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 Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick.
A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek
Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything.
Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person.
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick.
A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek
Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything.
Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person.
Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results.
Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick.
A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek
Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything.
Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person.
Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results.
Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read.
A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else!
Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"...
Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read.
Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read!
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick.
A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek
Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything.
Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person.
Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results.
Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read.
A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else!
Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"...
Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read.
Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read!
Many anecdotes, little culinary knowledge, 05 May 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn some hard science behind cooking and I'm very disappointed. The book consists mostly of anecdotes of what scientists from Dijon found in one kind of wine/cheese/meat or another but hardly any of this can be extrapolated to everyday cooking and it doesn't give any sort of a big picture view on food - just a lot of details.
The book also contains a few interesting ideas, especially on non-traditional emulsions/foams/suspensions/gels - in particular chapter 97 "Everything Chocolate" is very interesting.
Overall I'd suggest buying another book. It's pleasant to read but amount of useful or enlightening content is quite low.
Fascinating and inspiring, 12 Mar 2008
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration.
A real page turner, 03 Mar 2008
Strangely enough for a professional scientist, This' book contains an extraordinary number of basic temperature conversion mistakes (and I'm not talking a few degrees here and there, more like 100C in some cases).
That aside, the only real problem I've found is that I can't put the book down for long enough to actually try to cook something.
WHY?, 30 Dec 2007
A must for any chef who always has the question WHY? in their mind and some of the answers are in this book the others you'll have to figure out for your self.
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick. A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything. Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person. Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results. Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read. A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else! Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"... Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read. Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read! Many anecdotes, little culinary knowledge, 05 May 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn some hard science behind cooking and I'm very disappointed. The book consists mostly of anecdotes of what scientists from Dijon found in one kind of wine/cheese/meat or another but hardly any of this can be extrapolated to everyday cooking and it doesn't give any sort of a big picture view on food - just a lot of details.
The book also contains a few interesting ideas, especially on non-traditional emulsions/foams/suspensions/gels - in particular chapter 97 "Everything Chocolate" is very interesting.
Overall I'd suggest buying another book. It's pleasant to read but amount of useful or enlightening content is quite low. Fascinating and inspiring, 12 Mar 2008
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration. A real page turner, 03 Mar 2008
Strangely enough for a professional scientist, This' book contains an extraordinary number of basic temperature conversion mistakes (and I'm not talking a few degrees here and there, more like 100C in some cases).
That aside, the only real problem I've found is that I can't put the book down for long enough to actually try to cook something. WHY?, 30 Dec 2007
A must for any chef who always has the question WHY? in their mind and some of the answers are in this book the others you'll have to figure out for your self. Useful property tables, 17 Jul 1999
his is not a 'book' in the traditional sense. It is more of an engineering reference table, giving specific properties of substances in different states. A very useful purchase for anyone connected with engineering calculations (including students) in thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick. A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything. Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person. Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results. Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read. A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else! Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"... Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read. Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read! Many anecdotes, little culinary knowledge, 05 May 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn some hard science behind cooking and I'm very disappointed. The book consists mostly of anecdotes of what scientists from Dijon found in one kind of wine/cheese/meat or another but hardly any of this can be extrapolated to everyday cooking and it doesn't give any sort of a big picture view on food - just a lot of details.
The book also contains a few interesting ideas, especially on non-traditional emulsions/foams/suspensions/gels - in particular chapter 97 "Everything Chocolate" is very interesting.
Overall I'd suggest buying another book. It's pleasant to read but amount of useful or enlightening content is quite low. Fascinating and inspiring, 12 Mar 2008
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration. A real page turner, 03 Mar 2008
Strangely enough for a professional scientist, This' book contains an extraordinary number of basic temperature conversion mistakes (and I'm not talking a few degrees here and there, more like 100C in some cases).
That aside, the only real problem I've found is that I can't put the book down for long enough to actually try to cook something. WHY?, 30 Dec 2007
A must for any chef who always has the question WHY? in their mind and some of the answers are in this book the others you'll have to figure out for your self. Useful property tables, 17 Jul 1999
his is not a 'book' in the traditional sense. It is more of an engineering reference table, giving specific properties of substances in different states. A very useful purchase for anyone connected with engineering calculations (including students) in thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
Fact or Fiction ?, 13 Aug 2008
Casing hands have a reputation for embellishing the truth.
They also enjoy macho posturing - hence the side trip to Afghanistan, a country that has nothing to do with the oil industry.
Don't believe every word of it. I work in the oil industry and was able to second guess the outcome of many escapades.
