Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Inspiring and empowering - read and pass it on!, 16 Sep 2008
Fantastic and humourous writing - couldn't put it down. Immediately passed the "wealth" to one of my best girlfriends upon completion. Every woman must read this!

I enjoyed the EAT part the best!, 03 Sep 2008
A lovely read and a moving tale which most women can relate to - especially the 'eat' bit where the protagonist re-discovers the jos of good food! I loved every minute of her time in Italy!

Chronicles a Journey of Joy, 02 Sep 2008
This book was really hard to put down. It is an autobiographical story that I wished would go on, that I just did not want to end. And of course, it has not ended, because life goes on, it's just that we are no more allowed access to the inner workings of the author's innovative mind. This book is a great window towards viewing how great emotional pain can be transmuted to an experience of grace and blessing, and leading to the proverbial happy ending, a life, infused with much greater joy, variety and color, besides including worldly success and financial prosperity.

As seen on the cover, this book is about one woman's search for wholeness and healing after two 'failed' relationships. To this end, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, gives herself a year to investigate three different milieus, each for a more or less equal period of time. The first period would involve feasting in Italy and learning the Italian language, the second, fasting in an ashram in India, and the last, in Indonesia, where she would seek a balance between the two extreme environments.

So, knowing that her basic aim is to heal herself, the author indulges in the epicurean pleasures that Italy has to offer. After four months of travel and partying she moves on to a form of monastic living that is austere in the extreme. She spent her days in service at the Ashram, beginning with menial chores, and going on at a later stage, to administrative duties. All this she did, while meditating several hours a day, practising the Vipassana form of meditation, which is not easy on the ego, as most people, familiar with it, know. She cleared this test of her life with flying colours, being blessed with the experience of Immanence, Finally, after these events, Elizabeth Gilbert, moves on to Indonesia, seeking a balance between the two extremes in living conditions that she has experienced. There, she makes a lot of new friends, becoming part of their lives, and finally achieving true love. The happy ending shows her jetting between continents to family and friends strewn all over the globe.

One important lesson coming across from the book, that I myself, needed to be re-minded of, is that it is the journey towards the goal, that is more important. That the means are even more important than the goal. That your commitment to walk the path that has been charted out, with sincerity is what draws desired circumstances to you, either positive or negative. That full fledged, hundred per cent commitment can and does bring rewards. Many of us have forgotten this in our lives, our cynicism has taken over and shuts out our inner selves with its protectionism. Cynicism does not seem to have affected Elizabeth GIlbert's experience in this book.

An outstanding feature of this book is the heartwarming intimacy with which it has been written. Always open to trying out new games, the author freely makes jokes against herself. Some of her games have amazing repercussions. In one such incident, the author plays a game with a friend, affirming one after one, that several important people would like her to have a certain desire granted. And lo and behold, it was! This particular game alerted me once more to the greatest and most well concealed spiritual secret of the century, 'We are all One'.

The after-effects of this book have stayed with me like a warm blanket. I feel I am a better person for having read it. And of course, I recommend it with all my heart.



Forget the life coach and management books and just read this, 26 Aug 2008
I'm nearly at the end of the book but couldn't wait to say what a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, and thought provoking read this book has been. I've read this as an atheist with an always enquiring mind. I've not felt pressured into following Ms Gilbert's beliefs - this is not a "Try this at home" or a "How to be successful" book, nor is it judgmental of any religions. This is Gilbert's very personal journey and it explains ideas and practices from most religions. I have an understanding of where she's coming from. It hasn't changed my views of the practised religions, but it has encouraged me to read further.It could also be titled "A tourist's guide to searching for God" as the descriptions of the places Gilbert visits could rank with any good book on tourism.
I read the 1 poor review this book was given on the Amazon review pages and was surprised to find the person thought the book "very American". After reading the intro chapter I was expecting the author to be British. The humour is self-deprecating - not something I usually associate with American authors.

I think Gilbert's next book and the Eat Pray Love film should be boycotted, 18 Aug 2008
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by a self-absorbed narcissist receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whinged and moaned and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants.

Here is an immensely PRIVILEGED young woman (yes, she is talented, she can write) who provides us with insights on what? Herself and her insecurities. What did we learn about Italy? Niente. Perhaps where to find the best pizza in Naples.

I couldn't get through her ramblings and vapid non-stop chatter in India (she talks too much). Nothing on the poverty or living conditions there or the plight of Indian women which I would have been interested in reading about. Indonesia was just more of the same. Did anyone notice that she didn't even touch on the tsunami disaster only to say that - thank god - it didn't reach her island when she was there??? So engrossed in HERSELF she doesn't notice, really, what's going on around her.

I wonder if she has read THREE CUPS OF TEA, that marvellous book about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Is THAT going to be made into a movie???

I would love to see Gilbert being sent to Iraq to cover events there. Amidst the dire reality, would she be moaning about having a bad hair day? Or, perhaps, she'd write 5 pages about her ambivalent feelings towards a soldier (or maybe an Iraqi) she thinks she has a crush on.

Gilberts is now an immensely wealthy woman because of the sales of this book. This saddens me because it illustrates how skewered values are in American society. All I can hope for is that she's donating a lot of her money to charities and very good causes.

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Inspiring and empowering - read and pass it on!, 16 Sep 2008
Fantastic and humourous writing - couldn't put it down. Immediately passed the "wealth" to one of my best girlfriends upon completion. Every woman must read this!

I enjoyed the EAT part the best!, 03 Sep 2008
A lovely read and a moving tale which most women can relate to - especially the 'eat' bit where the protagonist re-discovers the jos of good food! I loved every minute of her time in Italy!

Chronicles a Journey of Joy, 02 Sep 2008
This book was really hard to put down. It is an autobiographical story that I wished would go on, that I just did not want to end. And of course, it has not ended, because life goes on, it's just that we are no more allowed access to the inner workings of the author's innovative mind. This book is a great window towards viewing how great emotional pain can be transmuted to an experience of grace and blessing, and leading to the proverbial happy ending, a life, infused with much greater joy, variety and color, besides including worldly success and financial prosperity.

As seen on the cover, this book is about one woman's search for wholeness and healing after two 'failed' relationships. To this end, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, gives herself a year to investigate three different milieus, each for a more or less equal period of time. The first period would involve feasting in Italy and learning the Italian language, the second, fasting in an ashram in India, and the last, in Indonesia, where she would seek a balance between the two extreme environments.

So, knowing that her basic aim is to heal herself, the author indulges in the epicurean pleasures that Italy has to offer. After four months of travel and partying she moves on to a form of monastic living that is austere in the extreme. She spent her days in service at the Ashram, beginning with menial chores, and going on at a later stage, to administrative duties. All this she did, while meditating several hours a day, practising the Vipassana form of meditation, which is not easy on the ego, as most people, familiar with it, know. She cleared this test of her life with flying colours, being blessed with the experience of Immanence, Finally, after these events, Elizabeth Gilbert, moves on to Indonesia, seeking a balance between the two extremes in living conditions that she has experienced. There, she makes a lot of new friends, becoming part of their lives, and finally achieving true love. The happy ending shows her jetting between continents to family and friends strewn all over the globe.

