than forty different types of fruit and vegetables. Accompanying this authoritative history are a wealth of illustrations, from ancient maps and Renaissance works of art to botanical illustrations and illuminated manuscripts, from Chinese paintings and American folk art to contemporary photography and graphics.

This thoroughly researched and highly accessible book contains Latin names of the fruits and vegetables, historical information on when the item first appeared, its country of origin, its first recorded use, and even classical and biblical literary references. It also includes information about the medicinal and nutritional properties of the profiled fruits and vegetables, and how these properties were first discovered.

Beautifully designed and illustrated, The Origins of Fruit and Vegetables will appeal to anyone who enjoys art, history, and food.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fruits and vegetables in art and history
The origins of food plants is a fascinating subject in its own right while the light it shines on human history is a splendid bonus.Knowing that barley and wheat came from the Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia in the Middle East helps to explain why civilization first arose there and not somewhere else.Those foods helped to sustain a "surplus" population that could devote itself to the arts and invention, leading to the modern world.Indeed all wealth has as its base the growth and storage of food in excess of that which is needed for the sustenance of the food producers, resulting in non-food producing people who can devote themselves to competing schemes of how to steal the wealth and how to protect it (i.e., war).Looking at the history of art through still life and other works of art centering on fruits and vegetables is also fascinating.Essentially this is what Jonathan Roberts has done in this very attractive, richly illustrated book.

To give you some idea of his intent consider pages 122 and 123.On the right-handed page there is a photograph of "Banana Skin c. 1500" from the "Museum of London Evacuations, London Bridge, Southwark, U.K., 1999" showing the black skin of a banana with the obvious import that the banana had already reached the London produce market in c. 1500, just eight years after Columbus's first voyage.Remarkable.Then on the left-handed page there is an image of the oil on canvas painting, "Bananas, 1952" by Lucian Freud, showing an entire stock of bananas still on the tree.Roberts employs a number of famous works such as Van Gogh's "The Potato Eaters" and Botticelli's "Madonna of the Pomegranate" to illustrate the text; indeed there is art work fromthe Twelfth Egyptian Dynasty through Greek and Roman times to the still lives of the Renaissance to William Hooker, Gauguin, Cezanne, etc., to moderns like Edward Burra and even examples of Russian propaganda art and American advertizing.

The text is a little repetitive and there are some boilerplate phrases that appear several times, but there are only a few typos and I noticed no errors of fact (which isn't always the case in books like this: Roberts himself notes copious errors in, for example, Gerard's "Herball" 1597). Still, I think Roberts did a good job of going beyond the normal range of "coffee table" text while not being too technical.What really appeals, though, is the artwork.

I enjoyed this book although as always I would like more information; indeed an entire book devoted to each and every fruit and vegetable featured here (there are at least sixty, from apples and avocados and pears to beans, carrots, melons, to peppers both black and red, to pumpkins and zucchini, the latter not mentioned in the text, but there is an unmistakable illustration on page 141)--and more--would be ideal.

Praise the Lord and pass the Sauce!
This book is an excellent overview of the natural history of fruit and vegetables-where they originated, how they have changed and developed over time, and how they have influenced history. The first part details various aspects of our most common fruits (as least 29 main types are discussed), the second part that of vegetables (at least 25).

It is interesting to trace the place of origin of our most cherished delicicies. Tomatoes (western South America), potatoes (western South America), strawberries (the modern is a hybrid from a Chilean variety and a Virginian variety), banana (SE Asia), apple (South East Asia and Eurasia), orange (SE Asia), cracked black peppercorns (Southern India), carrots (Eurasia-probably Afghanistan), maize/corn (America-possibly the Andes originally), fermented grapes (Eurasia-possibly even fermented by homo erectus), watermelon (Africa), cucumber (India), pumpkin (Americas), leek (Central Asia), onion (Central Asia), avocardo (modern types come from Central Amercia), lemons (Eastern Himalaya), kiwifruit (Southern China) and many others. Beetroot grows wild near the sea in the Mediterranean. A tomato native to the Galapagos Islands has evolved resistance to seawater, but the seeds must be digested and 'voided' by tortoises-giant ones-before they will germinate. Charles Darwin would have been impressed.

