Potatoes Not Prozac : A Natural Seven-Step Dietary Plan to Stabilize the Level of Sugar in Your Blood, Control Your Cravings and Lose Weight

Amazon.com

The same brain chemicals that are altered by antidepressant drugs are also affected by the foods we eat. According to addiction expert DesMaisons, many people, including those who are depressed, are "sugar sensitive." Eating sweets gives them a temporary emotional boost, which leads to a craving for still more sweets. The best way to keep these brain chemicals in the right balance and keep blood-sugar levels steady, she says, is through the dietary plan she describes in Potatoes Not Prozac. Her rules are fairly simple--eat three meals a day, eat proteins with every meal (especially those high in the amino acid tryptophan, which creates the calming neurotransmitter serotonin), and eat more complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and, yes, potatoes. Not only will this make you less depressed, DesMaisons says, but it will also keep you from craving too much of the foods you shouldn't eat, making it a self-regulating system.

Book Description

Are You Sugar Sensitive?

Have you ever wondered why you just can't seem to say no to fattening foods, alcohol or troubling behaviors like overspending and overworking? The answer is not that you're lazy, self-indulgent or undisciplined. The problem lies in your body chemistry.

In her groundbreaking book, Potatoes Not Prozac, Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., addictive nutrition expert, reveals that emotional troubles such as mood swings or depression often can't be fought by medication. Her radical new way of finding and maintaining mental and physical health offers instead a prescription for altering our eating habits. Millions of people are sugar-sensitive -- which means they have a special body chemistry that reacts in extreme ways to sugar and refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta. DesMaisons reveals that these "comfort" foods actually provide just the opposite effect, triggering feelings of exhaustion, hopelessness and low self-esteem. What's worse, these foods don't stop our cravings for them -- they only make us want to go back for more.

Helping us to free ourselves from sugar dependency, DesMaisons explains how certain food dependent chemicals in the brain regulate our moods. Once we understand how these biochemicals react to what we eat -- or what we don't eat -- we are free to control our lives. Serotonin, beta-endorphins and blood sugar need to be kept in balance. We can achieve this balance by following DesMaisons's inexpensive, all-natural nutritional plan, which has resulted in a 92 percent success rate with recovering alcoholics, and emotional stability for the thousands of people she has treated in her practice.

In addition to food charts, questionnaires to determine your own sugar sensitivity, and accessible scientific lessons that explain your body chemistry, DesMaisons provides a straightforward seven-step plan to overcome your addictions. There is no regime of measurements or self-denial: you tailor the plan to your tastes and lifestyle. These steps are actually more liberating than any diet could be. You will no longer settle for the short-term relief from pain or problems that cookies or ice cream might give you. You will find the optimism, energy and high self-esteem you have craved for so long. Because DesMaisons is committed to her own recovery, she is a compassionate, skilled guide in navigating you through this process, one choice at a time. And what you learn in the end, she says, is that the process isn't about food at all. "As we come into balance, we can shape our own direction rather than being driven by biochemical circumstances. We feel empowered to make changes in our lives and to control what is happening to us. What seemed like a story about food is really a story about possibility." You can change your life with Potatoes Not Prozac.

Customer Reviews:

buy the more recent book.......2007-07-31

The info is great, the book is great, but there's more info in the more recent books.

Odd.......2007-07-02

There are some things that trouble me about this book, like push snacking to mealtime. Hum... and her idea of snacks is what sparks the whole sugar sensitivity process. I like Suzann Somers' book is better; she explains the carbs. This book just tells you to keep track of what you eat, when you eat and how you feel after eating whatever it is you eat. I think you should watch what you eat and you should know what you're eating. This book makes very few explanations about what each food is and how it helps your mind, except by saying eat protein and don't eat refined sugar.

Prescribe Your Own Anti-Depressants and Improve Your Life.......2007-03-15

This book and Natural Prozac changed how I look at food. In our sugar and caffiene addicted world where food is a commodity to be inhaled on the run, it's easy to lose perspective on what food is and how it affects us. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to balance their mood, improve how they feel and function during the day or stablize their sleeping habits.

Timeless Advice!.......2007-03-04

I read this just recently, long after it came out, but after following it for a month, I have more energy, I'm not stuck in that numbing lethargy that was a sort of depression, and I've lost a little weight. This book is right on, and I highly recommend it.

I'm FAT and miserable but not craving sugar.... Woopie.........2007-02-12

I am addicted to sugar. I read this book and kept a journal of my eating habits. I stopped craving sugar, but now I'm fat. I've gone from my slender size 2-4 to a plump size 6 pushing size 8. There has to be a better way... I've got a Michelin tire around my waste that waddles when I walk... I think I need some alcohol to feel better. HA!