One important lesson coming across from the book, that I myself, needed to be re-minded of, is that it is the journey towards the goal, that is more important. That the means are even more important than the goal. That your commitment to walk the path that has been charted out, with sincerity is what draws desired circumstances to you, either positive or negative. That full fledged, hundred per cent commitment can and does bring rewards. Many of us have forgotten this in our lives, our cynicism has taken over and shuts out our inner selves with its protectionism. Cynicism does not seem to have affected Elizabeth GIlbert's experience in this book.

An outstanding feature of this book is the heartwarming intimacy with which it has been written. Always open to trying out new games, the author freely makes jokes against herself. Some of her games have amazing repercussions. In one such incident, the author plays a game with a friend, affirming one after one, that several important people would like her to have a certain desire granted. And lo and behold, it was! This particular game alerted me once more to the greatest and most well concealed spiritual secret of the century, 'We are all One'.

The after-effects of this book have stayed with me like a warm blanket. I feel I am a better person for having read it. And of course, I recommend it with all my heart.



Forget the life coach and management books and just read this, 26 Aug 2008
I'm nearly at the end of the book but couldn't wait to say what a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, and thought provoking read this book has been. I've read this as an atheist with an always enquiring mind. I've not felt pressured into following Ms Gilbert's beliefs - this is not a "Try this at home" or a "How to be successful" book, nor is it judgmental of any religions. This is Gilbert's very personal journey and it explains ideas and practices from most religions. I have an understanding of where she's coming from. It hasn't changed my views of the practised religions, but it has encouraged me to read further.It could also be titled "A tourist's guide to searching for God" as the descriptions of the places Gilbert visits could rank with any good book on tourism.
I read the 1 poor review this book was given on the Amazon review pages and was surprised to find the person thought the book "very American". After reading the intro chapter I was expecting the author to be British. The humour is self-deprecating - not something I usually associate with American authors.

I think Gilbert's next book and the Eat Pray Love film should be boycotted, 18 Aug 2008
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by a self-absorbed narcissist receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whinged and moaned and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants.

Here is an immensely PRIVILEGED young woman (yes, she is talented, she can write) who provides us with insights on what? Herself and her insecurities. What did we learn about Italy? Niente. Perhaps where to find the best pizza in Naples.

I couldn't get through her ramblings and vapid non-stop chatter in India (she talks too much). Nothing on the poverty or living conditions there or the plight of Indian women which I would have been interested in reading about. Indonesia was just more of the same. Did anyone notice that she didn't even touch on the tsunami disaster only to say that - thank god - it didn't reach her island when she was there??? So engrossed in HERSELF she doesn't notice, really, what's going on around her.

I wonder if she has read THREE CUPS OF TEA, that marvellous book about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Is THAT going to be made into a movie???

I would love to see Gilbert being sent to Iraq to cover events there. Amidst the dire reality, would she be moaning about having a bad hair day? Or, perhaps, she'd write 5 pages about her ambivalent feelings towards a soldier (or maybe an Iraqi) she thinks she has a crush on.

Gilberts is now an immensely wealthy woman because of the sales of this book. This saddens me because it illustrates how skewered values are in American society. All I can hope for is that she's donating a lot of her money to charities and very good causes.

Fabulous book for advice and recipes, 30 Sep 2008
I have recommended this book to everyone. It's full of good advice for different weaning stages. And I cook the 9months + recipes for my husband...he always says how nice they are and then I tell them that the meal was designed for a 12 month old!! Lovely food for babies, toddlers, and adults.

Location, location, location, 10 Sep 2008
This book does give lots of interesting ideas, but depending on your location, many of the ingredients might not be readily available, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash and some fruits. There also seem to be a lot of fish recipes.

Very useful and easy to follow., 24 Aug 2008
This book is amazing! I find myself using it on a daily basis to look things up as well as using the recipes. It's great for people like me who do not have a clue about cooking as it is very easy to follow. Even if you are a good cook already, you will find this book invaluable for giving you ideas on what to give your little one. I think my daughter would be living on jars of baby food if I hadn't bought this book!

tedious waste of time, 24 Aug 2008
Why cook separately for children? Why not simply give them smaller portions of properly made food for adults? I bought this book when my children were very small, I had made my own baby food, not through any sense of righteous "earthmotherlyness", but through necessity brought on by living in the Central American jungle. Using this book meant I doubled up cooking first for my children and then for myself and my husband. Until I saw the light, threw the book away and stopped wasting time & money. Use a decent proper cook book, and teach your children to eat food not cartoon faced vegetable caterpillars.

Tasty, easy recipes, 09 Aug 2008
I got this in preparation for weaning my daughter who is 11 months at time of writing. Every recipe we have tried has been a winner and mum & dad have even enjoyed some too! I would recommend Gina Ford's weaning book alongside this one as a more comprehensive guide to actually going about weaning. This is better for the recipes.

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Inspiring and empowering - read and pass it on!, 16 Sep 2008
Fantastic and humourous writing - couldn't put it down. Immediately passed the "wealth" to one of my best girlfriends upon completion. Every woman must read this!

I enjoyed the EAT part the best!, 03 Sep 2008
A lovely read and a moving tale which most women can relate to - especially the 'eat' bit where the protagonist re-discovers the jos of good food! I loved every minute of her time in Italy!

Chronicles a Journey of Joy, 02 Sep 2008
This book was really hard to put down. It is an autobiographical story that I wished would go on, that I just did not want to end. And of course, it has not ended, because life goes on, it's just that we are no more allowed access to the inner workings of the author's innovative mind. This book is a great window towards viewing how great emotional pain can be transmuted to an experience of grace and blessing, and leading to the proverbial happy ending, a life, infused with much greater joy, variety and color, besides including worldly success and financial prosperity.

As seen on the cover, this book is about one woman's search for wholeness and healing after two 'failed' relationships. To this end, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, gives herself a year to investigate three different milieus, each for a more or less equal period of time. The first period would involve feasting in Italy and learning the Italian language, the second, fasting in an ashram in India, and the last, in Indonesia, where she would seek a balance between the two extreme environments.

So, knowing that her basic aim is to heal herself, the author indulges in the epicurean pleasures that Italy has to offer. After four months of travel and partying she moves on to a form of monastic living that is austere in the extreme. She spent her days in service at the Ashram, beginning with menial chores, and going on at a later stage, to administrative duties. All this she did, while meditating several hours a day, practising the Vipassana form of meditation, which is not easy on the ego, as most people, familiar with it, know. She cleared this test of her life with flying colours, being blessed with the experience of Immanence, Finally, after these events, Elizabeth Gilbert, moves on to Indonesia, seeking a balance between the two extremes in living conditions that she has experienced. There, she makes a lot of new friends, becoming part of their lives, and finally achieving true love. The happy ending shows her jetting between continents to family and friends strewn all over the globe.

