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The Reversal (Mickey Haller Series #3)
by Michael ConnellyMickey Haller and Harry Bosch together take on a seemingly unwinnable case in blistering legal thriller from Number One bestseller Michael Connelly.When defence lawyer Mickey Haller is invited by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to prosecute a case for him, he knows something strange is going on. Mickey's one of the best American legal brains in the business, and to switch sides likes this would be akin to asking a fox to guard the hen-house. But the high-profile case of Jason Jessup, a convicted child killer who spent almost 25 years on death row before DNA evidence freed him, is an intriguing one . . .Eager for the publicity and drawn to the challenge, Mickey takes the case, with LAPD Detective Harry Bosch on board as his lead investigator. But as a new trial date is set, it starts to look like he's been set up. Mickey and Harry are going to have to dig deep into the past and find the truth about what really happened to the victim all those years ago in this nail-biting courtroom drama.Read by Michael Brandon(p) 2010 Orion Publishing Group
The Reversal (Mickey Haller Series #3)
by Michael ConnellyMickey Haller and Harry Bosch together take on a seemingly unwinnable case in blistering legal thriller from Number One bestseller Michael Connelly.When defence lawyer Mickey Haller is invited by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to prosecute a case for him, he knows something strange is going on. Mickey's one of the best American legal brains in the business, and to switch sides likes this would be akin to asking a fox to guard the hen-house. But the high-profile case of Jason Jessup, a convicted child killer who spent almost 25 years on death row before DNA evidence freed him, is an intriguing one . . .Eager for the publicity and drawn to the challenge, Mickey takes the case, with LAPD Detective Harry Bosch on board as his lead investigator. But as a new trial date is set, it starts to look like he's been set up. Mickey and Harry are going to have to dig deep into the past and find the truth about what really happened to the victim all those years ago in this nail-biting courtroom drama.
The Reversal (Mickey Haller Series #3)
by Michael ConnellyMickey Haller and Harry Bosch together take on a seemingly unwinnable case in blistering legal thriller from Number One bestseller Michael Connelly.When defence lawyer Mickey Haller is invited by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to prosecute a case for him, he knows something strange is going on. Mickey's one of the best American legal brains in the business, and to switch sides likes this would be akin to asking a fox to guard the hen-house. But the high-profile case of Jason Jessup, a convicted child killer who spent almost 25 years on death row before DNA evidence freed him, is an intriguing one . . .Eager for the publicity and drawn to the challenge, Mickey takes the case, with LAPD Detective Harry Bosch on board as his lead investigator. But as a new trial date is set, it starts to look like he's been set up. Mickey and Harry are going to have to dig deep into the past and find the truth about what really happened to the victim all those years ago in this nail-biting courtroom drama.
The Reversal (Mickey Haller Series #3)
by Michael ConnellyMickey Haller and Harry Bosch together take on a seemingly unwinnable case in blistering legal thriller from Number One bestseller Michael Connelly.When defence lawyer Mickey Haller is invited by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to prosecute a case for him, he knows something strange is going on. Mickey's one of the best American legal brains in the business, and to switch sides likes this would be akin to asking a fox to guard the hen-house. But the high-profile case of Jason Jessup, a convicted child killer who spent almost 25 years on death row before DNA evidence freed him, is an intriguing one . . .Eager for the publicity and drawn to the challenge, Mickey takes the case, with LAPD Detective Harry Bosch on board as his lead investigator. But as a new trial date is set, it starts to look like he's been set up. Mickey and Harry are going to have to dig deep into the past and find the truth about what really happened to the victim all those years ago in this nail-biting courtroom drama.
The Revolution Where You Live: Stories from a 12,000-Mile Journey Through a New America
by Sarah van GelderDiscover the Real Revolution Unfolding across AmericaAmerica faces huge challenges—climate change, social injustice, racist violence, economic insecurity. Journalist Sarah van Gelder suspected that there were solutions, and she went looking for them, not in the centers of power, where people are richly rewarded for their allegiance to the status quo, but off the beaten track, in rural communities, small towns, and neglected urban neighborhoods. She bought a used pickup truck and camper and set off on a 12,000-mile journey through eighteen states, dozens of cities and towns, and five Indian reservations. From the ranches of Montana to the coalfields of Kentucky to the urban cores of Chicago and Detroit, van Gelder discovered people and communities who are remaking America from the ground up. Join her as she meets the quirky and the committed, the local heroes and the healers who, under the mass media's radar, are getting stuff done. The common thread running through their work was best summed up by a phrase she saw on a mural in Newark: “We the People LOVE This Place.” That connection we each have to our physical and ecological place, and to our human community, is where we find our power and our best hopes for a new America.
