5 comments about The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty.

1. Only a writer with cloth ears would start a sentence with "As well, ..." Ms. Siler does so at least 50 times in this book. I cringed every time.
   
   As well, she devotes far too much space to irrelevant minutiae. See what I mean?



2. Have only read one half of story as it was so long and drug out for so many pages that it became tiring and we had to put it down and will readdress it at a later date. So much turmoil in a family. So Sad



3. The author is to be commended for making this story so fascinating to read. What a treacherous family!



4. This book was disappointing, if only because with decent editing it would have been much more enjoyable to read. The author appeared to write this as a series of stories, rather than a single work of non-fiction, as evidenced by her insistence on re-identifying many major players and events throughout the story. And like many authors these days, tightening up the book by 75 pages or so would have trimmed the fat yet left the full flavor of a compelling saga.



5. This is a great book to read if you have interest in the Mondavi wine business. My interest was piqued after a recent trip to the Napa/Sonoma wine region and visiting the Opus Winery, amongst others. Mondavi is a legend in the California wine business and after reading Robert Mondavi's book entitled Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business I was further drawn to learn more about the family story. In Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business Robert Mondavi tells his side of the story but in this meticulously researched book the big picture is further explained and goes deep into the demise of the wine empire. The ins and outs of the busines, complete with sordid stories, success and faillures, makes this book an epic tale of a family in turmoil. The conflicts between the elder brothers, the Robert Mondavi heir brothers, Michael and Timothy is given an impartial reporting that is refreshing. The book does focus primarily on the fall of the Mondavi empire but it is done in such a way that the background information on the rise of the empire puts everything into perspective. The contributions to the wine industry cannot be denied and the author acknowledges the innovations and techniques the Mondavi family brought to making wine, as well as making Caifornia wine world renowned and mass consumed. The expansion of the business to other parts of the world is quite interesting. It is a tragic story in the end as big business takes over the Mondavi name but not before many years of drama, which Julia Flynn Siler so eloquently describes. If you are interested in the Mondavi story this book is without question the one to read. The book has two sets of pictures that put faces on the characters in this real life soap opera. It is a very satisfying read that leaves you thirsting for more every time you stop reading it. Check it out, highly recommended, especially if you are a wine enthusiast or a person involved in business.

5 comments about Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens: Care / Feeding / Facilities.

1. If you're raising chickens, you have to have a copy of this book within reach. There are a lot of good books available on raising chickens, but this one is complete, it's easy to find the info you need, and it's thorough. It does it all in an easy to use format. What else do you need?



2. This was a step up from my kids' basic chicken care book. It was very thorough and helped us "beginners" get our questions answered.



3. This is book contains everything I wanted to know about getting started in raising chickens. It is thorough and easy to understand. It even has details about butchering birds. (If you are planning to raise the birds as pets this book may not be for you.)



4. This is a great book for overall chicken info and requirements. While I was on vacation, my copy grew legs and walked away, so I'm driving 4 hrs today to get another copy (designing a new coop). My neighbor swears she didn't take it, although she stole over 100 eggs for breeding, some chicken magazines, and who knows what else! Apparently, this book is so good, you'll have to keep it in the safe! It does miss some things, as I found out the hard way, so as soon as you are thinking of getting chickens, join a chicken group online (after doing breed research online, to find the right one for you - this book isn't really good for that). This book says to keep the chicks under a light to a certain age, and all they need is commercial feed. That isn't true, and I almost lost all of my chicks. (newbie) They also need time out in the sun and grass, and if their toes are curling, vitamin powder in their water. This book is also written with the typical chicken farmer in mind, NOT a vegetarian who wants them for eggs and pets. I'm still looking for a book like that. I have Dominique chickens, chosen for their friendly disposition and great egg production. They are my family, and I would like a book that tells me the best way to keep them healthy for their entire life (around 15 yrs), not how to just keep them breathing until butchering at 18 mos! If you are thinking of getting chickens, this book is a must have, but even if you only care about the quality of what you are eating, this should not be the only resource you use.



5. I am totally new to backyard chicken keeping and I am loving this book! It has very detailed information (sometimes an overwhelming amount). The information is easy to read and apply and has helped me a lot in my chicken keeping. I highly recommend it!!!! NOTE: Don't buy it with the "Building Chicken Coops" package. That is just a small booklet that is verbatim a chapter in this book.