One important lesson coming across from the book, that I myself, needed to be re-minded of, is that it is the journey towards the goal, that is more important. That the means are even more important than the goal. That your commitment to walk the path that has been charted out, with sincerity is what draws desired circumstances to you, either positive or negative. That full fledged, hundred per cent commitment can and does bring rewards. Many of us have forgotten this in our lives, our cynicism has taken over and shuts out our inner selves with its protectionism. Cynicism does not seem to have affected Elizabeth GIlbert's experience in this book.

An outstanding feature of this book is the heartwarming intimacy with which it has been written. Always open to trying out new games, the author freely makes jokes against herself. Some of her games have amazing repercussions. In one such incident, the author plays a game with a friend, affirming one after one, that several important people would like her to have a certain desire granted. And lo and behold, it was! This particular game alerted me once more to the greatest and most well concealed spiritual secret of the century, 'We are all One'.

The after-effects of this book have stayed with me like a warm blanket. I feel I am a better person for having read it. And of course, I recommend it with all my heart.



Forget the life coach and management books and just read this, 26 Aug 2008
I'm nearly at the end of the book but couldn't wait to say what a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, and thought provoking read this book has been. I've read this as an atheist with an always enquiring mind. I've not felt pressured into following Ms Gilbert's beliefs - this is not a "Try this at home" or a "How to be successful" book, nor is it judgmental of any religions. This is Gilbert's very personal journey and it explains ideas and practices from most religions. I have an understanding of where she's coming from. It hasn't changed my views of the practised religions, but it has encouraged me to read further.It could also be titled "A tourist's guide to searching for God" as the descriptions of the places Gilbert visits could rank with any good book on tourism.
I read the 1 poor review this book was given on the Amazon review pages and was surprised to find the person thought the book "very American". After reading the intro chapter I was expecting the author to be British. The humour is self-deprecating - not something I usually associate with American authors.

I think Gilbert's next book and the Eat Pray Love film should be boycotted, 18 Aug 2008
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by a self-absorbed narcissist receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whinged and moaned and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants.

Here is an immensely PRIVILEGED young woman (yes, she is talented, she can write) who provides us with insights on what? Herself and her insecurities. What did we learn about Italy? Niente. Perhaps where to find the best pizza in Naples.

I couldn't get through her ramblings and vapid non-stop chatter in India (she talks too much). Nothing on the poverty or living conditions there or the plight of Indian women which I would have been interested in reading about. Indonesia was just more of the same. Did anyone notice that she didn't even touch on the tsunami disaster only to say that - thank god - it didn't reach her island when she was there??? So engrossed in HERSELF she doesn't notice, really, what's going on around her.

I wonder if she has read THREE CUPS OF TEA, that marvellous book about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Is THAT going to be made into a movie???

I would love to see Gilbert being sent to Iraq to cover events there. Amidst the dire reality, would she be moaning about having a bad hair day? Or, perhaps, she'd write 5 pages about her ambivalent feelings towards a soldier (or maybe an Iraqi) she thinks she has a crush on.

Gilberts is now an immensely wealthy woman because of the sales of this book. This saddens me because it illustrates how skewered values are in American society. All I can hope for is that she's donating a lot of her money to charities and very good causes.

Fabulous book for advice and recipes, 30 Sep 2008
I have recommended this book to everyone. It's full of good advice for different weaning stages. And I cook the 9months + recipes for my husband...he always says how nice they are and then I tell them that the meal was designed for a 12 month old!! Lovely food for babies, toddlers, and adults.

Location, location, location, 10 Sep 2008
This book does give lots of interesting ideas, but depending on your location, many of the ingredients might not be readily available, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash and some fruits. There also seem to be a lot of fish recipes.

Very useful and easy to follow., 24 Aug 2008
This book is amazing! I find myself using it on a daily basis to look things up as well as using the recipes. It's great for people like me who do not have a clue about cooking as it is very easy to follow. Even if you are a good cook already, you will find this book invaluable for giving you ideas on what to give your little one. I think my daughter would be living on jars of baby food if I hadn't bought this book!

tedious waste of time, 24 Aug 2008
Why cook separately for children? Why not simply give them smaller portions of properly made food for adults? I bought this book when my children were very small, I had made my own baby food, not through any sense of righteous "earthmotherlyness", but through necessity brought on by living in the Central American jungle. Using this book meant I doubled up cooking first for my children and then for myself and my husband. Until I saw the light, threw the book away and stopped wasting time & money. Use a decent proper cook book, and teach your children to eat food not cartoon faced vegetable caterpillars.

Tasty, easy recipes, 09 Aug 2008
I got this in preparation for weaning my daughter who is 11 months at time of writing. Every recipe we have tried has been a winner and mum & dad have even enjoyed some too! I would recommend Gina Ford's weaning book alongside this one as a more comprehensive guide to actually going about weaning. This is better for the recipes.

What a ride!, 01 Oct 2008
Anyone looking for a book on how to pick up chicks, this is not it. This is the story of 2 years in the life of Neil Strauss aka Style. A man who infultrated an underground society of Pick Up Artists.

The journey takes you on an international ride of the highs and lows in the life of a Pick Up Artist.

Fantastic read. Neil Strauss is a great story teller.

Spookily brilliant, 24 Jun 2008
What a discovery!!! I bought this book as part of some research for my own book and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I never made the connection that Mr Strauss was the co-author of the much lauded Motley Crue's "The Dirt".

Ok, the stories in this book may seem a bit stretched or hard to believe, but hey, it's Americans we are talking about. What I have to say is that reading this book made me look back on my failures and successes at picking women, and it was almost uncanny to read word by word where I went right and wrong.

The Game is a bit of a cross between Queer Eye For The Straight Guy cum Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus cum any rock and roll tale of debauchery you care to think of.

Interesting but not recommendable for old school romantics out there.

Great, 13 May 2008
This is a great book. Whether you decide to try to use the methods demonstration within the book or not, it makes a great story with mentions of lots of celebrities and hollywood celeb hangouts.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and for the price it is well worth it.



Amazingly Fantastic, and terrible at the same time, 22 Feb 2008
I'm so happy that I read the game. Without it, i'd still be a lonely depressed chump. However, I read it in 2005 and things have moved on, now I have to compare it to books like The Natural Art of Seduction...

The Game is a well-written engaging story. Secondly it exposes a world where men can LEARN how to be better with women. Third, it has some techniques and tricks to actually put things into practice.

The problem is that The Game describes PUA Verson 1.0, the kind where guys looked silly (peacocking), lied (routines, canned material), used silly tricks (magic?!) and basically put on a big fake act.

Just like when smokers thought it wasn't bad for them, before all the studies came out, guys loved this stuff. However, a few years later, cracks started to show:

The guys were great at the first few hours, their acting skills allowed them to get girls that really were out of their league. The problem: They could never keep these girls once the material ran out. Serious guys with interesting lives were becoming someone else when they didn't need to be. Guys were starting to become weird, to view women more and more as objects, and actually not even getting the results they wanted at the end of it.