Okay if your a rigger... for the rest of humanity....Yawnsville!, 02 Jun 2008
Yeah yeah Mr Carter, now take it home and write something that we haven't heard a million times before. SHEEZE!
A collection of riotous stories for boys who should know better, 19 Apr 2008
This is longer, denser and more mature than the first book, still stuffed full of gross-out humour and stories for grown up boys about drunkenness, pranks, motorbikes and dangerous situations.
Paul Carter's style is very readable, but this sequel has even less of an oilfield theme than the first book. Here we hear flying stories from Paul's dad and his Air Force mates, Paul goes on an interesting but unexplained trip through Afghanistan, and we stray so far off track that much of it has hardly got anything to do with the drilling of the title.
So anyone expecting to read something with any connection to the oil industry will be disappointed, or at least confused.
Still, if you're looking for a rip-roaring, rollicking roster of drunken antics, tropical diseases and bad behaviour, you won't go far wrong.
One of the BEST books I have EVER read!, 18 Feb 2008
Paulie has done it again with another blockbuster of a hit! This is Not a Drill, is a great insight to his life on the rigs. Forever the crap magnet for situations, he writes hilariously about the antics that have happened to him and his fellow buddies whilst in various countries. There is a serious side to him though, which is displayed when he visits Afghanistan and moreover the hospital there with all children in. It is a great compliment to his first and also outrageously funny book 'Dont tell mum I work on the rigs'. I read ALL the time and I love books of humour. I have NEVER cried with laughter while reading ANY book. Now I have. Twice. I have read both these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone, who likes adventure, humour, and can appreciate a great practical joke... even when it goes wrong! Brilliant read PLEASE WRITE MORE!!!
Not quite as good as the first one, 11 Feb 2008
Really enjoyed the author's first book and read this one straight after.
The first book was very original and contained some great tales and escapades and I suppose I was looking for more here. In this one Carter tells a few more tales but mixes in some serious stuff and some views on the way of the world. Obviously the best tales got used in the first book and here is is looking to do something slightly different.
This is still very entertaining and readable but does not hit the highs of the first one.
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick. A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything. Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person. Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results. Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read. A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else! Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"... Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read. Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read! Many anecdotes, little culinary knowledge, 05 May 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn some hard science behind cooking and I'm very disappointed. The book consists mostly of anecdotes of what scientists from Dijon found in one kind of wine/cheese/meat or another but hardly any of this can be extrapolated to everyday cooking and it doesn't give any sort of a big picture view on food - just a lot of details.
The book also contains a few interesting ideas, especially on non-traditional emulsions/foams/suspensions/gels - in particular chapter 97 "Everything Chocolate" is very interesting.
Overall I'd suggest buying another book. It's pleasant to read but amount of useful or enlightening content is quite low. Fascinating and inspiring, 12 Mar 2008
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration. A real page turner, 03 Mar 2008
Strangely enough for a professional scientist, This' book contains an extraordinary number of basic temperature conversion mistakes (and I'm not talking a few degrees here and there, more like 100C in some cases).
That aside, the only real problem I've found is that I can't put the book down for long enough to actually try to cook something. WHY?, 30 Dec 2007
A must for any chef who always has the question WHY? in their mind and some of the answers are in this book the others you'll have to figure out for your self. Useful property tables, 17 Jul 1999
his is not a 'book' in the traditional sense. It is more of an engineering reference table, giving specific properties of substances in different states. A very useful purchase for anyone connected with engineering calculations (including students) in thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
Fact or Fiction ?, 13 Aug 2008
Casing hands have a reputation for embellishing the truth.
They also enjoy macho posturing - hence the side trip to Afghanistan, a country that has nothing to do with the oil industry.
Don't believe every word of it. I work in the oil industry and was able to second guess the outcome of many escapades.
Okay if your a rigger... for the rest of humanity....Yawnsville!, 02 Jun 2008
Yeah yeah Mr Carter, now take it home and write something that we haven't heard a million times before. SHEEZE!
A collection of riotous stories for boys who should know better, 19 Apr 2008
This is longer, denser and more mature than the first book, still stuffed full of gross-out humour and stories for grown up boys about drunkenness, pranks, motorbikes and dangerous situations.
Paul Carter's style is very readable, but this sequel has even less of an oilfield theme than the first book. Here we hear flying stories from Paul's dad and his Air Force mates, Paul goes on an interesting but unexplained trip through Afghanistan, and we stray so far off track that much of it has hardly got anything to do with the drilling of the title.