5 comments about The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread.

1. I'm a relatively new home bread baker and this is the first bread baking book that I purchased. I reviewed and tried several books from our local library before deciding to purchase this one.
   
   I particularly like the Pain a l'Ancienne recipe and the technique for retarding fermentation. This makes an excellent bread relatively easily and efficiently.
   
   There's a good introductory section before you get to the recipes. Lots of great pictures showing the finished bread and techniques.
   
   I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in serious home bread baking.



2. I am overwhelmed by this book. It's every bread entusiasts must have book.
   Peter Reinhart shares every ounce of knowledge he has encompassed over his career so far with us, the reader.
   This book is easy to read and the recipes are easy to follow.From the start the author gives us the history of bread in the world and what flavours and techniques they use.
   I would recommend this book to everyone.



3. I was nearly put off of buying this book by some of the bad reviews I read. (I always read the bad reviews to get a broad picture.) If I hadn't taken the time to check the book out for myself I would have greatly missed out. Please read the following comments that discuss some of the negatives brought out by others and my opinions on the subject.
   
   (This first part was before I read the book.)
   I found some of his comments (the reviewr who gave the book a 1) to be interesting and some to be just plain nit picky. If you really want to get an idea of what Nopasho thinks is a good book, check out the reviews on the two books he recommended. It makes me wonder what his standards really are?!?
   
   That being said, I am interested in improving my technique and making better bread. I'd imagine that the best way to do that is to study with a baker. However, since that isn't an option for me, I think I'll try the book and get what I can out of it. If it doesn't work, I'll sell it and try another one.
   
   UPDATE:
   I got the book from my local library and I must admit that I am VERY impressed. I have been so captivated by this book that it has been hard to put it down. I almost passed it by because of the bad review and I was utterly disgusted to find that a majority of the complaints listed were r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s!
   1- Using crisco in pizza dough - first of all he lists OLIVE OIL, vegetable oil, OR crisco and repeatedly says "olive oil" when describing how to make the dough. The one point Reinhart stresses again and again is that he is trying to make good bread making ACCESSABLE to the home baker. "If you don't have this, you can try this..." type of attitude. He states time and time again that you should try different things to see what YOU like.
   2- The problem between weight and volume measurements would be quickly cleared up if people had actually read the discussion on the subject in the book. As Reinhart states weight measurement is always best because volume will vary by the location, brand, etc. So it makes perfect sense that what 1 lb turns out to be in cups would not be the same somewhere else. AS HE CLEARLY STATES, bread is about feeling what is happening, not being exact. If it needs more flour add more flour, etc.
   3- Ego - I can't tell you how many times he states what he has learned from others. I never got the feeling of being talked down to or like he has an overinflated image of himself.
   4- Instant yeast - As I stated, Reinhart is trying to bring bread making into the home. Given the short shelf life of fresh yeast, I agree with Reinhart that for the majority of us, it just isn't practical. But if you can use the fresh yeast than go ahead!
   5- Reinhart doesn't say that he wanted to make the book's title "The Bread Revolution," rather that it was a name he toyed with but decided against because he didn't feel it acurately described what he wanted to get across to people. Doesn't sound like ego to me.
   6- Lastly, I don't feel like I was shorted out of recipes by the "white space" and pictures. I found it to be a beautiful book and one I am excited to own.
   This is a book I borrowed from the library to test it out. I plan to take it back today and buy a copy. If that doesn't explicitly give my opinion, than nothing will.



4. Reinhart demystifies the creation of bread in this book. This is more than a cookbook - it includes his personal philosophy, a LOT of background info and then detailed recipes.
   
   I skimmed through the section on his evolution as a baker, simply out of personal interest (or lack thereof). The Background / Basic chapters are especially valuable to people, such as myself, who are new to baking bread.
   
   The Recipes are detailed with lots of useful instructions and ideas to improvise. Would reccommend this book for anyone with an interest in baking, regardless of level of experience. Attractive and informative.



5. This is another great book to have if you want to make bread! Once you start reading you can't put this book down. The breads bake up so wonderfully. I highly recomend this book.

5 comments about Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible.

1. One of the most concise and complete referance of this subject that I have seen in a long, long time. Invaluable to those interested in the subject matter.



2. Jorge gives all the details and excellent explanations to help you with whatever type of grow you want to use. Very comprehensive and well researched. Best book I've seen if its' kind. You won't regret getting this book.