And then came Pick Up 2.0, the kind that is about building better men, becoming a more attractive person, and over time developing "Natural Game". Sure, you might use some tricks and gimmicks in the first few weeks or months (think training wheels) but soon, all that stuff falls away as you build natural confidence.

The techniques in The Game are not healthy for men or women in the long run, but guys should thank Neil Strauss for bringing this little-known area into the mainstream and giving guys a way to become the person they desperately wished they were.

For a more powerful and moral appraoch, and a book with much more usable technique, check out The Natural Art of Seduction. Both books together would make a great introduction and are probably the best you can do on Amazon for imrpoving your skills with women.

Looks is deceiving, 19 Jan 2008
What impressed me as much as anything about Neil Strauss' lifting of the lid on the world of PUA's (pick up artists) is the quality of the writing. This is so much more than a how to manual (which it isn't really although along the way you learn a bunch of the techniques used by these guys). It's funny as hell, genuinely fascinating and above all a morality tale that is often dismissed by people who haven't read it as being some chauvinistic tract on how to use women to your own ends. It's much more complex that that even if it does paint a portrait of what it often a pretty seedy and vacuous world. Strauss knows this whilst at the same time finding it hard to resist - his reinvention himself as Style, ladies man extraordinaire and general guru to a whole bunch of desperate men, is something that he does not do without misgivings and this is what makes the book interesting and well worth a read.

If you are still struggling to get your newborn to sleep through the night, still getting up throughout the night to feed the little one, or perhaps you are feeling as if no end is in sight, you need to read Gina Ford's The Contented Little Baby Book. It may be the only thing you need to bring peace back into your frazzled existence with your tiny baby, or babies.

After all, this book promises to teach parents tried and tested methods to get their baby to sleep through the night by the time they are 10 weeks old.

For parents who are craving their first night of unbroken sleep, Ford's book may be the answer.

Ford's methods conjure up the image of a strict and loving old nanny from yesteryear. Her techniques go against the grain of many currently popular parenting philosophies. For example, Ford, an experienced maternity nurse, is against demand feeding, believes in the necessity of waking a sleeping baby in order to establish a daily routine. Her philosophy may not be the norm today, but Ford is confident of her methods based on years of experience handling hundreds of babies.

Providing an hour-by-hour, week-by-week guide on how to get a new baby into a routine, the book includes feeding and sleeping schedules based on a baby's age. The Contented Little Baby Book provides so much information that it may be necessary to keep this paperback book handy for reference should you employ Ford's techniques.

Experienced parents may not benefit from Ford's methods, but first-time parents may learn a lot from her ideas, and for the discerning reader of parenting books, this one is a must have. For the reader who would like to weigh other parenting methods before adopting Ford's techniques, the following books may be of interest: The Baby Book, by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N.; What to Expect in the first year, by Eisenberg, Murkoff and Hathaway; and Your Baby and Child, by Penelope Leach. --Abbe Jacobson

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Inspiring and empowering - read and pass it on!, 16 Sep 2008
Fantastic and humourous writing - couldn't put it down. Immediately passed the "wealth" to one of my best girlfriends upon completion. Every woman must read this!

I enjoyed the EAT part the best!, 03 Sep 2008
A lovely read and a moving tale which most women can relate to - especially the 'eat' bit where the protagonist re-discovers the jos of good food! I loved every minute of her time in Italy!

Chronicles a Journey of Joy, 02 Sep 2008
This book was really hard to put down. It is an autobiographical story that I wished would go on, that I just did not want to end. And of course, it has not ended, because life goes on, it's just that we are no more allowed access to the inner workings of the author's innovative mind. This book is a great window towards viewing how great emotional pain can be transmuted to an experience of grace and blessing, and leading to the proverbial happy ending, a life, infused with much greater joy, variety and color, besides including worldly success and financial prosperity.

As seen on the cover, this book is about one woman's search for wholeness and healing after two 'failed' relationships. To this end, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, gives herself a year to investigate three different milieus, each for a more or less equal period of time. The first period would involve feasting in Italy and learning the Italian language, the second, fasting in an ashram in India, and the last, in Indonesia, where she would seek a balance between the two extreme environments.

So, knowing that her basic aim is to heal herself, the author indulges in the epicurean pleasures that Italy has to offer. After four months of travel and partying she moves on to a form of monastic living that is austere in the extreme. She spent her days in service at the Ashram, beginning with menial chores, and going on at a later stage, to administrative duties. All this she did, while meditating several hours a day, practising the Vipassana form of meditation, which is not easy on the ego, as most people, familiar with it, know. She cleared this test of her life with flying colours, being blessed with the experience of Immanence, Finally, after these events, Elizabeth Gilbert, moves on to Indonesia, seeking a balance between the two extremes in living conditions that she has experienced. There, she makes a lot of new friends, becoming part of their lives, and finally achieving true love. The happy ending shows her jetting between continents to family and friends strewn all over the globe.

One important lesson coming across from the book, that I myself, needed to be re-minded of, is that it is the journey towards the goal, that is more important. That the means are even more important than the goal. That your commitment to walk the path that has been charted out, with sincerity is what draws desired circumstances to you, either positive or negative. That full fledged, hundred per cent commitment can and does bring rewards. Many of us have forgotten this in our lives, our cynicism has taken over and shuts out our inner selves with its protectionism. Cynicism does not seem to have affected Elizabeth GIlbert's experience in this book.

An outstanding feature of this book is the heartwarming intimacy with which it has been written. Always open to trying out new games, the author freely makes jokes against herself. Some of her games have amazing repercussions. In one such incident, the author plays a game with a friend, affirming one after one, that several important people would like her to have a certain desire granted. And lo and behold, it was! This particular game alerted me once more to the greatest and most well concealed spiritual secret of the century, 'We are all One'.

The after-effects of this book have stayed with me like a warm blanket. I feel I am a better person for having read it. And of course, I recommend it with all my heart.



Forget the life coach and management books and just read this, 26 Aug 2008
I'm nearly at the end of the book but couldn't wait to say what a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, and thought provoking read this book has been. I've read this as an atheist with an always enquiring mind. I've not felt pressured into following Ms Gilbert's beliefs - this is not a "Try this at home" or a "How to be successful" book, nor is it judgmental of any religions. This is Gilbert's very personal journey and it explains ideas and practices from most religions. I have an understanding of where she's coming from. It hasn't changed my views of the practised religions, but it has encouraged me to read further.It could also be titled "A tourist's guide to searching for God" as the descriptions of the places Gilbert visits could rank with any good book on tourism.
I read the 1 poor review this book was given on the Amazon review pages and was surprised to find the person thought the book "very American". After reading the intro chapter I was expecting the author to be British. The humour is self-deprecating - not something I usually associate with American authors.

I think Gilbert's next book and the Eat Pray Love film should be boycotted, 18 Aug 2008
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by a self-absorbed narcissist receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whinged and moaned and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants.