Readers might be interested to know that the Romans and Greeks, for example, would have never even heard of such delights as tomatoes, potatoes, and corn, as these were all native to the Americas. Oranges, which are a cross between a pumello and a mandarin, didn't reach Europe until the Dark Ages, and neither did our modern apple.

With increase in trade and exploration over time many subspecies were crossed and produced vigorous hybrids, which in conjunction wih selective breeding and vagaries of taste over time, has produced many of the modern forms we see today. It is interesting to note here that not all modern forms are necassarily the best -the Jonathan apple for example, became very popular simply because it is bright red and looks good in the supermarket-but it is not the best eating apple.

Another interesting aspect is the carrying of many original types from the east by Islamic ventures, and to the east by Christians and various explorers. Cross-fertilisation thus eventuated by accident. Subsequently, many species were further cross-fertilised with North and South American types after the expansion into the Americas by Europeans after 1492.

Not all fruit and veges stand the test of time. The ancestor of the bean appears to have gone extinct, and some apple varieties seem to be going that way, crowded out by the Golden Delicious, and the ever-red Jonathan. Others took a long time to get going-such as the tomatoe. For long its association with the poisonous Mandrake stifled its development in the European Middle Ages. Today it is one of the most versatile and most widespread fruits grown. (It is actually a fruit or berry, rather than a vegetable, as is commonly believed).

This book is more than just an excursion into delectable dishes. The nature and origin of fruit and vegetables has profoundly affected culture and history. The potato famine of Europe and Ireland in the 1840s is described, (with at least 1.5 milion deaths in Ireland alone, out of a population of 8 millon). The development of agriculture in humans thousands of years ago was facilitated by mutant strains of such things as almonds, wheat, peas, and bananas (one of the oldest harvested fruit).

Magnificent, and pass me the pepper! Don't underestimate the power of food on primates. Nations have risen and fallen on the vagaries of corn, potatoes, fermented grapes, grain and the like, and their resistance to disease, peoples taste and historical oddities.

There are some beautiful paintings, inscriptions, and archealogical illustrations throughout, inspired by some of history's greatest artists and cultures.

Highly recommended for the lover of food and dining.

New York Times, January 30, 2002
Mr Roberts's talent in explaining foods' beginnings make this elegant 228-page volume a real page turner. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Gardening Reference for FLORIDA gardeners!!!
I met Robert at Disney during the Epcot Garden Festival, and he was VERY informative about gardening, and so I bought his book after attending his lecture and I am soooo glad I did! His tips for Florida gardeners are wonderful, and he really taught me alot about how our climate effects what crops we grow, sounds simple, but for years I didn't get that we are basically on an opposite schedule from the NE down here! THANKS ROBERT! My gardens are amazing now!!! :) Hope your daughter's raised garden is doing well!!!

Florida Gardening
This is as basic as it gets for first time gardeners in Florida.Great information and organized well!

EXCELLENT BOOK
THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE AND A MUST TO HAVE IN FLORIDA IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER GARDENER!

Must have for Florida gardeners!
I picked up a copy of this last night and couldn't put it down! I read the whole thing. It's so clear and easy to understand - his writing style makes you feel like he's an old friend leaving you his personal gardening notes. There's no over-your-head jargon in here. He shares personal experiences and follies in the garden that make me feel comfortable trying some new things. His no-nonsense approach was comforting after the information overload from all the websites and other books I've read. This is my first year planting in-ground and I wanted a simple, straightforward book to help me pick the right varieties of plants and to help me know when and how to plant them. While I feel it's a "simple, straightforward" book, it's in no way lacking great, useful information. He covers plants I've never heard of in addition to all of the family garden staples. There are sections on perfecting your soil, what tools you need, irrigation, fertilizing, troubleshooting, composting, and so much more. This is a great resource for newbies and experienced gardeners alike. I like how he specifically addresses the different growing zones within Florida for each plant - North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida. I didn't realize what a difference there was between the zones in Florida.
There's a quick reference section/chart for when to plant what and how far apart, etc.
I love the way he instills confidence in the reader - that making mistakes is normal. All-in-all this is just a fantastic resource that I'll be recommending and gifting to friends. Thanks Mr. Bowden for putting out such a great book! ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive sourcebook to growing, harvesting, preserving, and cooking.