3. In addition to the Grow Bible this book is an absolute necessity. Although if you had to pick one I would suggest the Grow Bible. However, this book has many in depth details to nutrient defencies, various tips, picture illustrated guidelines, what to do, what not to do..I would consider this an illustrated guide more then anything..if that makes sense. MANY tips I have never heard of I came across in this book, and this is to say the least. Jorge Cervantes...two thumbs up (three if I had em)



4. I can't grow the divine weed where I live; I bought this book because it is absolutely the most in-depth, easy-to-understand book in the gardening world! I use it constantly for advice about soil, water, diseases, pests, growth stages, light requirements, etc.--for my tomatoes! Best book out there for weed *or* tomato gardening!



5. If you want to know anything and everything about growing, this is your book. Seriously, this guy goes in depth to explain things without making it overly complicated.
   
   It's simple, thorough, worth the buy.

5 comments about The End of Food.

1. Roberts essentially shows why the present,agribusiness based ,large farm,industrial factory approach to food production, that relies primarily on oil based fertilizers,herbicides,insecticides,fungicides,and pesticides ,is not sustainable .The world has a major food problem RIGHT NOW.This factory approach to food production is breaking down primarily because the price of a barrel of oil is currently at $139.However,the problem was visible even when oil was priced at $75 a barrel.The current "modern" chemical and oil based approach was designed for a food production system where the price of a barrel of oil was at $15-$20 a barrel.The costs of chemical farming are going through the roof as the price of a barrel of oil continues to skyrocket upward. Other factors are exacerbating the problem.First,it takes about 8 pounds of grain to make 1 pound of red meat from cows.Rising incomes in countries like China and India are leading to a increased preference for more red meat consumption in the diets of people in those countries.This new added demand is starting to raise the price of all of the food chain elements.Second,the biofuels(like ethenol) emphasis is a blunder.Biofuels do not substantially reduce the dependence on imported oil for the USA and merely reduce the supply available for food production for people to eat.Third,the current economic subsidization of agribusiness by the tax payer in America is simply multiplying the problem.Third World farmers are going out of business in large numbers as imported and subsidized American grain undermines their ability to feed their populations locally.Fourth, the current diet based on meat consumption is causing more and more farm land to be converted to ranch ,grazing land,further reducing the supply of grain and increasing the demand for grain to feed the herds.This is also contributing to rising world prices.Fifth,factor in global warming ,droughts in Australia and California,constant civil wars and revolutions in Africa,decreasing amounts of rainfall,overpumping of underground aquifers,desertification,continuing losses in topsoil,and you have a recipe for a potential collapse in the world wide food supply RIGHT NOW.
   Some of the solutions are to eat locally(farmer's markets,organic foods),emphasize more fruits and vegetables in the average diet, and substantially cut back on the amount of meat that is consumed .



2. "The End of Food" provides a good background on a number of current and future problems involving modern food production.
   
   Roberts believes that the problem of food safety is getting out of control, per recent examples of spinach, peanut butter, hamburger, pet food, and tomatoes. Rising food prices due to increased growth of biofuels and rising energy prices present another serious problem. The world is also increasingly encountering severe weather due to man-made climate change, decreasing availability of water supplies, and increased food demand due to those in developing nations now being able to afford Western-style diets heavy on beef (requires about 7 lbs. grain/lb. of cattle). American meat consumption levels could only be supported for 40% of the existing world population.
   
   Wal-Mart's 21% market share in food is credited with pushing grocery prices down 9% since 1985, as well as average wages down 2.2%. Successful competitors often go upscale, and offer takeout (41% margins, about twice those in cosmetics), though Wal-Mart is moving in this direction as well.
   
   Positive trends include increased chicken production (about 3X more efficient than beef - less feed, time-to-market (40 days, vs. 70 in the 1970s), and inedible proportion. Fish are even more efficient - about 1/3 are now "farmed."
   
   America's obesity epidemic began in the 1980s, and is partly due to less physical jobs. Another factor has been the greater impact of food innovations on lower priced foods with greater caloric impact - thus, a greater impact on the poor. (Roberts does not comment on their likely greater problems with depression-linked eating, possibly aggravated by an increasingly difficult economy.) Then there's the aggressive marketing of super-sizing, schools turning over lunch programs to fast-food vendors, allowing vending machines on campus, and ads aimed at children.
   