So anyone expecting to read something with any connection to the oil industry will be disappointed, or at least confused.
Still, if you're looking for a rip-roaring, rollicking roster of drunken antics, tropical diseases and bad behaviour, you won't go far wrong.
One of the BEST books I have EVER read!, 18 Feb 2008
Paulie has done it again with another blockbuster of a hit! This is Not a Drill, is a great insight to his life on the rigs. Forever the crap magnet for situations, he writes hilariously about the antics that have happened to him and his fellow buddies whilst in various countries. There is a serious side to him though, which is displayed when he visits Afghanistan and moreover the hospital there with all children in. It is a great compliment to his first and also outrageously funny book 'Dont tell mum I work on the rigs'. I read ALL the time and I love books of humour. I have NEVER cried with laughter while reading ANY book. Now I have. Twice. I have read both these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone, who likes adventure, humour, and can appreciate a great practical joke... even when it goes wrong! Brilliant read PLEASE WRITE MORE!!!
Not quite as good as the first one, 11 Feb 2008
Really enjoyed the author's first book and read this one straight after.
The first book was very original and contained some great tales and escapades and I suppose I was looking for more here. In this one Carter tells a few more tales but mixes in some serious stuff and some views on the way of the world. Obviously the best tales got used in the first book and here is is looking to do something slightly different.
This is still very entertaining and readable but does not hit the highs of the first one.
A book on how to slaughter & butcher your own meat, 18 Dec 2007
I thought I might just comment on the content of the book:
This book tells you how to kill, slaughter, and cut up your meat, and a bit on preparation (curing / salting etc).
I had hoped it would have more on the "butchery" aspects, i.e. cutting up & preparing the meat / processing etc. I'd just bought a fore-quarter from the butcher and I bought this book to help me cut it up, and it wasn't exactly what I was after.
I tend to buy pork / lamb by the half animal (much cheaper) and I was hoping this book would teach me to cut it up myself. I think i'll have to try another book with more space devoted to this sort of info.
Note that its American written so some of the cuts are different to what we're used to in the UK.
Still, if the day came that I was going to kill an animal for my own consumption, I'd definitely want this book at my side!
Very beneficial for the self suficiency minded person!, 11 Aug 1999
It helped me expand my knowlege of butchering wild game, namely venison! I could recommend this to the somewhat seasoned butcher as well as the novice! He also included some great idea's I can't wait to try for preserving different meats! My only complaint would be that the author did not explain the different quality of the cuts of meat(ie. tenderness) as well on the wild game as he did with the domestic animals. However, overall this book is well worth the cost and should be in any self-suficiency minded person's library!
Excellent information - not outdated at all., 04 Aug 1999
For any person living off the grid or desiring to do so, this book will provide invaluable information on how to slaughter when you can't just drive to the market or drag it to a processing house. I would have liked to have seen more information on "Walton" preserving, as I like to be able to live without all of the conveniences of city life. I like the idea of being able to fend for myself, and I would not hesitate to use this as a guide for my first steer. His rabbit method is quite similar to mine (I use two pegs).
This Grizzly Adams thinks It is one of the best., 17 Jun 1999
I used this book to teach myself the basics of butchering many years ago and find it is a ready resource today. I butcher on a regular basis and would recommend this book to any man who has never put the knife to his own livestock before. One thing to remember about butchering is this, no book will ever give you the skills, you have to kill and cut to learn them.
This book covers the very basic requirements of butchering., 11 Mar 1999
I found the book to be satisfactory if that. Illustrations are good but in some cases not very accurate, and at times confusing. The section of the preseravation of meats could have been left out. Its outdated. This book would great for Grizzly Adams or the Waltons.
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Customer Reviews
addictive, 08 Sep 2008
A really good book that has got me on my journey of making soaps. Warning once you start you will not be able to stop. It is really easy to use and gives good intructions. If you don't like some of the recipes after making a few batches of soap you will be able to tweak them for yourself.
Addicted already!!, 03 Dec 2007
This is a very good book with very clear instructions, the illustrations are helpful to give you an idea of what your own batch should look like. Melinda Coss prefers to hand stir her soap, I, however would recommend a stick blender as most soaps will trace in a matter of minutes this way. If you have time on your hands I am sure stirring is very theraputic, for myself making a batch of soap is something I do once the kids have gone to bed so a stick blender is just the trick. A good book but BEWARE!, 24 Nov 2007
Overall this is an excellent book BUT be very careful! Base oil quantities are measured in ounces or grams and these are fine. Essential oils and other additives, however, are specified in table spoons and in grams... The gram measurements are WRONG! It appears that whomever translated the spoonfulls into grams had been on the sherry! I have just made a batch of soap which called for four tablespoonfuls of Callendula petals or 45grams! 45grams of Calendula petals are about four cups! The same is true of the essential oils. The recipe calls for one teaspoon or 5 grams... 5 grams is about three teaspoonfuls!