This superbly illustrated reference contains a wealth of information to help gardeners choose the plants best suited to their space, climate, and needs. Three experts guide the reader in choosing which vegetables, herbs, and fruit to grow, and then in successfully producing the crop.

The vegetable and herb sections are arranged alphabetically by botanical Latin name, and the fruit section is arranged by fruit type. Accompanied by full color photographs and a brief introduction discussing the plant's origins and history, each entry presents a wealth of practical tips on cultivation, including:- Edibility, nutritional value, the most useful and recommended varieties- Plant hardiness, propagation, and growing guidelines- Cropping, harvesting, and storing- Weed, pest, and disease control- Ornamental and wildlife value- A maintenance calendar- Pruning and training- Companion planting- Container growing.

The remainder of the book focuses on the practical aspects of gardening and has in-depth sections on creating a garden, pollination, soil fertility, greenhouse growing, and much more. The book wraps up with a glossary, further reading, seed sources, hardiness zones, and a detailed index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

i'm a novice
Honestly growing up i had a brown thumb but I really wanted to grow a garden and so I checked this book out from the library and just kept renewing it for a year before buying my own copy.It taught me a ton of tips and tricks that seed packets and other gardeners wouldn't tell me.Probably because what I needed were bare bone basics about specific plants that a gardener with experience wouldn't think about it [it'd be second nature]. The sections are clear and understandable, well organized, there are recipes for after you harvest, and even a plant killer like me has successfully grown a small vegetable garden.I recommend this to everyone who wants to learn more about plants; and even successful gardeners would benefit from this encyclopedia.I recommend this in combination with square footgardening as it becomes fun and easy to grow your own food or flowers.

A must have for your gardening book shelf
I love this book.I just started our eatable garden this year and have used this book a lot as a tool.

Happy Customer
This book is very informative and is good for those who don't know much about fresh produce.It is helpful in describing and defining and preparing fruits and vegies.Beautiful illustrations make it attractive and inviting.

Best Gardening Book I have purchased
This book is very comprehensive.I loved it so much I purchased a copy for my brother and sister-in-law.I especially appreciate the details regarding each plant including season to plant, what to plant with, recipes examples and medical explanations. There are sufficient pictures and there is also a brief history of the fruit or vegetable.

If you can only buy one gardening book- buy this one!
Book combines gardening knowledge with a little herbology and provides culinary recipes to bring garden to table. I found the gardening info to be interesting and informative- and I have been gardening for 2 decades! Beautiful pictures were a definite bonus! My copy is now dogeared and well worn from much use. ... Read more

Product Description
An ideal, state-of-the-art guide for anyone interested in the fundamentals of vegetables and crop production, this practical provides a broad overview of the history, principles and practices of growing vegetable crops. Although focusing on commercial production, much of the material is applicable for home use, with many facts, tips and guidelines ideal for backyard and weekend gardeners. Divides material into three sections: I - Overview of Vegetable Crops explains the history of vegetable crops and America's vegetable industry in easy-to-understand terms, and looks at classifying vegetables and how environmental factors affect crop growth. II - Common Practices Used to Grow Vegetables considers general practices used in vegetable crop production, with discussions on preparing the field, choosing cultivars, planting, watering, extending the growing season, handling pests, harvesting, and marketing, and more, plus highlights the uses and nutritional benefits of eating vegetables. III - Crop Specific Characteristics and Growing Practices examines the botanical and production aspects of specific vegetable crops, pragmatically organizing discussions according to characteristics of family grouping and crop use. ... Read more