   Government farm supports have led to the U.S. becoming a high-cost producer, yet allowing U.S. farmer to export corn for 27% less than the cost to produce it. (Similarly, with other crops.) Mexico's agriculture production has suffered since NAFTA allowed our below-cost imports - low-productivity jobs have often been replaced by zero-productivity unemployment for farm workers. Meanwhile, the U.S. food-trade balance went negative in 2004, and Brazil is currently using only a fifth of its arable land base of over 1 million square miles.
   
   African food production is far from a success story. Nine-hundred million are malnourished, and another billion suffer chronic nutrient deficiencies. Resistance to change is a problem - one example is farmer reluctance to replace maize (not drought-resistant) with other crops; government corruption is another. Still another is the spread of a new form of wheat rust.
   
   Food safety is better than decades ago, but is highly vulnerable to fast transmission - especially involving new bugs and viruses. Tracking sources is difficult - one study found the average 4 oz. hamburger has meat from 55 cows. This is even more difficult in Asia, with its large numbers of duck and chicken producers, as well as their links with wild birds.
   
   Crop-yield increases/acre are down to slightly over 1%/year - half that of before, while fertilizer and transport costs are greatly up. Agriculture accounts for about 70% of U.S. nitrous-oxide - a greenhouse pollutant 300X more potent than CO2. Our food production accounts for about 20% of U.S. energy use, and about 75% of all freshwater use. Genetic energy fears, on the other hand, seem totally unfounded.
   
   Finally, Roberts' conclusions are supported by a New York Times 6/21/08 article on India: Groundwater has been depleted at alarming rates, changes in temperature and rain patterns could diminish agricultural output by 30 percent by the 2080s (per Peterson Institute for International Economics).
   
   Bottom-Line: Malthus and Erlich are likely to be proven correct when world population reaches 9 billion, if not sooner.



3. Paul Roberts' End of Food is plagued by the same problems found in his previous book, The End of Oil.
   
   Parts of both books are interesting as they shed light on some immediate concerns.
   
   But ultimately both books suffer from his obvious lack of understanding of technological innovation (we have heard 'the end of food' in the 60s, 70s and 80s as well) and simple economics.
   
   This book is only for those on the far left who have been convinced we are running out of everything for over 40 years.



4. I have been concerned with our food supply. I found this book an excellent source of information. Here is a short summary of what I got from reading it:
   
   Our concentration on money as the only really important thing in our lives had led us to ignore all the other problems facing us.
   
   To a greater and greater extent, our food comes from large, monoculture farms using heavy applications of synthetic fertilizer. This results in deterioration of the topsoil, which leads to decreasing crops and eventually changes arable land to a desert. This style of farming is heavily dependent on oil, and we face an imminent oil shortage.
   
   In addition, the world is also facing a serious water shortage; and farmers are reluctant to save water when it will either cost money or reduce the crop.
   
   If food were distributed equitably, there is enough in the world to feed the present population. But, with the population explosion and the decreasing food supply this situation will not last unless something drastic is done.
   
   As a result of our focus on money, there is widespread corruption in our government, which is not willing to do anything about the problem that will hurt the big corporations, the source of big money. And in general, those corporations like things the way they are.
   
   Paul Roberts lists a number of disasters that would precipitate the situation. The question is, which will come first.
   
   This book is not for those who believe "everything is for the best in this best of possible worlds".
   
   But for the rest of us, it is an excellent account of our food problems and what causes them.



5. I am really enjoying this book. The current rice shortage and e-coli outbreaks were topics I wanted to better understand, and that's what got me interested (and it has certainly helped illuminate those topics for me). But I'm finding the whole thing fascinating. Each chapter is a carefully-constructed, highly-readable nugget of history, research and personal accounts. Roberts' descriptions of his visits to China, Africa, pig farms, chicken ranches, etc. make the historical narrative all the more persuasive. He is deft at zeroing in on the ironic and bizarre. One of my favorite chapters is a walk through the evolution of human food consumption. He manages to cover thousands of years of eating history in a few concise, satisfying pages (not a small task). Glad I bought this book.

5 comments about The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It.

1. Very nice addition to any collection. Most of the ideas and uses, in this book, I agree with. It'll open up all kinds of other ideas to lead a simpler life in harmony with nature and the land we should all be a good steward of.