Buy the book by all means, its a good book; but when measuring out ingredients use grams or ounces for the base oils but then teaspoons or tablespoons for the additives.
Also... Page 13, under the "ten commandments", step 5 reads "As you add the water to the sodium hydroxide" DO NOT DO THIS it would be bad, very bad! Always add the sodium Hydroxide to the water.
So I have three wrecked batches of soap because I followed the gram measures. I'm wiser now... and so are you.
Derek Great book could do with a few more recipes, 30 May 2007
I bought this book as I wanted to have a go at making my own soap. There is some useful information about the different oils, addatives and fragrances as well as a section on safety. I have made several batches (beeswax, honey & oatmeal scrub, honey blossom, poached egg soap) and am going to try st clements soap next. I am pleased with the book however I think there could be a few more recipes, also many of the recipes in the book are very similar.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit kitting yourself out with everything you need before you can actually make anything. Inspirational, 14 Jan 2007
I don't really write reviews but this book has really inspired me to make some soap and I feel I would like to share that. The book is informative, helpful and written in such a way that 1) this lady has a fun sense of humour and 2) her recipes work! I have tried several and it is a good idea to start with one of her basics, just to get the feel of what you're handling. Caustic soda is a dangerous substance, but this is what creates the soap, so as long as you are careful and responsible with using it the results are wonderful. My favourite one is the goats milk ylang ylang to which I cut up a loofah and inserted this into a mould, when cut they make beautiful exfoliants with a creamy lather and a beautiful scent. All in all a well written book written by a real person. Great reference book!, 21 Jun 2008
For the technical side of brewing this book covers what you need to know! I also have the "complete joy of homebrewing" which is also a great book and lot of fun to read, but to be honest it is not as up to date as this book. I recommend this book together with "designing great beer" - with this set you'll be able to brew the most common types of beer with very good results. Excellent homebrew book!, 24 Oct 2007
The title really does say it all with this book!
I've been brewing for a few years now, and upon getting this book my beers have leapt forward from being usually OK (but still very obviously homebrewed), to being beers that I would be happy to receive in a pub or beer festival...honestly!
This book contains just about everything you could need for any stage in your brewing life. Everything from the beginner's standard 'can and kilo' brews, right up to full grain and everything in between.
Ingredients, methodology, techniques, equipment, recipes - its all here.
(My only slight criticism is that it is doesn't contain details on 'kegging' your beer, but this is really fairly simple and info can be easily found online for this if you wish.)
Basically this is the only beer homebrew book you will need - I highly recommend it!
Rig Star, 06 Aug 2008
Autobiographies about out of control rockstars are ten a penny, similar books about "normal" people far less common. The reason for that is pretty simple I guess, we aspire to our dreams and wishes...and with the best will in the world I don't wanna work on a rig. Never the less Paul Carters book is a pretty good read, he wizzes around the world and keeps things snappy, even if the claims on the cover are a little exagerated - taken hostage...er where?. He's no crazy Keith Moon character either, its the situation rather than the personality thats amusing here.
A good, but slight, read. A bland tall tale, 12 May 2008
I work in the oil industry and based on the other reviews,looked forward to reading this immensely. What a letdown! Paul may have travelled all over the world,but the tales just smacked of the 'bloke in the pub' tales - there wasn't any detail of the work that he did,just lots ofblokeish stories.Even when he did actually talk about the work, it was so out of context and poorly explained as to be meaningless. Sadly a big disappointment - spend your money on something else! Health and safety? I think not., 14 Apr 2008
This book takes about two hours to read. It zips through hundreds of hilarious and dangerous situations that the author gets into all over the world. A very funny and rather shocking look at the humour and adrenaline of men working in the oil industry, it will go down well with anyone who enjoys a good lad's mag.
I bought this on spec in Sydney airport where the petite Asian lady in the bookshop said "Oh yes, I've read that, it's excellent." I was a little surprised, perhaps even suspicious and unsure of what I was buying. Now I just have respect for the lady in the shop. This book is all about drunkenness, fights in foreign bars, inappropriate pets, diarrhoea at the worst moment, brutal practical jokes, jungle madness and the raw testosterone-fuelled humour of oil drillers.