Here is an immensely PRIVILEGED young woman (yes, she is talented, she can write) who provides us with insights on what? Herself and her insecurities. What did we learn about Italy? Niente. Perhaps where to find the best pizza in Naples.

I couldn't get through her ramblings and vapid non-stop chatter in India (she talks too much). Nothing on the poverty or living conditions there or the plight of Indian women which I would have been interested in reading about. Indonesia was just more of the same. Did anyone notice that she didn't even touch on the tsunami disaster only to say that - thank god - it didn't reach her island when she was there??? So engrossed in HERSELF she doesn't notice, really, what's going on around her.

I wonder if she has read THREE CUPS OF TEA, that marvellous book about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Is THAT going to be made into a movie???

I would love to see Gilbert being sent to Iraq to cover events there. Amidst the dire reality, would she be moaning about having a bad hair day? Or, perhaps, she'd write 5 pages about her ambivalent feelings towards a soldier (or maybe an Iraqi) she thinks she has a crush on.

Gilberts is now an immensely wealthy woman because of the sales of this book. This saddens me because it illustrates how skewered values are in American society. All I can hope for is that she's donating a lot of her money to charities and very good causes.

Fabulous book for advice and recipes, 30 Sep 2008
I have recommended this book to everyone. It's full of good advice for different weaning stages. And I cook the 9months + recipes for my husband...he always says how nice they are and then I tell them that the meal was designed for a 12 month old!! Lovely food for babies, toddlers, and adults.

Location, location, location, 10 Sep 2008
This book does give lots of interesting ideas, but depending on your location, many of the ingredients might not be readily available, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash and some fruits. There also seem to be a lot of fish recipes.

Very useful and easy to follow., 24 Aug 2008
This book is amazing! I find myself using it on a daily basis to look things up as well as using the recipes. It's great for people like me who do not have a clue about cooking as it is very easy to follow. Even if you are a good cook already, you will find this book invaluable for giving you ideas on what to give your little one. I think my daughter would be living on jars of baby food if I hadn't bought this book!

tedious waste of time, 24 Aug 2008
Why cook separately for children? Why not simply give them smaller portions of properly made food for adults? I bought this book when my children were very small, I had made my own baby food, not through any sense of righteous "earthmotherlyness", but through necessity brought on by living in the Central American jungle. Using this book meant I doubled up cooking first for my children and then for myself and my husband. Until I saw the light, threw the book away and stopped wasting time & money. Use a decent proper cook book, and teach your children to eat food not cartoon faced vegetable caterpillars.

Tasty, easy recipes, 09 Aug 2008
I got this in preparation for weaning my daughter who is 11 months at time of writing. Every recipe we have tried has been a winner and mum & dad have even enjoyed some too! I would recommend Gina Ford's weaning book alongside this one as a more comprehensive guide to actually going about weaning. This is better for the recipes.

What a ride!, 01 Oct 2008
Anyone looking for a book on how to pick up chicks, this is not it. This is the story of 2 years in the life of Neil Strauss aka Style. A man who infultrated an underground society of Pick Up Artists.

The journey takes you on an international ride of the highs and lows in the life of a Pick Up Artist.

Fantastic read. Neil Strauss is a great story teller.

Spookily brilliant, 24 Jun 2008
What a discovery!!! I bought this book as part of some research for my own book and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I never made the connection that Mr Strauss was the co-author of the much lauded Motley Crue's "The Dirt".

Ok, the stories in this book may seem a bit stretched or hard to believe, but hey, it's Americans we are talking about. What I have to say is that reading this book made me look back on my failures and successes at picking women, and it was almost uncanny to read word by word where I went right and wrong.

The Game is a bit of a cross between Queer Eye For The Straight Guy cum Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus cum any rock and roll tale of debauchery you care to think of.

Interesting but not recommendable for old school romantics out there.

Great, 13 May 2008
This is a great book. Whether you decide to try to use the methods demonstration within the book or not, it makes a great story with mentions of lots of celebrities and hollywood celeb hangouts.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and for the price it is well worth it.



Amazingly Fantastic, and terrible at the same time, 22 Feb 2008
I'm so happy that I read the game. Without it, i'd still be a lonely depressed chump. However, I read it in 2005 and things have moved on, now I have to compare it to books like The Natural Art of Seduction...

The Game is a well-written engaging story. Secondly it exposes a world where men can LEARN how to be better with women. Third, it has some techniques and tricks to actually put things into practice.

The problem is that The Game describes PUA Verson 1.0, the kind where guys looked silly (peacocking), lied (routines, canned material), used silly tricks (magic?!) and basically put on a big fake act.

Just like when smokers thought it wasn't bad for them, before all the studies came out, guys loved this stuff. However, a few years later, cracks started to show:

The guys were great at the first few hours, their acting skills allowed them to get girls that really were out of their league. The problem: They could never keep these girls once the material ran out. Serious guys with interesting lives were becoming someone else when they didn't need to be. Guys were starting to become weird, to view women more and more as objects, and actually not even getting the results they wanted at the end of it.

And then came Pick Up 2.0, the kind that is about building better men, becoming a more attractive person, and over time developing "Natural Game". Sure, you might use some tricks and gimmicks in the first few weeks or months (think training wheels) but soon, all that stuff falls away as you build natural confidence.

The techniques in The Game are not healthy for men or women in the long run, but guys should thank Neil Strauss for bringing this little-known area into the mainstream and giving guys a way to become the person they desperately wished they were.

For a more powerful and moral appraoch, and a book with much more usable technique, check out The Natural Art of Seduction. Both books together would make a great introduction and are probably the best you can do on Amazon for imrpoving your skills with women.

Looks is deceiving, 19 Jan 2008
What impressed me as much as anything about Neil Strauss' lifting of the lid on the world of PUA's (pick up artists) is the quality of the writing. This is so much more than a how to manual (which it isn't really although along the way you learn a bunch of the techniques used by these guys). It's funny as hell, genuinely fascinating and above all a morality tale that is often dismissed by people who haven't read it as being some chauvinistic tract on how to use women to your own ends. It's much more complex that that even if it does paint a portrait of what it often a pretty seedy and vacuous world. Strauss knows this whilst at the same time finding it hard to resist - his reinvention himself as Style, ladies man extraordinaire and general guru to a whole bunch of desperate men, is something that he does not do without misgivings and this is what makes the book interesting and well worth a read.



Gina knows what she is talking about, 07 Oct 2008
I used Gina's routines for my son and daughter. Both slept through the night at about 5 months and well before other babies I met at mothers groups etc. A lot of what she says is common sense once you consider it, 'don't rock a baby to sleep it'll expect it, put it down to sleep awake to fall asleep on its own. The tone can be a bit patronising and the routines very rigid, 'don't forget to cream his creases at 6.15' but if you adapt the routines to suit you they do work fabulously and you can enjoy some quality time once the children are in bed, sound asleep at 7pm. I also used Gina's potty training which worked within a few days. One negative comment, despite what she says (and I tried so hard), you will not get a 1 week old baby in to a routine. Leave it until they are 6 weeks and they will slip into it effortlessly.