2. This book is an absolute classic in self sufficiency. I don't think anyone seriously considering living "off the land" should leave this out of their library. The author not only lives what he teaches in the book but also teaches it in classes. This is a very well balanced book giving little golden nuggets that you probably never considered.



3. REVIEWER: First up, consider that this review comes from a suburban guy who has his eye on country living. I would imagine if you are a seasoned farmer or off-grider then this book is not for you. Veterans will likely find this book too shallow on the virtually hundreds of topics it addresses.
   
   SKILL LEVEL: However, if you are beginner to intermediate on topics of farming, gardening, livestock and all round back-to-basics living then this book is hands-down perfect. It deals with virtually every aspect of self-sufficient living in a concise, well illustrated manner. It's flat out makes me curious to try (put into practice) and to learn more about many of the different subjects contained within.
   
   QUALITY: A great quality book (well printed, solidly bound). The layout and typography are excellent and illustrations are an excellent companion to the text.
   
   CONCLUSION: This book is the culmination of decades of knowledge from a man who has lived his life as depicted in this book. It must be challenging to pack a lifetime into relatively so few pages (it's still a big book though!) but the "Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It" does a great job. It packs a lot of punch on a broad range of subjects and one must appreciate that because of this, it will at times feel a little skinny on specifics or in-depth information.
   
   I'm rating this five stars because I believe that it communicates the subject matter perfectly to the audience for which it was intended.



4. I was very impressed by the amount of information covered in this book. It is a very good overview of all topics pertaining to Self Sufficiency. I would recommend it to anyone considering this as a lifestyle or who is looking to make even a few changes. My only complaint is that some topics that interested me were not covered in as much detail as I would have liked but this book is still a wealth of information.



5. For those wishing to find an overview of what it means to live a self-sufficient life, look no further than this text. Engagingly written and bursting with relevant information, Seymour's volume covers just about every topic with the fundamental information you need to properly evaluate your current situation and plan for the future. It is sure to be well-worn and dogeared before too long.

5 comments about The Art of Raising a Puppy.

1. Having owned many dogs in my life, it seems very clear that there is no one right method of making the dog a vital and beloved member of the household. German Shepherds, the breed that the monks work with, are eminently trainable as are a few other breeds. Some are very resistant to training or, at a minimum, require very different approaches. Perhaps the best advice one can give on training is to observe a friend's dog who you think is particularly well-mannered. See how that friend relates to the dog and ask what he or she did when the dog was a pup. Some well-behaved dogs are born and not made. Lucky you if you happen to get one of these; but the connection between man and dog goes back milennia and it is an interesting and complex relationship



2. If you're getting a dog or have a dog read this book. It is a great resource for getting your dog in line. It proved to be a source of information that offered balance to the modern training methods that are based only in rewards.
   I prefer the positive motivation but there are times when this book has offered ways to correct bad behavior that 'treats' don't help with.
   If for no other reason you should read this book to gain insight into dog behavior. These folks have been doing this for a long time and can help humans see their role in a companion animal's life. i.e. that dog's want and need a strong 'alpha' owner - even if it isn't in your personality type (I had to adjust - but it was for the better)



3. I love training dogs and learning more about their nature and behavior. This book was extremely helpful, and it answered many of the questions I had about a dog's normal development and milestones. The Monks reinforce what I've discovered about my own dogs, which is that it is never too early to start training and that puppies are capable of becoming charming companions from a very young age.
   
   If you are thinking of getting a puppy, read this book first.



4. if all people read this book prior to adopting (purchasing) a puppy the pet control situation would be helped ten fold every year until eternity. this book not only guides those who have a puppy but shows how to chose a puppy for a particular lifestyle.



5. I brought home an 8 week old shih tzu and used the recommendation to tether him in my room and provide a blanket for him to sleep on. After only 3 nights he was sleeping all night long and when he needs to go out in the morning he barks once. It is amazing how well this worked. I have read numerous puppy books and this one far exceeds any of the books. The focus is on understanding your new best friend and applying the proper techniques to raising a happy and obedient pet.

5 comments about Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses.

1. Easy to follow directions, lots of recipes that a busy person can do too. Love the Muenster recipe!



2. This book was recommend in a class I took on cheesemaking at Whole Foods. It's a great reference. I haven't made anything yet but it seems easy to follow and not too complicated.



