Dandelion Wine (Grand Master Editions) The summer of ‘28 was a vintage season for a growing boy. A summer of green apple trees, mowed lawns, and new sneakers. Of half-burnt firecrackers, of gathering dandelions, of Grandma’s belly-busting dinner. It was a summer of sorrows and marvels and gold-fuzzed bees. A magical, timeless summer in the life of a twelve-year-old boy named Douglas Spaulding–remembered forever by the incomparable Ray Bradbury.
Customer Review: Dandilion Wine
Wonderful story of an era (not the actual time frame of the story)that I can still remember and which is so lost in today’s world.
Customer Review: A wonderful, rich read
The strength of this book, which keeps new generations of readers hailing it as a classic, is how it captures and portrays the spirit of the people, places and events of the residents of a fictional small town (adapted from Bradbury’s hometown of Waukegen, Illnois) in the summer of 1928. Bradbury does an amazing job of painting the sights, smells, faces, landscape and people of this era. For those in Bradbury’s generation, I’m sure this novel takes them back to the “good old days” of their youth–when the world was younger and simpler. For those of us who are younger (I was born in 1977), this novel gives us glimpses of a time long gone and helps us understand more fully the world of our granparents. One thing to point out about this novel is that it does not follow the orthodox patterns of plot development. Bradbury has chosen to weave together a series of vignettes that, in the end, are tied together as parts of the whole. This can make for a bit more difficulty “getting into” the story but should not be seen as a weakness or shortcoming in the book–this was Bradbury’s aim and is simply a matter of style. If you are already hooked on Bradbury, this book will give you more of what you love; if you are new to Bradbury, this is a great starting point on one of America’s greatest writers. Highly recommened to all readers.

How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine Hailed by Paul Levy in The Wall Street Journal as “our cleverest, most thoughtful wine writer,” Jancis Robinson makes learning about wine almost as enjoyable as drinking it. With How to Taste, she’s put together a unique wine-tasting course based on practical exercises that appeal to wine connoisseurs of all levels.

Robinson explains first how we taste wine and food, and then about the grapes and wines themselves. In separate sections on theory and practice, she offers basic technical information about wine appreciation, then shows us how to apply it in sipping exercises — all of which are based on readily available and, in most cases, inexpensive bottles. And how better to learn about wine than by actually drinking it?

By the time you finish this book, you’ll know how to recognize the most popular grape varieties from Chardonnay to Riesling, to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and why you should choose a good sparkling wine over a cheap champagne. You will know how to judge sweetness, acidity, and fruitiness as well as the difference between the length and weight of a wine, and you will be able to distinguish wines from around the world. Robinson also arms you with practical advice about dealing with wine in the real world: choosing from a wine list; setting up and recording your own wine tastings; spitting out your sample mouthful correctly; and complementing food flavors with wine.

Innovative, informative, and above all fun, How to Taste is designed to be taken with you everywhere, from the armchair to the vineyard to the wine shop and back to the table.

Customer Review: Beginners essential book
There are three books I recommend to all eager students of wine: Kevin Zraly’s “Windows on the World Wine School”; Karen MacNeil’s “Wine Bible” and Jancis Robinson’s “How to Taste”. Jancis’s book is a fun guide to learning the most important part of wine, the taste. Knowing how to taste and compare wine makes it so much fun. Even if you don’t do all of the exercises, you will learn a lot and enjoy wine more.
Customer Review: Excellent material for winelovers and beginners
In this book, Jancis Robinson’s witty style is more relevant than ever - good british humour at its best. For seasoned wine appreciators and for those who begin their initiation in the affairs of this fascinating beverage, this book is an invaluable and veritable course on the art of tasting. If you’re interested in improving your sensibility and using your senses in a more refined and pleasurely way, this is a most welcome work. Highly recommended.