Average customer rating:

Potatoes a la Zip!
Hilarious story that appeals to toddlers and adults
A luscious language treat
Blue Ribbon Winner!
Wonderfully entertaining

Brave Potatoes
Toby Speed
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399231587

Amazon.com

Rarely does potato poetry reach such laudable heights as in this piece of inspired lunacy from the tomfool team Toby Speed and Barry Root of Two Cool Cows. Surely these noble tubers have long deserved some sort of epic treatment (one wonders, for instance, why there's never been a "Charge of the Spud Brigade" or "The Tater Not Taken"), but Brave Potatoes at last gives the forsaken roots their well-deserved due, in a wonderfully weird and lyrical tribute.

Squeezed in between the prize perennials and the summer squash at a county fair 4-H hall, the potatoes begin their night of adventure, rubbing their eyes as they stir to life. "Everyone's asleep in the Bud and Bean Arena. / So all the prize potatoes with their eyes wide open topple to the hard-knocky floor." This lumpy little crew has just one thing in mind: heading down the midway to take a ride on the Zip. "Over at the Fair, / potatoes in the air! / See them flip, flip, flip on the wild and woolly Zip!" But across town at the Chowder Lounge, Chef Hackemup has other plans for these high-flying potatoes--hoping to make curly fries, chips, and gumbo à la Zip, "Off goes / Hackemup / with a bag / to pack 'em up." Can these spuds possibly survive his shredder and his grater and his So-Long-See-You-Later? Only if they're brave enough, of course, and you can bet that all the other vegetables held captive in Hackemup's mad-scientist-style kitchen are counting on them.

Speed's well-crafted verse ("If real words won't do, I make some up," he admits) is matched only by Root's luminescent and hilariously detailed illustrations. (Ages 7 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

See the mamas and the papas and the wee potato buds...
"It's refreshing to see something genuinely new sprouting under the sun." -The Bulletin, starred review

"A peck of bug-eyed prize potatoes tiptoe out of the 'Bud and Bean Arena' at the County fair...and roll through the midway on a daring rescue mission...Speed and Root bring plenty of panache to their task, stewing up a tasty goulash of a book...."
-Publishers Weekly

"Any way you slice it, this tuberous triumph will have readers rolling in the aisles."
-Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

Potatoes a la Zip!.......2004-06-05

My 4 year old daughter grabbed this book off the library shelf at random two weeks ago and now it is our favorite book to read. When this book goes back to the library, our own copy will grace her bookshelf. Our daughter has memorized the entire story and recites it with enthusiasm. Her favorite part is the last page of verse, coupled with the final picture of the chef. "Closed, Gone Fishing"-- it gets a laugh every time. The only trouble is, I think she wants to be a potato when she grows up! A great book.

Hilarious story that appeals to toddlers and adults.......2001-11-07

I first read this myself and then read it to my 2 1/2 year old. It is a wonderfully funny adventure of the potatoes at a state fair as they escape from a chef who is cooking up a pot of soup. While some of the vocabulary is above the heads of toddlers, the story line is not lost on them and the illustrations are quite fun. This is a book to have in your library and will be read by your kids for many years to come.

A luscious language treat.......2000-08-01

A fresh and zany adventure (something all too rare in children's literature these days), full of delightful rhythms, rhymes and fun. Root's bright pictures complement Speed's delicious language. Our whole family loved it!

Blue Ribbon Winner!.......2000-07-25

The author of this books is truly a genius: she makes the words sing with wild abandon and fun. Who else writes like this except maybe Carl Sandburg! This and her previous Two Cool Cows are among the most inventive children's books in years. Read this book to a child and watch them laugh at the delicious sound of the words and the story: I did. A truly blue winner, this book.

Wonderfully entertaining.......2000-07-19

What a delightful book. Full of imaginative ideas and pictures.

Book Description

One potato, two potato, three potato-four! Introducing the next book in our thriving 101 series, 101 Things to do With a Potato. Each year, the average American consumes close to 140 pounds of potatoes. With that in mind, nothing seems better than a cookbook featuring one of America's major food staples-the potato! "Mrs. 101" Stephanie Ashcraft has ingeniously created simple recipes that take potatoes to a whole new level. Try a Breakfast Burrito in the morning, sample the Sausage Corn Chowder for lunch, have the Italian Potato Chips as a mid-afternoon snack, for dinner try the Potato Crust Pizza, and then savor the Sweet Potato Cheesecake for dessert! Stephanie Ashcraft, author of the New York Times best-selling 101 Things to do With a Cake Mix, is a full-time mom who has created and collected recipes for years. She also teaches a monthly cooking class for Macey's Little Cooking Theater in Orem and Provo, Utah. She is currently living in Provo, Utah, with her family.

Customer Reviews:

Potatoes Plus.......2006-01-29

I can't believe all the things that are possible to do with a potato! Recipes look easy to follow and don't have a lot of impossible to find ingredients. Wish there were pictures though.