3. This book is easy to read and follow. I definitely won't be making all these cheeses but there are basic favorites.



4. As a novice at making cheese this book has given me the confidence I needed to give it a try. My daughter and I had a wonderful Saturday afternoon making Mozerella and Ricotta cheeses. The book is great.



5. Thank you for your quick shipment. Book is in great shape, as you stated.

5 comments about Alcohol Can Be a Gas!: Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century.

1. I am one person that is truly going to make ethanol for gas, whether or not I continue this adventure is another question. But where we live in Europe we pay about $8 per gal for diesel- just so you know what is coming your way USA. I also happen to live in the corn belt of Europe- so it's dumb not to try and we have a small farm. Therefore I am so thankful that I bought this book. I would also recommend for further study [...]



2. This book is Huge! Full of really great information, everything from the history of alcohol fuels to how to convert any gas engine to alcohol. This is a must read for those that want to get off foriegn oil.



3. I purchased this book with the primary intention of learning how I could convert all the waste fruit I generate in my grove into alcohol. The author is well educated and does know his stuff and shares his experience in creating alcohol to be used as fuel. However, the book includes chapter after chapter of political information (and mis-information) which really hurts the books ability to inform. When will people realize and understand that mixing in your political beliefs into a "how-to" type book just doesn't work. Like most people that would but this book, my primary goal is to learn how to make alcohol to use for fuel. I could care less about how evil the Bush administration is or how big oil is ruining our lives or how almost every topic he covers seems to always come around to blame someone for something ie. global warming.
   
   It is unfortunate that Mr. Blume could not control himself enough to hold back his bias and simply write a cookbook style how-to book. He would have saved a ton of paper if he would heed my advice and drop the political stuff. The book would be about a third of the size it is now.
   I wish that Mr. Blume would have taken his publisher's advice and wrote two books; one for his political agenda and the other that teaches how to make and use alcohol as a fuel. Then he would have a winner.
   
   In conclusion, please strip out the political stuff which does nothing to advance your ideas and only causes more divisiveness. Think of it this way: if you limit your audience to only those that agree with you politically, the only people that will read your book are you and your mother. Make it universal by making it neutral.



4. I am an environmental educator at the Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm community in Summertown,Tennessee and author of Shutdown: Nuclear Power on Trial (1979); Climate in Crisis: The Greenhouse Effect and What We Can Do (1990), and most recently, The Post-Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook: Recipes for Changing Times, from New Society Publishers and Amazon.
   
   Arriving in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the International Permaculture Conference in 2007, I checked the online schedule and saw that the organizers had set me down for a morning session on "making money from tree planting." Caught by surprise, I had to scramble to prepare a powerpoint and one of the ideas I thought to explore was biofuels. Conventional wisdom has it that "agrifuels" are in competition with food production and climate remediation. I dashed off an email to David Blume asking for an example of "permaculture fuels."
   
   He replied, "Well to take a page from the book. In semiarid areas where the temperature goes no lower than 0 degrees F you can plant an overstory of mesquite to provide both 340 gallons of alcohol per acre from the pods and fuel the plant with coppiced branches from the tree. In the understory you plant perennial Opuntia (nopales) thornless cactus, and between there and the dripline and beyond you plant the starchy root crop, Buffalo Gourd, for a total yield of far over 1000 gallons per acre without irrigation."
   
   There you have it, a polyculture for food and fuel. But what about climate change? I wrote him back, "Would you say the guild above is a net carbon sink?"
   
   He responded, "It is absolutely a massive carbon sink. Pretty much all arid country crops put the majority of their growth underground and have a robust mycorhyzzal feeding regime. Perhaps 80+% of carbon produced in the top growth is exuded for rhizosphere associates. Mesquite is unique in that a large portion of its root burrows deep to support it with water extracted from far below. There have been recorded instances of mesquite going down 160 feet for water."
   
   And that, in a nutshell, is Farmer Dave's permafuel thesis. That he takes several hundred pages to flesh it out, in Alcohol Can Be a Gas! Fueling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century, is an enduring blessing for permaculturists everywhere. This six-volume set, bound into one thick paperback, is both required reading and a standard reference on a par with A Pattern Language and David Jacke's Edible Forest Gardens.
   