A childcare book by a childless spinster. Excellent!, 29 Sep 2008
Gina Ford's understanding of the neurobiological impact of her "teachings" is almost as good as my understanding of the trade cycle. I am quite certain that all babies submitted to her Stalinist regime stop crying. Wouldn't you if noone ever came to comfort you? But what are such children being taught about their parents' ability to "hold" them emotionally? And about emotion in general?

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK, 26 Sep 2008
I strongly recommend that you do NOT read this book unless you only wanted to read it to criticise it.


Enough to push a sleep deprived and anxious new mother over the edge!, 12 Sep 2008
I bought this book with good intentions when I discovered I was pregnant with my first child. I recall reading it before my son was born and thought it had some invaluable pieces of advice with regards to a potential sleep routine. However, my son arrived and decided he was not going to sleep, as and when I (or Gina Ford) dictated to him. This book is so riged and regimented, and I so tired, anxious and nervous that I found myself becoming completely neurotic and determined to force a routine onto a 4-week old baby, that quite simply he wasn't ready or prepared to accept. I worringly became obsessed by no 'chinks' of light seeping through the curtains that i placed blankets over the windows and left them there for weeks!! I sat inside the house and became totally focused on getting my son to sleep for 30-45mins at 9.15am that the joys of being a first time mother were passing me by! This book may appeal to many, for a whole host of different reasons, but to those of you of a similar disposition to myself (twitchy and anxious) then it really is enough to push you over the edge when the rigid routine is not achieved. Each baby is unique with his or her own individual needs and this is something that Miss. Ford fails to acknowledge or advise upon in her much acclaimed book. Once I was feeling less anxious I threw this book into the bin, never to be looked at by me again!

Borrow a bit here and there, 08 Sep 2008
Like other readers I read this while pregnant and decided it wasn't for me, although I had seen it work wonders for other babies. When my daughter was two months old she wasn't gaining weight and I needed to squeeze more feeds in, so I read the book again and started following it. Not religiously though, just the bits I wanted to really! The one thing I completely agree with is the need for a good bedtime routine. If you disagree with everything else (which some folk'll find quite easy) do this. You will find it really hard with an older baby if you don't. Every baby is different (which is one of the most annoying things you'll constantly hear if your a new parent, which doesn't help anything!) and the advice won't work for everyone.

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC and throughly enjoyed it, so when I saw the book, I pre-ordered, I was not dissappointed.
The book is everything you could ask for, from cocktails to parties, a beautiful section on " the main event", with all the timings worked out, and not forgetting the christmas cake, her chocolate fruit cake is devine.
The booked is a sumptuous, lavish feast, with beautiful photographs, I have been a fan of Delia's Christmas for a considerable time, but I think it's time to replace it, and this certainly fits the bill. A classic.

Inspiring and empowering - read and pass it on!, 16 Sep 2008
Fantastic and humourous writing - couldn't put it down. Immediately passed the "wealth" to one of my best girlfriends upon completion. Every woman must read this!

I enjoyed the EAT part the best!, 03 Sep 2008
A lovely read and a moving tale which most women can relate to - especially the 'eat' bit where the protagonist re-discovers the jos of good food! I loved every minute of her time in Italy!

Chronicles a Journey of Joy, 02 Sep 2008
This book was really hard to put down. It is an autobiographical story that I wished would go on, that I just did not want to end. And of course, it has not ended, because life goes on, it's just that we are no more allowed access to the inner workings of the author's innovative mind. This book is a great window towards viewing how great emotional pain can be transmuted to an experience of grace and blessing, and leading to the proverbial happy ending, a life, infused with much greater joy, variety and color, besides including worldly success and financial prosperity.

As seen on the cover, this book is about one woman's search for wholeness and healing after two 'failed' relationships. To this end, the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, gives herself a year to investigate three different milieus, each for a more or less equal period of time. The first period would involve feasting in Italy and learning the Italian language, the second, fasting in an ashram in India, and the last, in Indonesia, where she would seek a balance between the two extreme environments.

So, knowing that her basic aim is to heal herself, the author indulges in the epicurean pleasures that Italy has to offer. After four months of travel and partying she moves on to a form of monastic living that is austere in the extreme. She spent her days in service at the Ashram, beginning with menial chores, and going on at a later stage, to administrative duties. All this she did, while meditating several hours a day, practising the Vipassana form of meditation, which is not easy on the ego, as most people, familiar with it, know. She cleared this test of her life with flying colours, being blessed with the experience of Immanence, Finally, after these events, Elizabeth Gilbert, moves on to Indonesia, seeking a balance between the two extremes in living conditions that she has experienced. There, she makes a lot of new friends, becoming part of their lives, and finally achieving true love. The happy ending shows her jetting between continents to family and friends strewn all over the globe.

One important lesson coming across from the book, that I myself, needed to be re-minded of, is that it is the journey towards the goal, that is more important. That the means are even more important than the goal. That your commitment to walk the path that has been charted out, with sincerity is what draws desired circumstances to you, either positive or negative. That full fledged, hundred per cent commitment can and does bring rewards. Many of us have forgotten this in our lives, our cynicism has taken over and shuts out our inner selves with its protectionism. Cynicism does not seem to have affected Elizabeth GIlbert's experience in this book.

An outstanding feature of this book is the heartwarming intimacy with which it has been written. Always open to trying out new games, the author freely makes jokes against herself. Some of her games have amazing repercussions. In one such incident, the author plays a game with a friend, affirming one after one, that several important people would like her to have a certain desire granted. And lo and behold, it was! This particular game alerted me once more to the greatest and most well concealed spiritual secret of the century, 'We are all One'.

The after-effects of this book have stayed with me like a warm blanket. I feel I am a better person for having read it. And of course, I recommend it with all my heart.



Forget the life coach and management books and just read this, 26 Aug 2008
I'm nearly at the end of the book but couldn't wait to say what a thoroughly enjoyable, funny, and thought provoking read this book has been. I've read this as an atheist with an always enquiring mind. I've not felt pressured into following Ms Gilbert's beliefs - this is not a "Try this at home" or a "How to be successful" book, nor is it judgmental of any religions. This is Gilbert's very personal journey and it explains ideas and practices from most religions. I have an understanding of where she's coming from. It hasn't changed my views of the practised religions, but it has encouraged me to read further.It could also be titled "A tourist's guide to searching for God" as the descriptions of the places Gilbert visits could rank with any good book on tourism.
I read the 1 poor review this book was given on the Amazon review pages and was surprised to find the person thought the book "very American". After reading the intro chapter I was expecting the author to be British. The humour is self-deprecating - not something I usually associate with American authors.

I think Gilbert's next book and the Eat Pray Love film should be boycotted, 18 Aug 2008
I am APPALLED by the fact that this book made it to the New York Times bestseller list and, apparently, will be made into a movie with....Julia Roberts (is this true?)