When I bought it, I was actually thinking I might learn something about the oil industry, especially since it starts with a little graphic guide to the different types of oil rig and platform. But forget it, the oil is just an excuse for the larks, bravado and cameraderie.
I also wondered about the title: not just "don't tell mum", but also the bit about being a piano player in a whorehouse. Well, forgive the spoiler, but the author's mum worked in the oil industry too, so she knew what he was up to, and never thought he worked in a whorehouse (although he visited enough). But I guess it's a snappy enough title, and it caught my eye.
If you're a real pedant like me you will also find some of Paul Carter's facts are way out, a bit like his spelling (e.g. elementary canal) but this is by-the-by. It's the laughs that make the book.
And if you're a nice mum buying this to try to persuade your precious son that becoming an oilman is too dangerous and dodgy, forget it. He'll read this book and never want to do anything else - apart from reading the sequel "This is not a drill"... Very entertaining , 06 Apr 2008
Really enjoyed this. Reference to the details of working on a rig went over my head but the anecdotes regarding different countries and cultures were entertaining and it was a very easy enjoyable read. Oil&Gas Industry at its best...., 18 Mar 2008
I work in the oil&gas industry and hearing some of the stories from people who are on the front line - you would usually find it hard to believe. Someone recommended this book, so I took the plunge and ordered it - and there is nothing much to say but absolutely brilliant. I can believe all the stories that Pauli describe, and having spoken to a few rednecks they only amuse me more. It is however a relatively short book and I've already ordered the sequel. It took me just over a week to read, and whatsmore, reading it on the train can be very dangerous because when it's busy with other commuters, the last thing they want to see is someone laughing so hard that they almost cry. Trust me this book is worth a gallon of petrol (at todays rates) and was undoubtedly the funniest book i've ever read! Many anecdotes, little culinary knowledge, 05 May 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn some hard science behind cooking and I'm very disappointed. The book consists mostly of anecdotes of what scientists from Dijon found in one kind of wine/cheese/meat or another but hardly any of this can be extrapolated to everyday cooking and it doesn't give any sort of a big picture view on food - just a lot of details.
The book also contains a few interesting ideas, especially on non-traditional emulsions/foams/suspensions/gels - in particular chapter 97 "Everything Chocolate" is very interesting.
Overall I'd suggest buying another book. It's pleasant to read but amount of useful or enlightening content is quite low. Fascinating and inspiring, 12 Mar 2008
This is very interesting book covering a wide range of topics on the subject of flavour, taste and smell perception as well as the application of basic science to food and drink technology. I was particularly interested in the recent research into the physiology of taste perception, which until recently was the poor cousin of that of the sense of smell. There is a fair bit of chemistry, biochemistry and physics to take in to get full value from the book so I think this book would appeal most to those not only interested in food and cooking but also with some scientific knowledge. The last section of the book focuses on how the physico-chemical properties of ingredients like eggs or fats can be manipulated into creating novel recipes for foods. One can see where the likes of the innovative chef Heston Blumenthal got his inspiration. A real page turner, 03 Mar 2008
Strangely enough for a professional scientist, This' book contains an extraordinary number of basic temperature conversion mistakes (and I'm not talking a few degrees here and there, more like 100C in some cases).
That aside, the only real problem I've found is that I can't put the book down for long enough to actually try to cook something. WHY?, 30 Dec 2007
A must for any chef who always has the question WHY? in their mind and some of the answers are in this book the others you'll have to figure out for your self. Useful property tables, 17 Jul 1999
his is not a 'book' in the traditional sense. It is more of an engineering reference table, giving specific properties of substances in different states. A very useful purchase for anyone connected with engineering calculations (including students) in thermodynamics and aerodynamics.
Fact or Fiction ?, 13 Aug 2008
Casing hands have a reputation for embellishing the truth.
They also enjoy macho posturing - hence the side trip to Afghanistan, a country that has nothing to do with the oil industry.
Don't believe every word of it. I work in the oil industry and was able to second guess the outcome of many escapades.
Okay if your a rigger... for the rest of humanity....Yawnsville!, 02 Jun 2008
Yeah yeah Mr Carter, now take it home and write something that we haven't heard a million times before. SHEEZE!