Creative Ideas.......2004-12-23

One potato is about 100 calories and is a good source of Vitamin C. While it is a fat-free food to start with, who can resist butter and sour cream?

Stephanie Ashcraft loves to create the 101 Things to Do With A ...cookbooks and she is a highly creative cook who knows how to create delicious recipes. She has a bachelor's degree in family science. She has been teaching cooking classes since 1998.

In this book, she also includes helpful hints for buying potatoes and gives the basic potatoes and their uses. You might want to choose a russet potato for hash browns or a waxy potato in salads. She gives information on how to select potatoes and this is great information for all your potato recipes.

Recipes You might Enjoy:

Cheddar Potato Soup
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Beef and Scalloped Potatoes
Chili Cheese Fries - only three ingredients
Baked Oven Fries
Coconut Chocolate Bars - made with mashed potatoes, who knew?
Chocolate Chip Banana Spice Bread

Delicious recipes and this series is a real hit with cooks who need easy recipes for their families. I can also recommend the cakes in the 101 Things to Do with a Cake Mix and the casseroles in 101 Things To Do with a Slow Cooker.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

Faith Like Potatoes: The Story of a Farmer Who Risked Everything for God

Average customer rating:

Easy to read wisdom
GREAT Book a real faith builder
Life changing
An Awesome Book!
Faith like Potatoes

Faith Like Potatoes: The Story of a Farmer Who Risked Everything for God
Angus Buchan , Jan Greenough , and Val Waldeck
Manufacturer: Monarch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tsotsi
End of the Spear

ASIN: 0825461111

Book Description

In this moving account, set in South Africa, Angus Buchan tells his true story about following God in the midst of adversity and illustrates the amazing acts God can perform through His faithful followers.

Customer Reviews:

Easy to read wisdom.......2007-05-10

This book was a pleasure to read and I read it in one day. It was easy to read in short concise chapters pertaining to specific events or themes. I found it very inspirational and liked the fact that it was written by a simple man about simple matters of faith; matters that can seem very complicated when commented on by so-called experts. It was down to earth and to the point.

GREAT Book a real faith builder.......2007-04-02

Got this book on a recommendation of a friend from S.Africa. WOW! Great book really boasted my faith and I have been seeing miracles ever since.Plus you learn a lot about S. Africa. Need a renewing of your faith read it!!!!

Life changing.......2006-04-27

The book Faith Like Potatoes was lifechanging to me. I used to do drugs untill when saw a program on grassroots about Angus Buchan. I bought this book and it gave me courage and hope which changed my life within 2 weeks.
Today I am full of zeal for the Lord and God is as real as me and you.
Either God is who he says He is or He is not. This book just relates how tangeble and real God is.
All Glory to God.

Martin Vivier

An Awesome Book!.......2005-04-23

I have read all of Val Waldeck's book and have to say that I find them so Inspirational & Spiritual. She is an amazing teacher and has special insight into everything that she writes.
I look forward to more of her wonderful books being published.
This book, Faith Like Potatoes, by Val Waldeck and Angus Buchan, was the first book of hers that I read - it is just so amazing!
Val Mitchell
Durban, South Africa

Faith like Potatoes.......2001-11-18

Looking for a book that will inspire you, lift your spirits and build your faith? "Faith like Potatoes" will make you laugh and it will make you cry, but you will never be the same again.
You will read amazing miracles of healing, salvation and deliverance through the ministry of a humble farmer, sold out for God and completely dedicated to the Will of God in his life. This is a "must read".

The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World

Average customer rating:

Mashed potato
a bee in a bonnet became a book
You Say Po-tay-to, And I Say Po-tah-to.............
Good Popular History
The Humble Spud in History

The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World
Larry Zuckerman
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865475784

Amazon.com

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the potato was berated, feared, and loathed. It was blamed for everything from population explosions to population implosions, not to mention social upheaval and financial despair. Yet now, with the luxury of hindsight, Larry Zuckerman regards the potato as a saving grace for Western civilization, a crop that protected populations from starvation, encouraged self-sufficiency, and improved the lives of ordinary people. The potato's roller-coaster journey from dreary boiled peasant food into the most widely consumed vegetable on the planet is chronicled in this refreshing history lesson. The Potato goes way beyond the usual scope of spud history, which commonly focuses on the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s. Although this disaster is a key event in the book, the potato's broader influence in the Western world was far more complex--changing the shape of agrarian societies, triggering world emigration, and even influencing social-welfare reforms. Snippets from journals, newspaper editorials, and government documents make this a convincing and fascinating glimpse of four centuries' worth of a vegetable to which we normally wouldn't give a second thought. --Naomi Gesinger

Book Description

The Potato tells the story of how a humble vegetable, once regarded as trash food, had as revolutionary an impact on Western history as the railroad or the automobile. Using Ireland, England, France, and the United States as examples, Larry Zuckerman shows how daily life from the 1770s until World War I would have been unrecognizable-perhaps impossible-without the potato, which functioned as fast food, famine insurance, fuel and labor saver, budget stretcher, and bank loan, as well as delicacy. Drawing on personal diaries, contemporaneous newspaper accounts, and other primary sources, this is popular social history at its liveliest and most illuminating.