What does this tell us about American culture and values??? Why should such a shallow piece of work written by a self-absorbed narcissist receive such fame and accolades? I am truly mystified. This book was all about HERSELF. Poor little me who received an ENORMOUS advance to write this book before she even left the States. Who whinged and moaned and felt sorry for herself while in Italy, can you imagine??? She had no interest in visiting the fabulous museums, art galleries, churches, etc. but rather spend hundreds of Euros buying lingerie and eating amazing meals (by herself) in restaurants.

Here is an immensely PRIVILEGED young woman (yes, she is talented, she can write) who provides us with insights on what? Herself and her insecurities. What did we learn about Italy? Niente. Perhaps where to find the best pizza in Naples.

I couldn't get through her ramblings and vapid non-stop chatter in India (she talks too much). Nothing on the poverty or living conditions there or the plight of Indian women which I would have been interested in reading about. Indonesia was just more of the same. Did anyone notice that she didn't even touch on the tsunami disaster only to say that - thank god - it didn't reach her island when she was there??? So engrossed in HERSELF she doesn't notice, really, what's going on around her.

I wonder if she has read THREE CUPS OF TEA, that marvellous book about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Is THAT going to be made into a movie???

I would love to see Gilbert being sent to Iraq to cover events there. Amidst the dire reality, would she be moaning about having a bad hair day? Or, perhaps, she'd write 5 pages about her ambivalent feelings towards a soldier (or maybe an Iraqi) she thinks she has a crush on.

Gilberts is now an immensely wealthy woman because of the sales of this book. This saddens me because it illustrates how skewered values are in American society. All I can hope for is that she's donating a lot of her money to charities and very good causes.

Fabulous book for advice and recipes, 30 Sep 2008
I have recommended this book to everyone. It's full of good advice for different weaning stages. And I cook the 9months + recipes for my husband...he always says how nice they are and then I tell them that the meal was designed for a 12 month old!! Lovely food for babies, toddlers, and adults.

Location, location, location, 10 Sep 2008
This book does give lots of interesting ideas, but depending on your location, many of the ingredients might not be readily available, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash and some fruits. There also seem to be a lot of fish recipes.

Very useful and easy to follow., 24 Aug 2008
This book is amazing! I find myself using it on a daily basis to look things up as well as using the recipes. It's great for people like me who do not have a clue about cooking as it is very easy to follow. Even if you are a good cook already, you will find this book invaluable for giving you ideas on what to give your little one. I think my daughter would be living on jars of baby food if I hadn't bought this book!

tedious waste of time, 24 Aug 2008
Why cook separately for children? Why not simply give them smaller portions of properly made food for adults? I bought this book when my children were very small, I had made my own baby food, not through any sense of righteous "earthmotherlyness", but through necessity brought on by living in the Central American jungle. Using this book meant I doubled up cooking first for my children and then for myself and my husband. Until I saw the light, threw the book away and stopped wasting time & money. Use a decent proper cook book, and teach your children to eat food not cartoon faced vegetable caterpillars.

Tasty, easy recipes, 09 Aug 2008
I got this in preparation for weaning my daughter who is 11 months at time of writing. Every recipe we have tried has been a winner and mum & dad have even enjoyed some too! I would recommend Gina Ford's weaning book alongside this one as a more comprehensive guide to actually going about weaning. This is better for the recipes.

What a ride!, 01 Oct 2008
Anyone looking for a book on how to pick up chicks, this is not it. This is the story of 2 years in the life of Neil Strauss aka Style. A man who infultrated an underground society of Pick Up Artists.

The journey takes you on an international ride of the highs and lows in the life of a Pick Up Artist.

Fantastic read. Neil Strauss is a great story teller.

Spookily brilliant, 24 Jun 2008
What a discovery!!! I bought this book as part of some research for my own book and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I never made the connection that Mr Strauss was the co-author of the much lauded Motley Crue's "The Dirt".

Ok, the stories in this book may seem a bit stretched or hard to believe, but hey, it's Americans we are talking about. What I have to say is that reading this book made me look back on my failures and successes at picking women, and it was almost uncanny to read word by word where I went right and wrong.

The Game is a bit of a cross between Queer Eye For The Straight Guy cum Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus cum any rock and roll tale of debauchery you care to think of.

Interesting but not recommendable for old school romantics out there.

Great, 13 May 2008
This is a great book. Whether you decide to try to use the methods demonstration within the book or not, it makes a great story with mentions of lots of celebrities and hollywood celeb hangouts.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and for the price it is well worth it.



Amazingly Fantastic, and terrible at the same time, 22 Feb 2008
I'm so happy that I read the game. Without it, i'd still be a lonely depressed chump. However, I read it in 2005 and things have moved on, now I have to compare it to books like The Natural Art of Seduction...

The Game is a well-written engaging story. Secondly it exposes a world where men can LEARN how to be better with women. Third, it has some techniques and tricks to actually put things into practice.

The problem is that The Game describes PUA Verson 1.0, the kind where guys looked silly (peacocking), lied (routines, canned material), used silly tricks (magic?!) and basically put on a big fake act.

Just like when smokers thought it wasn't bad for them, before all the studies came out, guys loved this stuff. However, a few years later, cracks started to show:

The guys were great at the first few hours, their acting skills allowed them to get girls that really were out of their league. The problem: They could never keep these girls once the material ran out. Serious guys with interesting lives were becoming someone else when they didn't need to be. Guys were starting to become weird, to view women more and more as objects, and actually not even getting the results they wanted at the end of it.

And then came Pick Up 2.0, the kind that is about building better men, becoming a more attractive person, and over time developing "Natural Game". Sure, you might use some tricks and gimmicks in the first few weeks or months (think training wheels) but soon, all that stuff falls away as you build natural confidence.

The techniques in The Game are not healthy for men or women in the long run, but guys should thank Neil Strauss for bringing this little-known area into the mainstream and giving guys a way to become the person they desperately wished they were.

For a more powerful and moral appraoch, and a book with much more usable technique, check out The Natural Art of Seduction. Both books together would make a great introduction and are probably the best you can do on Amazon for imrpoving your skills with women.

Looks is deceiving, 19 Jan 2008
What impressed me as much as anything about Neil Strauss' lifting of the lid on the world of PUA's (pick up artists) is the quality of the writing. This is so much more than a how to manual (which it isn't really although along the way you learn a bunch of the techniques used by these guys). It's funny as hell, genuinely fascinating and above all a morality tale that is often dismissed by people who haven't read it as being some chauvinistic tract on how to use women to your own ends. It's much more complex that that even if it does paint a portrait of what it often a pretty seedy and vacuous world. Strauss knows this whilst at the same time finding it hard to resist - his reinvention himself as Style, ladies man extraordinaire and general guru to a whole bunch of desperate men, is something that he does not do without misgivings and this is what makes the book interesting and well worth a read.