A collection of riotous stories for boys who should know better, 19 Apr 2008
This is longer, denser and more mature than the first book, still stuffed full of gross-out humour and stories for grown up boys about drunkenness, pranks, motorbikes and dangerous situations.
Paul Carter's style is very readable, but this sequel has even less of an oilfield theme than the first book. Here we hear flying stories from Paul's dad and his Air Force mates, Paul goes on an interesting but unexplained trip through Afghanistan, and we stray so far off track that much of it has hardly got anything to do with the drilling of the title.
So anyone expecting to read something with any connection to the oil industry will be disappointed, or at least confused.
Still, if you're looking for a rip-roaring, rollicking roster of drunken antics, tropical diseases and bad behaviour, you won't go far wrong.
One of the BEST books I have EVER read!, 18 Feb 2008
Paulie has done it again with another blockbuster of a hit! This is Not a Drill, is a great insight to his life on the rigs. Forever the crap magnet for situations, he writes hilariously about the antics that have happened to him and his fellow buddies whilst in various countries. There is a serious side to him though, which is displayed when he visits Afghanistan and moreover the hospital there with all children in. It is a great compliment to his first and also outrageously funny book 'Dont tell mum I work on the rigs'. I read ALL the time and I love books of humour. I have NEVER cried with laughter while reading ANY book. Now I have. Twice. I have read both these books and I would highly recommend them to anyone, who likes adventure, humour, and can appreciate a great practical joke... even when it goes wrong! Brilliant read PLEASE WRITE MORE!!!
Not quite as good as the first one, 11 Feb 2008
Really enjoyed the author's first book and read this one straight after.
The first book was very original and contained some great tales and escapades and I suppose I was looking for more here. In this one Carter tells a few more tales but mixes in some serious stuff and some views on the way of the world. Obviously the best tales got used in the first book and here is is looking to do something slightly different.
This is still very entertaining and readable but does not hit the highs of the first one.
A book on how to slaughter & butcher your own meat, 18 Dec 2007
I thought I might just comment on the content of the book:
This book tells you how to kill, slaughter, and cut up your meat, and a bit on preparation (curing / salting etc).
I had hoped it would have more on the "butchery" aspects, i.e. cutting up & preparing the meat / processing etc. I'd just bought a fore-quarter from the butcher and I bought this book to help me cut it up, and it wasn't exactly what I was after.
I tend to buy pork / lamb by the half animal (much cheaper) and I was hoping this book would teach me to cut it up myself. I think i'll have to try another book with more space devoted to this sort of info.
Note that its American written so some of the cuts are different to what we're used to in the UK.
Still, if the day came that I was going to kill an animal for my own consumption, I'd definitely want this book at my side!
Very beneficial for the self suficiency minded person!, 11 Aug 1999
It helped me expand my knowlege of butchering wild game, namely venison! I could recommend this to the somewhat seasoned butcher as well as the novice! He also included some great idea's I can't wait to try for preserving different meats! My only complaint would be that the author did not explain the different quality of the cuts of meat(ie. tenderness) as well on the wild game as he did with the domestic animals. However, overall this book is well worth the cost and should be in any self-suficiency minded person's library!
Excellent information - not outdated at all., 04 Aug 1999
For any person living off the grid or desiring to do so, this book will provide invaluable information on how to slaughter when you can't just drive to the market or drag it to a processing house. I would have liked to have seen more information on "Walton" preserving, as I like to be able to live without all of the conveniences of city life. I like the idea of being able to fend for myself, and I would not hesitate to use this as a guide for my first steer. His rabbit method is quite similar to mine (I use two pegs).
This Grizzly Adams thinks It is one of the best., 17 Jun 1999
I used this book to teach myself the basics of butchering many years ago and find it is a ready resource today. I butcher on a regular basis and would recommend this book to any man who has never put the knife to his own livestock before. One thing to remember about butchering is this, no book will ever give you the skills, you have to kill and cut to learn them.
This book covers the very basic requirements of butchering., 11 Mar 1999
I found the book to be satisfactory if that. Illustrations are good but in some cases not very accurate, and at times confusing. The section of the preseravation of meats could have been left out. Its outdated. This book would great for Grizzly Adams or the Waltons.
Extremely funny but helpful with practical ideas and advice, 25 Apr 1999
As I was standing at my double patio doors with my nose pressed to the window watching the squirrels raiding my bird feeders, I became so agitated I abruptly jerked the door open to scare them off and banged myself in the mouth with my door. I decided at that moment to wage war. Although I haven't won yet, the book offers good advice on how I can get revenge without doing | | |