Customer Reviews:

Mashed potato.......2005-07-15

If, like me, you mostly read at night in bed, don't choose this book. No-one should go to sleep in an irritable mood, having painfully re-read pages to ascertain what the author is trying to say, disentangling the contorted lines of thought and timelines. Although crammed with information, much of it seems contrived, anecdotal and you have to expend too much energy digging deep to get to the core of the history of the spud. When you do, it is indeed interesting. But don't labour over this book - read COD instead for easy-read insight into how single food sources make and break entire populations.

a bee in a bonnet became a book.......2005-04-30

Riding on the wave of single-ingredient books, this one is a poorly edited but mildly interesting book, mostly about Irish peasantry and how the potato was viewed by its various classes, a subject that the author is so fascinated by that he repeats himself more than once. And other than that, the choice of what to write about and what to just ignore seems to have been made in the most idiosyncratic manner. The history of the potato won't be found, nor its geographical spread and importance in various places around even the western world. As for the Andes, where's that? It must be in the east. As for the premise in the title, it's just a title with nothing to show for it in the book. I wouldn't criticise the author on readability, though. The book is quite readable, just not something to be read otherwise than casually (if you're into reading about Ireland), with the knowledge that the author has points of view that he's pushing. This can't be plain-potato reading. Since the author holds strong views which he pushes here, one needs to read sprinkling the facts and choice of sources with a touch of salt.

You Say Po-tay-to, And I Say Po-tah-to....................2003-09-04

Don't let the corny (ouch!) title put you off: this is a serious look at the historical place of the potato in England, Ireland, France and the United States. And if you are concerned that 271 pages on the "humble spud" might put you into a stupor, you might breathe easier when you know that Mr. Zuckerman uses the potato as a starting point to examine lots of other stuff: class distinctions; agricultural landlords and tenant farmers; urbanization; women and domestic drudgery; the role of bread (ouch again!) vs. the role of the potato, etc. Mr. Zuckerman even finds the time, near the end of the book, to incorporate some philosophical musings on the positive and negative aspects of "fast-food" and its relationship to our "hurry-up society." To me, one of the best things about the book was the multi-cultural approach: it was interesting to see how much more quickly the potato caught-on in the United States than it did in France, England and Ireland (where the centuries-old custom of strict reliance on bread had to be overcome). Another interesting thing to read about was the amazement of foreign visitors concerning the variety of the American diet. We tend to forget that in Europe, in the period this book primarily deals with (1700-1900), the average person lived on bread, porridge, and soup. (One of the many interesting facts presented in this book is that up until almost 1900 most French peasants had a morning bowl of soup rather than a cup of coffee.) You were indeed fortunate if you had meat, milk, butter, eggs, coffee, etc. Even if a peasant farmer owned a cow, pig, or chicken, quite often the food products the animals supplied had to be sold, to provide some much-needed cash. The book provides a very nice combination of scholarly data(economic and sociological information) and anecdotal material. To be honest, the book was a "heavier" read than I anticipated, but the interesting "factoids" helped to lighten and liven things up. Some examples: soup was so prevalent in 19th century France that in one district it is documented that some people had wooden tables with rounded depressions carved into them. As Mr. Zuckerman writes, this "removed the need for plates and [also] any doubt about the menu."; soup was also used as a "bread-softener." Due to poor quality grain and inefficient ovens, the crust of bread was often as hard as a rock. Some people couldn't cut the bread with a knife- they had to use a saw; finally, in 19th century London a common sight was the "baked 'tato man," who sold his product from a cart on the sidewalk- similar to today's hot dog, pretzel, and chestnut vendors. But the interesting thing about the "baked 'tato man" was that, in the cold weather, he would suggest to the gentleman-half of a passing couple that he buy a baked potato to keep his sweetheart warm. The author writes, "This advice was often taken, and the potato placed inside her muff." Food for warmth, and this fine book provides much food for thought, as well.

Good Popular History.......2003-03-27

This title is an eminently readable social history of the potato's influence in Western Europe and the United States. It's full of fascinating facts, e.g. innante prejudice about food sources that came out of the ground delaying acceptance of the potato in Europe.

The book's greatest strength is the lengthy and sympathetic description of the Irish Great Famine of the 1840's. I am somewhat familiar with the secondary historical literature of the period and can confidently say that Zuckerman has thorough grounding in the sources and has fairly presented them.

There are some problems: the book could have been better organized, it skips too lightly over the origin of the potato in South America and although it cites sources, a more traditional footnoting style would have been helpful.

Mr.Zuckerman, I am now your fan and look forward to reading your next book.