Gina knows what she is talking about, 07 Oct 2008
I used Gina's routines for my son and daughter. Both slept through the night at about 5 months and well before other babies I met at mothers groups etc. A lot of what she says is common sense once you consider it, 'don't rock a baby to sleep it'll expect it, put it down to sleep awake to fall asleep on its own. The tone can be a bit patronising and the routines very rigid, 'don't forget to cream his creases at 6.15' but if you adapt the routines to suit you they do work fabulously and you can enjoy some quality time once the children are in bed, sound asleep at 7pm. I also used Gina's potty training which worked within a few days. One negative comment, despite what she says (and I tried so hard), you will not get a 1 week old baby in to a routine. Leave it until they are 6 weeks and they will slip into it effortlessly.

A childcare book by a childless spinster. Excellent!, 29 Sep 2008
Gina Ford's understanding of the neurobiological impact of her "teachings" is almost as good as my understanding of the trade cycle. I am quite certain that all babies submitted to her Stalinist regime stop crying. Wouldn't you if noone ever came to comfort you? But what are such children being taught about their parents' ability to "hold" them emotionally? And about emotion in general?

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK, 26 Sep 2008
I strongly recommend that you do NOT read this book unless you only wanted to read it to criticise it.


Enough to push a sleep deprived and anxious new mother over the edge!, 12 Sep 2008
I bought this book with good intentions when I discovered I was pregnant with my first child. I recall reading it before my son was born and thought it had some invaluable pieces of advice with regards to a potential sleep routine. However, my son arrived and decided he was not going to sleep, as and when I (or Gina Ford) dictated to him. This book is so riged and regimented, and I so tired, anxious and nervous that I found myself becoming completely neurotic and determined to force a routine onto a 4-week old baby, that quite simply he wasn't ready or prepared to accept. I worringly became obsessed by no 'chinks' of light seeping through the curtains that i placed blankets over the windows and left them there for weeks!! I sat inside the house and became totally focused on getting my son to sleep for 30-45mins at 9.15am that the joys of being a first time mother were passing me by! This book may appeal to many, for a whole host of different reasons, but to those of you of a similar disposition to myself (twitchy and anxious) then it really is enough to push you over the edge when the rigid routine is not achieved. Each baby is unique with his or her own individual needs and this is something that Miss. Ford fails to acknowledge or advise upon in her much acclaimed book. Once I was feeling less anxious I threw this book into the bin, never to be looked at by me again!

Borrow a bit here and there, 08 Sep 2008
Like other readers I read this while pregnant and decided it wasn't for me, although I had seen it work wonders for other babies. When my daughter was two months old she wasn't gaining weight and I needed to squeeze more feeds in, so I read the book again and started following it. Not religiously though, just the bits I wanted to really! The one thing I completely agree with is the need for a good bedtime routine. If you disagree with everything else (which some folk'll find quite easy) do this. You will find it really hard with an older baby if you don't. Every baby is different (which is one of the most annoying things you'll constantly hear if your a new parent, which doesn't help anything!) and the advice won't work for everyone.

Sanity Found - All Parents Should Read, 13 Sep 2008
I was looking for some serious guides on my children - this book put it all into perspective and gave me some wonderful guidelines - I've recommended it to loads of friends and some even finish the title before me and smile noting the help it provided. GET THIS BOOK TODAY!

We can't get enough , 18 Feb 2008
This book is excellent. Parents, who want lasting discipline, in the true sense of the word [teaching], look no further. As other reviewers have said, there is no quick fix. If that's what you are after, God help your kids!

As an author, I also found the techniques and suggestions easy to pick up and assimilate.

It is relevant for school, home and life in general.

We can't get enough of this kind of material.


Useful book and relevant but no masterpiece!, 20 Dec 2007
I am a mother of three boys aged 2, 4 and 5. Getting them to cooperate is sometimes such a challenge. And it is difficult to focus attention to three at a time so I often have the feeling that one will cry, no matter what I do or don't do. I bought this book because I was looking for ways to improve my communication with my elder boys (aged 4 and 5) who sometimes can seem so unreasonable and so defiant to me and their father. The book has helped me reacting differently and communicating comfort better to my children but I found it a touch too simplistic. I need not do my homework and see drawings to understand what this is all about. Examples are useful but I need not read ten very similar examples to get the message. It seemed to me that it was bit of a school text rather than a book aimed at grown up parents. Moreover, most examples focused on elder children (e.g. aged 8, 10 or older) contrary to what I expected, i.e. advice for communicating with toddlers and pre schoolers. In conclusion, I do recommend the book as a useful guide to improving communication with your children but it is certainly not the best book I have ever read on parenting.

My new bible, 29 Oct 2007
Really useful book.
I read it over and over again.
Excellent tips for keeping kids motivated and behaving well.
I have recommended this book to all my friends.

An essential book for any parent, 14 Jul 2007
This book really does what it says on the cover. The advice is relevant for all parents who want non-confrontational ways of disciplining their children. There are many examples given and old/new ways of dealing with situations. I found myself re-reading chapters as incidents arose within my home. Although changes won't occur overnight there should be improvements in a few days. As a teacher, I also found some of the techniques and suggestions relevant for school, I certainly intend to use them in future.

Christmas with Nigella! Who needs to cook!, 07 Oct 2008
What a beautiful looking Christmas book! A great picture of Nigella on the cover looking all Christmassy and seductive and when you open the book there is a distinct feeling of the festive season. She certainly has a way of pushing you into the kitchen with her recipes and excellant photographs. I won't be going there,but I loved the book! Nigella covers everything that the modern cook would enjoy about Christmas even if she appears to want to include alchohol in almost every recipe and I found myself salvitating about many of the ingrediants and recipes. I have only one thing to say.......enjoy!

Disappointed, 06 Oct 2008
I was really looking forward to this book as I am a great NL fan, however, I feel very cheated - so many of the recipes are in her other books and yes they have been reworked but it still feels like a rip off.

disappointing, 05 Oct 2008
Nigella's latest offering is beautifully presented and I fancied a few of the recipes. Quite a few of the ingredients are unusual, that is to say not straightforward to obtain, and expensive (eg: chocolate covered candied clementines). Nigella continues to push her idea that at Christmas, we want our homes constantly full of 'people' and to have our tables groaning under the weight of food - massive bowls of lychees are advised. This, coming from a multi-millionairess at the beginning of a recession, is something I find annoying. However, some of her 'gift' ideas are inexpensive and would make a change from packages of themed toiletries - although I'm not sure how my relatives would react if they were given a jar of salt with some chillis in it. If you haven't got it, Nigella's Domestic Goddess is a far, far better buy, and if you want a specifically Christmas book, Delia's is superior.

DOMESTIC GODDESS DOES CHRISTMAS, 05 Oct 2008
I have waited with great anticipation for this book, I love Nigella and I love Christmas so together they were always going to be a winning combination for me. I was not disappointed, I feel like going up into the loft, getting my tree down and getting cracking in the kitchen, I'm not sure I can wait another 2 months! I fear the Black Forest Martini will be the cause of many a hangover come the christmas period, but never fear the 'DG' has thought of everything and handily given a couple of recipes for just such an event. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day!!

A Classic, 04 Oct 2008
I watched Nigella's Christmas last year on the BBC an