   The six books contained in one are, in order, Understanding Alcohol: Visions and Solutions (including "busting the myths," polyculture and photosaturation, and Brazil's national program dissected), Making Alcohol: How to Do It (including 30 odd feedstocks from algae to whey, the sugar method, the starch method, fungal and bacterial enzymes, fuels, and distiller construction), Co-Products from Making Alcohol (animals, aquaculture, mariculture, mushrooms, methane, etc.), Using Alcohol as Fuel (carburetion, injection, small engines, flex-fuel conversions and cogeneration of heating, lighting and cooling, and typical conversions), The Business of Alcohol: Hands-On Advice (legal and economic considerations and case studies); and A Vision for the Nation (state and federal incentives, Community Supported Energy and permaculture).
   
   Just exactly what is the appropriate role for alcohol fuels is an old, but ongoing discussion, and it has been known to get heated at times. The Tortilla Rebellion in Mexico, catastrophic overplanting of maize and soya, gene splicing by multinationals for cellulosic substrate alchemy, forest clearing worldwide -- these are serious concerns.
   
   Recently, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to increase ethanol production by giving generous subsidies to the U.S. farm belt. The Act mandates the use of 15 billion gallons of biofuels annually by 2015 and 36 billion gallons by 2022 (up from 8.5 billion subsidized gallons now). Nearly all of this would be corn ethanol, taken from grain stocks, with the stover burned or plowed in. Beginning in 2016, the government would ask farmers to add the corn stover, along with switch grass or wood chips, to make annual increases of 3 billion gallons in "cellulosic" ethanol. This legislation passed over the opposition from Big Oil and food manufacturers, but is just the kind of massively soil-destroying, economically bankrupting, petro-addicted type of legislation that was ideal for harvesting votes in the Iowa caucuses.
   
   By showing how ethanol can be ethically produced in combination with food, soil, carbon sequestration and other objectives for healthy system design, Blume provides a rescue remedy for our planet at a time when it could scarcely be needed more.
   
   Loek Boonkamp, who studies agricultural trade and markets for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, estimates replacing just 10 percent of the world's current petroleum use with biofuels would consume about 30 percent of all the grain, oilseed and sugar produced in the U.S., Canada, the European Union and Brazil, not to mention a huge volume of water. Blume takes Boonkamp's argument head-on.
   
   The US has 1500 million acres of agricultural land and uses 70 million -- about 5 percent -- for corn. Mesquite covers 70 million acres of desert land. Harvesting mesquite pods would yield more alcohol than corn without any inputs of soil, fertilizer or water. The US could achieve similar yields from the lawn clippings coming off suburbia on any given Saturday (30 million acres at last count). There are dozens of these examples in the book. Moreover, one has to consider how much of that corn produced in the US is actually used as a food, and how much is used in floor wax, plywood, crayons and other products.
   
   But then, why use farmland at all? Why not harvest ethanol from cattails or dried seaweed? Willows and bamboo planted on berms separating long canals of cattails, with greywater, spent mash and fermentation carbon dioxide returned to the roots could yield 10,000 gallons of ethanol per acre.
   
   The Chinese are getting 4.8 dry tons per acre off seaweed from coastal waters, and the Vietnamese, who farm shrimp from April to September, harvest algae from the same shallow lagoons and estuaries the rest of the year. Kelp grown on nets can cover hundreds of acres of ocean and provide bread flours, carrageenan, agar and other ethanol co-products while also restoring health to over-nitrified "dead zones." Blume estimates the energy return on marine ethanol is on the order of 15 to 1, significantly better than current returns on petroleum exploration and production.
   
   Alcohol Can Be A Gas! goes beyond helping the mechanically adept convert their internal combustion engines to ethical fuels. It provides clear operating manuals for the farmers who will grow those fuels, the fermenters who will build and operate the stills, and the artisans who will create and trade myriad co-products.



5. This book delves into the kind of information that could help us avoid making the same mistakes over and over. If it can help create awareness of how susceptible the public is to being flim-flammed by the Oil Industry experts and its sycophants imbedded throughout the government and media we could clean this mess up. The book shows that it was the oil interests who politicized energy not the author of this book.
   
   Contrary to the specious complaints of some, this book doesn't pretend to be a "How To" book on making alcohol out of fruit... which is plain from a quick look at the table of contents. Try a brewers store. Besides it is illegal to make alcohol in any useful quantities without an expensive license...ever heard of the ATF? ...good grief

5 comments about The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals.