The Humble Spud in History.......2002-09-22

With a lively literary style, journalist Larry Zuckerman explains the history and importance of the lowly tuber, from its thirteen-thousand-year origin on the high Andean plateaus to its sixteenth-century discovery by Spaniards down to the beginning of World War I. Zuckerman chronicles just four countries in his treatise about the spud, but these countries: France, England, Ireland, and the United States are, he says, representative of the Western world.

Despite the potato's vital nutrients, it soon became known as the food of the poor and remained out of favor among the gentry. Even the peasants did not appreciate the strange plant that formed odd tubers which sprouted, which they declared to be of the Devil. But by the end of the seventeenth century, the potato as a staple food for Ireland's poor had become widely known. At the same time in England, the potato had yet to become a table food. Farmers fed them to their livestock. Within a hundred years, the potato had "nosed its way into English life." In France, where the fear of nightshades was even greater than in England, the potato caught on because the wet summers did not affect this hardy plant as they did grain.

Zuckerman traces the tuber's history from its beginnings through the horrific Potato Famine of Ireland to farm staple in a post-Civil War U.S. The potato represented a food whose ease of preparation lightened the burden for the average American farm wife. In chapters titled Potatoes and Population, A Passion for Thrift, Women's Work, The Good Companions, and Good Breeding (showing the evolution of the tuber from exotic and fearsome to low class, to beneath notice), Zuckerman educates and entertains, and at the same time shows us that having read the history of the lowly spud, we can never regard it in the same way. Perhaps the humble potato did rescue the Western world.

The Sweet Potato Cookbook
Average customer rating:

What a variety!

Who would have guessed the sweet potato was so versatile!

The Sweet Potato Cookbook
Lyniece North Talmadge
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1581820038

Customer Reviews:

What a variety!.......2006-11-18

I was pretty surprised when I got this book with the variety of recipes. There are recipes for everything from beverages to breads to soups to main and side dishes to desserts. Sweet potato drinks? The recipes range from somewhat basic, standard-type to side dishes to the very exotic with a section of recipes from around the world. Some of the recipes use canned sweet potato, which is nice if you are looking to save a little time. This book seems to have enough variety that there is something in here to please everyone!

Who would have guessed the sweet potato was so versatile!.......1999-01-05

This book is a pure joy to read, and covers an amazing array of culinary styles. The recipes offered range from the classic sweet potato pie to an asian stir-fry that would delight any foodie.

Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food: Mind-stretching Brain Food (Math Potatoes)

Average customer rating:

Math Potatoes is a Smath Hit!
Math Potatoes: Mind Stretching Brain Food

Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food: Mind-stretching Brain Food (Math Potatoes)
Greg Tang
Manufacturer: Scholastic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439443903

Book Description

Greg Tang is back with his bestselling approach to addition and subtraction: problem solving. By solving challenges that encourage kids to "group" numbers rather than memorize formulas, even the most reluctant math learners are inspired to see math in a whole new way! Math Potatoes is full of Tang and Briggs' trademark humor, wit, and extraordinary creativity. Tang has proven over and over that math can be fun, and this new addition to his acclaimed series of mind-stretching math riddles is sure to be another hit.

Customer Reviews:

Math Potatoes is a Smath Hit!.......2007-08-24

This is a MUST-HAVE book for all elementary classrooms! This book is a superb example of literacy across the curriculum... and it is FUN!

Math Potatoes: Mind Stretching Brain Food.......2007-03-25

This book is fantastic to get kids to think about numbers in groups. It allows for deep thinking about numbers.

Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850

Average customer rating:

A Hungry History
The Horrific Blight
Horribly Brilliant
Excellent Non-fiction
A haunting history

Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850
Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Europe | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0618548831

Book Description

In 1845, a disaster struck Ireland. Overnight, a mysterious blight attacked the potato crops, turning the potatoes black and destroying the only real food of nearly six million people. Over the next five years, the blight attacked again and again. These years are known today as the Great Irish Famine, a time when one million people died from starvation and disease and two million more fled their homeland. Black Potatoes is the compelling story of men, women, and children who defied landlords and searched empty fields for scraps of harvested vegetables and edible weeds to eat, who walked several miles each day to hard-labor jobs for meager wages and to reach soup kitchens, and who committed crimes just to be sent to jail, where they were assured of a meal. It's the story of children and adults who suffered from starvation, disease, and the loss of family and friends, as well as those who died. Illustrated with black and white engravings, it's also the story of the heroes among the Irish people and how they held on to hope.

Customer Reviews:

A Hungry History.......2006-03-11

An interesting and worthwhile history, made more palatable than a textbook by the extensive quotations of personal accounts and contemporary newspaper illustrations.

Broad in scope and adequate in depth, the book treats the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1850 with a sensitive, compassionate tone, spending great time on the human toll of the Famine, as well as the diseases it invited and the social upheaval it instigated.