Product Description
This book covers various method of extending the postharvest life of fruits and vegetables viz, storage, packaging, canning, chemical & low temperatures preservation, irradiation, fermentation & waste management. ... Read more

Product Description
Many vegetable crops represent high value products and so it is essential to have a clear understanding of the physiology that lies behind successful production, as this enables the crop to be managed in the most effective way. The first section of the book takes a general look at the key stages during the growth of a plant, such as germination, transplanting and flowering and also looks at what can influence those stages. The second section is a detailed consideration of each of the major crops. Each chapter discusses the physiological aspects of vegetative growth, the induction of the reproductive structure, reproductive growth, senescence and any physiological disorders. Leading workers from the USA and Europe are brought together in one volume to produce a unique reference work for all advanced students of horticulture and crop production. This book is also an important resource for all research workers and teachers concerned with plant physiology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book to understand the physiologhy of vegetables
This book is one of the best vegetable physiology books I have ever read. First couple of chapters provide you with complete understanding of basic vegetable physiology, where as later chapters deal with major vegetable crops individually. It is a very good and valuable source of informationfor students majoring in horticulture as well as researchers. As anhorticulturist, I am planning to use this book as a textbook for my"the principles of growing vegetables" course which I will beteaching soon. ... Read more

Product Description
A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World: Nature?s Harvest answers the many questions consumers have about various fruits and vegetables. Providing basic, clear, and understandable information for each produce item, this reference guide gives you a synopsis of the fruit or vegetable, a short history of the item, the common and uncommon name, what it looks and tastes like, how it is used, and the time of year it is available. Information on nutrition, serving sizes, yields, and optimal storage conditions is also provided. From potatoes to shepherd?s purse and from grapes to the Clementine tangor, A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World covers both the familiar and the exotic. Other than the obvious fruits and vegetables (such as 12 varieties of cherries and 10 different kinds of squash) you?ll also read about herbs, mushrooms, sprouts, and nuts.

A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World is packed with useful information. From practical advice to interesting trivia, some of the things you?ll learn include:

• You should not eat any green parts of potatoes--it will make you sick.
• How to classify a peach--clingstone vs. freestone and white vs. yellow.
• The Texas 1015 Supersweet onion is named after its recommended planting date, October 15.
• Kiwis (originally from China, not Australia) contain an enzyme that tenderizes meat.
• Women in China once made a dye from the skin of eggplants to stain their teeth black.
• The famous mutiny by Captain Bligh?s crew was caused by breadfruit.
• Gourds may have spread between continents by floating in the ocean, as they can float in sea water for 220 days without losing seed viability.
• The two nuts mentioned in the Bible--almonds and pistachios.
  
  As new methods in farming, storing, and shipping are allowing exotic fruits and vegetables unheard of a few years ago to become available, consumers are coming up with more and more questions that many professionals are unable to answer. A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World is the tool you can use to find answers. The guide is especially useful for specialty produce outlets and wholesalers, importers/exporters of fruits and vegetables, produce brokers and buyers, supermarket and independent food store produce departments, military commissaries, and the general public.

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful but spotty
This manual provides some useful information on a lot of fruits and vegetables found in supermarkets, sometimes facts that are otherwise hard to find.Unfortunately, its coverage is very spotty - take apples for example, it has a fair general discussion, then goes into some detail on several specific varieties, but totally ignores a much larger number that people are already less likely to know about because they are newer in markets.It is also rather overpriced for what you get, this book would be a better deal as a $15 Dover paperback.

A slightly less expensive and generally better reference is Food Plants of the World: An Illustrated Guide published by Timber Press http://www.amazon.com/Food-Plants-World-Illustrated-Guide/dp/0881927430/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271384371&sr=8-1 ... Read more

Product Description
Examines how biotechnology can improve the quality and productivity of fruit and vegetable cultivation. Explores its major impact on fruit and vegetable cultivation and subsequent food processing. ... Read more