Maltin on Movies

Leonard Maltin & Jessie Maltin

Legendary film critic Leonard Maltin and his daughter Jessie are the ultimate movie fans. They love talking about movies, especially with people who share their enthusiasm—from living legends like Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Quincy Jones to such contemporary artists as Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, Laura Dern, and Bryan Cranston. You’ll meet all kinds of interesting people and hear their recommendations of unsung movies you ought to know...

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Loyal Books

One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance...

One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911. The plot centers round Mary Lennox, a young English girl who returns to England from India, having suffered the immense trauma by losing both her parents in a cholera epidemic. However, her memories of her parents are not pleasant, as they were a selfish, neglectful and pleasure-seeking couple. Mary is given to the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, whom she has never met. She travels to his home, Misselthwaite Manor located in the gloomy Yorkshire, a vast change from the sunny and warm climate she was used to. When she arrives, she is a rude, stubborn and given to stormy temper tantrums. However, her nature undergoes a gradual transformation when she learns of the tragedies that have befallen her strict and disciplinarian uncle whom she earlier feared and despised. Once when he's away from home, Mary discovers a charming walled garden which is always kept locked. The mystery deepens when she hears sounds of sobbing from somewhere within her uncle's vast mansion. The kindly servants ignore her queries or pretend they haven't heard, spiking Mary's curiosity. The Secret Garden appeals to both young and old alike. It has wonderful elements of mystery, spirituality, charming characters and an authentic rendering of childhood emotions and experiences. Commonsense, truth and kindness, compassion and a belief in the essential goodness of human beings lie at the heart of this unforgettable story. It is the best known of Frances Hodgson Burnett's works, though most of us have definitely heard of, if not read, her other novel Little Lord Fauntleroy. The book has been adapted extensively on stage, film and television and translated into all the world's major languages. In 1991, a Japanese anime version was launched for television in Japan. It remains a popular and beloved story of a child's journey into maturity, and a must-read for every child, parent, teacher and anyone who would enjoy this fascinating glimpse of childhood.

How to Cook Fish by Olive Green

Loyal Books

One hundred simple fish sauces. Sixty-five ways to cook mackerel. The Catching of Unshelled Fish. Twenty-seven ways to Cook Frogslegs. Now that should certainly make you reach...

One hundred simple fish sauces. Sixty-five ways to cook mackerel. The Catching of Unshelled Fish. Twenty-seven ways to Cook Frogslegs. Now that should certainly make you reach for your apron and fish knife! How to Cook Fish by Olive Green is a vintage culinary classic, filled with simple, easy to follow recipes rendered in a terse, no nonsense style. There's none of this fiddling with scales, weights and measures. What you get is a mélange of interesting, unusual ways to cook seafood without worrying about lists of ingredients, timings, temperature or any of the conventions followed by traditional cookbooks. If you've read that old Victorian favorite, Lavender and Old Lace (which was later adapted very successfully as Arsenic and Old Lace) by Myrtle Reed, you'd certainly be interested to know that the author had an equally successful career as a writer of popular cook books. Writing under the pseudonym Olive Green, Reed published six very successful books on cooking. However, from 1898 to her suicide in 1911, she continuously published at least one novel every year. The books are romantic and highly emotional in nature, full of unrequited passion, revenge, mystery and supernatural happenings. She also wrote a collection of stories about important women who made a difference to society. In between, she wrote pamphlets, married her Canadian pen-pal, suffered severe and debilitating bouts of insomnia and engaged in charity work. Her cookbooks are characterized by interesting tips on home making and the art of cooking, peppered with literary nuggets and quotations, witty remarks and anecdotes, all of which make How to Cook Fish not just an excellent recipe book but also an interesting and entertaining read. She also provides lists of what fish are in season during particular times of year, thus ensuring that the cook uses only the freshest of ingredients. How to Cook Fish is divided into 45 chapters. The One Hundred Fish Sauces are arranged in alphabetical order, starting with “Admiral Sauce” and ending with “White Sauce.” In between you have recipes for “Brown Tomato Sauce” “Sicilian Sauce” and other such unusual concoctions. Under the chapter One Hundred Miscellaneous Recipes you have items such as Fish a la Brunswick, Chartreuse of Fish, Jellied Fish Salad and many other great variations. This is indeed a great addition to your kitchen library and the clear, simple way in which the recipes are presented would tempt even the least adventurous of cooks to try a hand at one of these delicious sounding creations.