Bartoletti vividly illustrates the dehumanizing and horrifying experience of the starving Irish, and explicitly eschews diplomacy to explore the economic and political causes. The book also explores both the (perceived or actual) maintenance and possible exacerbation of the crisis by the English government and the English landlords. Bartoletti concludes that the awkward and faltering relief was so unwillingly given because of staunchly protected laissez-faire economics as well as cultural biases and prejudice against the Irish. These factors created a political climate where merely the forecast of improvement caused the English to quit relief programs, often too soon, thus causing the situation to worsen for the Irish, creating staggering costs - in pounds as well as in lives.

Brief treatment of revolutionary activity is included, as well as interesting exposition of folk beliefs and practices.

This book avoids the "boring history" noose of more densely-written academic works, and is clearly targeted at young adults with its narrative style, but I recommend this for anyone wishing to read more deeply on this subject. Definitely written from an Irish point of view, but well researched and rich in original sources.

The Horrific Blight.......2005-12-06

What would you do if there was no food to eat, no clean clothes to wear or no shoes to wear in winter? The answers to these questions are found in Black Potatoes, which is set in Ireland in 1845 at the onset of the Potato famine. At the time of the potato famine, there were three classes of people in Ireland, the Irish farm laborers, the Irish farmers, and the English landlords. The farm laborers were the poorest, the farmers were middle class, and the landlords were the wealthy and powerful. The farm laborers and farmers rented land from the landlords and planted potatoes. When the potato famine hit, the Irish had a hard time paying their rents because of their failed crops. The Irish people had a long and enduring time during the potato famine to keep their families fed and well. The British Government came to the aid of the Irish, but many
times it was too late. The book is very Anti-British and rightfully so according to the evidence of British attitudes toward the Irish that reveal the ethnic and religious prejudices that divided the Irish and the English. The writing style of the author is very realistic and Irish everyday life is very detailed that it leaves a horrific feeling of sadness for those who lived and died during the potato famine and the years after. The pictures in the book are actual sketches obtained from various sources such as the Illustrated London News and British and Irish libraries.

Horribly Brilliant.......2004-09-13

This is an excellent summary of the Potato (note that spelling, Danny-Boy-O Quayle) Famine that plagued Ireland from 1845-1850, when the fungus Pythophthora Infestans destroyed the staple crop. Author Susan Campbell Barttoletti deftly explores the swirling pathological, sociological, political, and theological soup caused by the rotting potatoes and the aftermath. She relies on original sources and interviews with descendants of the resultant Diaspora. This book is found in the children's section of the library, but frankly, I found it hard to read myself - not because the words or concepts are difficult, but because it is so very grim - the horror! the horror! /TundraVision, Amazon reviewer.

Excellent Non-fiction.......2003-01-11

This is the best non-fiction I have ever seen. The liberal use of personal histories and stories along with illustrations from periodicals reporting the situation make this compelling and fascinating.

A haunting history.......2002-07-12

The potato blight that struck Ireland in the mid 1800s produced a nation-wide famine, resulting in "one million dead and two million who fled" to other countries, predominately the US and Canada. Countless other Irishmen, with no food, money or homes, simply disappeared. Susan Campbell Bartoletti's "Black Potatoes" recreates the era year by year from haunting contemporary newspaper illustrations, government records and first hand survivor stories, told to their children and grandchildren.

Bartoletti provides a balanced account of the economic, political and social repercussions of the blight and the ensuing famine. Food was available but the poor did not have the means to acquire it. The British government was slow to react to the devastation. Irish government officials, landowners, and shopkeepers worked to protect their own interests but, finally, in the end, contributed the greatest amount of financial support to the poor. The Friends Church, operating local soup kitchens, and American relatives, sending millions of dollars in financial support, were allies of the Irish poor during these times.

This book is a wonderful historical recounting of the time and is compelling reading for those of all ages interested in their Irish heritage. Bartoletti brings the horrors of famine and poverty to life. The 150-year old drawings, originally published in the "Illustrated London News", will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. The six-page narrative bibliography is as interesting as the story itself, and provides students and researchers with numerous sources for further study.

Average customer rating:

A fun book to read and re-read time and time again.

One Potato, Two Potato

An unexpected largess and dilemma.

Another winner from DeFelice!

One Potato, Two Potato
Cynthia DeFelice
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Multicultural | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0374356408
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Book Description

Mr. and Mrs. O’Grady are so poor they have just one of everything to share – one potato a day, one chair, one blanket full of holes, and one gold coin for a rainy day. After digging up the last potato in their patch, Mr. O’Grady comes upon a big black object. It’s a pot – no ordinary pot, for what they soon discover is that whatever goes into it comes out doubled! Suddenly the O’Gradys aren’t destitute anymore. But what they really long for is one friend apiece. Can the magic pot give them that?