1. Simply put, if I could force one book upon every living soul, this would be the one. I don't see how anyone couldn't learn something at the very least, and more than likely it will change your way of thinking to some degree. It would bring the industrialized food market to its knees if even a percentage of people took this book to heart as much as I have.



2. This book was extremely informative and very interesting. Some parts are a little slow but if you're driving down the road its easy to get lost in the discussion of various foods and how they succeed or fail based on their ingredients, big corporations, and government intervention.
   
   Corn is a substance nearly incapable of growing without human intervention and is being used, regardless of health issues, in just about anything.



3. An amazing tour de force of food in the US! Pollan writes with wonderful wisdom and honesty. The book has a wonderful bibliography.
   
   Industrial food is at the heart of all the major health problems in this country. Pollan will open your eyes to the fact and make you wnat to learn about the alternatives.
   
   Highly recommended!



4. The well written, most interesting read on the state of agriculture in the United States is definately "food for thought." The book's author, Michael Pollan visited three different kinds of farms: first a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO); second, three big business organic farms: Cal Organic, Earthbound Farms and Cascadian Farms; third, a farm committed to locally grown, free range food called Polyface. The last part of Pollan's journey involved foraging for own food. Pollan even killed a wild pig to serve at the meal he cooked his friends. Each phase of his jouney concluded with a meal derived from the type of farming operations Michael had just visited. For example, Pollan and his family ate at McDonalds for the CAFO meal.
   
   It took them a full ten minutes speeding down the highway to finish their McDonald's meal. I liked his comment about fast food eating. He says, "Perhaps the reason you eat this food quickly is because it doesn't bear savoring." He goes on to say about fast food, "The more you concentrate on how it tastes, the less like anything it tastes. I've said before that McDonalds serves as kind of comfort food, but they are selling something more schematic than that-something more like a signifier of comfort food. So you eat more and eat more quickly, hoping somehow to catch up to the original idea of a cheeseburger or French fry as it it retreats over the horizon. And so it goes, bite after biite, until you feel not satisfied exactly, but simply, regretably, full."
   
   For all of their good qualities, the big business organic farms have driven many smaller organic famers out of business. Places like Walmart and Target do not want to buy organic food from various small suppliers, but from one large organic supplier that can supply them with all the vegetables, etc. they need. Big organic farms do much harm to soil by continually running the weeding machines over it. Since they don't use herbicides, they have to have a way to control the weeds.
   
   Polyface Farm raises a variety of animals (chickens, pigs and cows) that are pastured and eat the food they were created to eat. Polyface farm doesn't raise more animals than it can care for in a humane manner and refuses to ship it's prcuduct out, but only sells it locally.
   
   I personally buy organic or free range meat. After looking at how our farm facory animals are raised on unnatural feed, in overcrowded conditions, dosed with antibiotics and growth hormones, I will pay the extra money for healthy meat. How far you can go in eating local depends on what part of country you live in (I live in Wisconsin, with its short growing season). It also depends on whether you live close to a source of local food or can grow your own, and also your budget restrainsts.
   
   Now on to the reasons I could not give the book a five star review. Contrary to what Pollan says at the beginning of the book, bread and pasta are not two of the most wholesome foods known to man. Try telling that to a carbohyddrate addict or someone with celiac disease and see what they say. Also, saturated isn't bad for you. It's a traditional fat that's been used by healthy cutures for thousands of years. The trans fats, as well as, fats from CAFO animals are the real killer fats. When you feed animals unnatural diets, their ratios of saturated to unsaturated fat changes in a very unhealthy manner. Free range meat has a healthy balnce of various kinds of fats. Also, how could a person who has seen how a CAFO is run say he would ever again eat at a McDonalds. If I were starving and had no other food choices, then and only then would I eat there.



5. This book was very well written. Before starting, I was worried that it would be a rather dry read (after all, how much can you say about food?). Well, apparently there is an awful lot to say about food, and Pollan does a great job at making it interesting. He brings to light some of the problems with industrial agriculture that I just never knew existed. He doesn't just present problems is this book however. He also talks about some ways to help make things better. The one thing I did not like was when he had wine while hunting. However, this has nothing to do with the book's readability.
   
   I reccomend this book because I'm not a food fanatic and I found this book interesting.