This retelling of a Chinese folktale pays tribute to the author’s Irish heritage, and to the joys of an old marriage, new friendships, and the impulse to share. Using pen and gouache, the artist shows the “simple” characters in all their winning complexity.

Customer Reviews:

A fun book to read and re-read time and time again........2007-01-15

I really enjoyed this book. The story sounded a lot like one I had heard as a kid many years ago, but this one was different. It had a sweeter ending. It is 30 pages long with pretty good text and very good illustrations.

The story is about an old husband-wife farming team who is poor and frugal. One day when their food supply was about to run out they found a large magical iron pot buried on their land which duplicates whatever is put into it. They put some necessaries in the pot and some money - out came twice as much as was put in. The most interesting thing was that the pot worked on people just as it did on things.

I probably would have liked the book better if the main characters had not been so poor and simple. I did not see the point in it. But they seemed like such nice people. 5 stars!

One Potato, Two Potato.......2007-01-10

This is a sweet story of love and caring with a surprising magical element. The illustrations by Andrea U'Ren support and carry the story beautifully. A delightful book!

An unexpected largess and dilemma........2006-10-08

Mr. and Mrs. O'Grady dirt poor and have to share all their raggedy belongings - one potato a day, one blanket, etc. Yet all they want in life is one friend apiece, so when a magic pot unearthed in the garden produces double of everything, their wishes seem to come true - or do they? Andrea U'Ren's drawings are a fun accompaniment to an unexpected largess and dilemma.

Another winner from DeFelice!.......2006-08-14

One Potato, Two Potato is exactly the kind of book I love using with my students! It pulls them in and keeps them guessing and excited til the end. I always know Mrs. DeFelice's picture books are kid friendly and fun to share!

20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch

Average customer rating:

Okay, a little out of date
A gree with most of which Dr Compolo says
Will Spark Debate If Nothing Else
Interesting, Challenging, Thought-Provoking
I agree with Tony Campolo 110 Percent!

20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch
Tony Campolo
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0849935059

Book Description

AIDS, women preachers, public schools, psychological counseling, homosexuality, and working mothers-these are some of the hot issues that many Christians avoid discussing. With insight and clarity, Tony Campolo confronts today's toughest social and moral questions while raising a few of his own.

Customer Reviews:

Okay, a little out of date.......2006-09-20

This book was insightful, but most of it was just Campolo's opinions with very little evidence to back his claims. It is very thought provoking, and I would recommend it as he has some interesting logic applied to many subjects that are ignored in the Christian community. While I agree with most of it, there are a couple areas I have that are of some concern.

1. This book was written in 1988. The studies he used to back his reasons that women should stay at home with their children are now out of date. We know now that they are true, but only under very specific circumstances where the parents show little involvement and/or the daycare is not a very good one. There are better, more modern studies that show a complex relationship between the welfare of a child, daycare, and parental involvement. I also found this chapter to be very rambly and not very well reasoned. He basically says education prepares a woman for a career, nobody supports her, fathers should take a more active role, oh, well. Stay home anyways. He also talks about a biological connection of which there is no proof. This, however, was the worst chapter.

2.A couple more of the chapters, such as the one about single women over 30, he basically says there is a problem and the church should do more, but he does not offer any real, good solutions. (He has them, but they are kind of flimsy.) I don't think he should have included a chapter in a book that he didn't have any solid ideas for. If he only talked about 10 or 15 "hot potatoes" and had some really good insight on those, it would have been a better book.

I really like Campolo as a speaker. I am going to read another one of his books and give him another chance. Like I said, it was a thought provoking book, but don't expect greatness.

A gree with most of which Dr Compolo says.......2006-03-04

Tony Campolo is right on the money. People who criticize him do not want to hear that their sins are just as repulsive to God as homosexuality. Dr. Campolo talks about other subjects such as women ministers,public schools, should Christians kill, and is it OK to be rich?
As far as homosexuality and AIDS. Dr. Campolo states that homosexualility is no worse than any other sin, especially the sin of adultery. To say AIDS is a special punishment from God for homosexuality disgraces the character of God. As Tony Campolo says if God uses illness to punish sin then we will ALL be in the hospital. Dr. Campolo urges Christians to reach out to the homosexual community and the people with AIDS with love.

Another topic was women ministers. He felt it was hypocritical to allow women to be ministers over seas but deny them the right to be ordained ministers in this country. Dr. Campolo states that there are many women with very strong ministries. DR. Campolo states that the passasge in scripture in which Paul says women should be quite in church was a reference to women who would use the church to speak out against their husbands. Also, Greco-Roman society was highly male dominate, therefore having women ministers may prevent people from joining the church. This is not the situation today.

Another controversial issue is pulling the plug on terminally ill patients. Dr.Compolo staes that it wrong to keep the body alive my artificial means. One such case are people that are declared brain dead. When the brain stops functioning the body stops functioning.These people are only kept alive by machines. Another case are people who are only kept alive by machines that are fully conscious. Dr. Campolo tells of a wife of a friend who had a disease that made some of her vital organs inoperative. She was in extreme pain and the pain medicine was not working. Without modern medicine she would have died anyway. He is not saying modern medicine is bad, but if these machines are the only thing that is keeping people alive,who are in extreme pain, at a great expense then these machines should be turned off and let nature take its course. He does not condone mercy killing or euthanasia. Dr. campolo is saying that when the body ceases to function naturally and the body is kept alive artificially then the patient and the patient's family has the right to turn of the machines.

I agree with Tony Campolo. Conservative Christians do not like to hear that they are equal sinners to homosexuals. Their sin is also mentioned in the Bible and is equally offensive to God. Tony Campolo is asking people to reach out to others with love and without judgement.

There are a few issues I do not agree with but generally I support what he says

Will Spark Debate If Nothing Else.......2005-07-27

Regardless of one's opinion of Tony Campolo, one has to admit Campolo is not afraid to speak his mind.

In "20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch", Campolo takes on some of the most difficult issues confronting contemporary Christianity.

Some of the issues addressed from the chapter titles include "Are Evangelicals Too Pro-Israel" and "Where Does A Single Woman Over 30 Go To Get Rid Of Loneliness?"

Some of Campolo's comments are insightful such as those realizing that singleness is as ordained of God as marriage.

Other comments reveal a serious misunderstanding as to the fundamental nature of human nature.

In the chapter dealing with homosexuality, Campolo suggests that Evangelicals grant a blessing to celibate gays living together.

But humanly speaking, will any relationship between romantically attracted adults living under the same roof remain celibate for long?

Even among Christians, one reason for disinterest in the church is its failure to address the concerns the day.

If nothing else, even despite his errors, Campolo's text should spark interesting Sunday school debates or riveting rejoinders from the pulpit.

by Frederick Meekins

Interesting, Challenging, Thought-Provoking.......2005-03-16

While I do not agree with all of the author's opinions, I found the book to be insightful and thought-provoking. This book is NOT the same old same old. No. The author has original thoughts on almost every subject covered, and after reading the book and after careful, meditative reflection I have changed my opinions in a couple of areas.

On Homosexuality: Dr. Campolo DOES agree that the Bible maintains that homosexuality is a sin. He is clear. But he believes that someone with a homosexual orientation can refrain from engaging in sinful acts and be acceptable to God and a good Christian. Is this any different than someone with a bad temper submitting himself to God and striving to exercise self-control? Many of today's churches are accepting of remarriage after divorce (something that Jesus addressed)yet hold homosexuals in contempt (a subject that Jesus did not address). They protest in the streets against state recognized homosexual marriages without thinking twice (or even once) about divorce and remarriage. Is it any wonder why homosexuals think we hate them? Perhaps Romans 5:8 is missing in some of our Bibles.

I agree with Tony Campolo 110 Percent!.......2003-01-02

As far as homosexuality and AIDS. Dr. Campolo states that homosexualility is no worse than any other sin, especially the sin of adultery. To say AIDS is a special punishment from God for homosexuality disgraces the character of God. As Tony Campolo says if God uses illness to punish sin then we will ALL be in the hospital. Dr. Campolo urges Christians to reach out to the homosexual community and the people with AIDS with love.

Another topic was women ministers. He felt it was hypocritical to allow women to be ministers over seas but deny them the right to be ordained ministers in this country. Dr. Campolo states that there are many women with very strong ministries. DR. Campolo states that the passasge in scripture in which Paul says women should be quite in church was a reference to women who would use the church to speak out against their husbands. Also, Greco-Roman society was highly male dominate, therefore having women ministers may prevent people from joining the church. This is not the situation today.

Another controversial issue is pulling the plug on terminally ill patients. Dr.Compolo staes that it wrong to keep the body alive my artificial means. One such case are people that are declared brain dead. When the brain stops functioning the body stops functioning.These people are only kept alive by machines. Another case are people who are only kept alive by machines that are fully conscious. Dr. Campolo tells of a wife of a friend who had a disease that made some of her vital organs inoperative. She was in extreme pain and the pain medicine was not working. Without modern medicine she would have died anyway. He is not saying modern medicine is bad, but if these machines are the only thing that is keeping people alive,who are in extreme pain, at a great expense then these machines should be turned off and let nature take its course. He does not condone mercy killing or euthanasia. Dr. campolo is saying that when the body ceases to function naturally and the body is kept alive artificially then the patient and the patient's family has the right to turn of the machines.

I agree with Tony Campolo. Conservative Christians do not like to hear that they are equal sinners to homosexuals. Their sin is also mentioned in the Bible and is equally offensive to God. Tony Campolo is asking people to reach out to others with love and without judgement.

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