The Rhine: Following Europe's Greatest River from Amsterdam to the Alps
by Ben CoatesThe Rhine is one of the world's greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial and political powerhouses of Germany and France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming and sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France and Liechtenstein, to where its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture and history and finds out how influences have flowed along and across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue and offbeat history, The Rhine tells the fascinating story of how a great river helped shape a continent.
The Rhine: Following Europe's Greatest River from Amsterdam to the Alps
by Ben Coates*SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD*Ben Coates, author of Why the Dutch are Different, cycles the Rhine river from mouth to source, discovering the mark it makes on Europe.The Rhine is one of the world's greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial and political powerhouses of Germany and France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming and sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France and Liechtenstein, to its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture and history and finds out how influences have flowed along and across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue and offbeat history, The Rhine tells the fascinating story of how a great river helped shape a continent.(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Rhine: Following Europe’s Greatest River from Amsterdam to the Alps
by Ben CoatesThe Rhine is one of the world's greatest rivers. Once forming the outer frontier of the Roman Empire, it flows 800 miles from the social democratic playground of the Netherlands, through the industrial and political powerhouses of Germany and France, to the wealthy mountain fortresses of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For five years, Ben Coates lived alongside a major channel of the river in Rotterdam, crossing it daily, swimming and sailing in its tributaries. In The Rhine, he sets out by bicycle from the Netherlands where it enters the North Sea, following it through Germany, France and Liechtenstein, to its source in the icy Alps. He explores the impact that the Rhine has had on European culture and history and finds out how influences have flowed along and across the river, shaping the people who live alongside it. Blending travelogue and offbeat history, The Rhine tells the fascinating story of how a great river helped shape a continent.
The Ribbons are for Fearlessness: A Journey
by Catrina DaviesDevastated by her lover leaving and trapped in a dead-end job, Catrina’s friend Andrew comes up with a plan: they'll busk their way from Norway to Portugal in a van. When Andrew is killed in a tragic accident Catrina decides to go it alone and discovers the real meaning of love and courage, and the importance of following her dreams.
The Riches of France: A Shopping and Touring Guide to the French Provinces
by Maribeth ClementeWhether you're a shopper, a browser, or a traveler with a love for all things French, this is your one-of-a-kind guidebook to the culture of regional France represented by the products and centuries-old craftsmanship of each region. At prices lower than what you would pay in Paris or the United States, you'll find endless treasures as you tour boutiques, small factories, artisans' workshops, and wineries and distilleries:--Handmade paper in Auvergne--Moorish music boxes in Corsica--Artwork in the Cote d'Azur--Tapestries in the Limousin--Wine in the Loire Valley--Glasswork in Lorraine--Silk clothing in Lyons--Faience in the Western Loire--and much more, including where to find "the best of the provinces" in ParisComplete with details on exchange rates, shipping, French customs, touring, and restaurant and hotel selections, Maribeth Clemente's The Riches of France is an indispensable sourcebook for exploring every province of France.
The Riches of Paris: A Shopping and Touring Guide
by Maribeth ClementeLong considered the epitome of all that is chic, glamorous, and desirable, Paris is every shopper's dream. But even the most indefatigable shopper is sure to be overwhelmed by the embarras de richesses. In The Riches of Paris, Maribeth Clemente shares her insider's knowledge of the choicest boutiques, restaurants, wine cellars, and auctions to help you find endless treasures. Whether you're looking for designer fashions, Limoges china, the finest perfumes, the best Bordeaux, or just browsing, The Riches of Paris is an indispensable guide for making your visit to Paris enjoyable and unforgettable.
The Ridiculous Race: 26,000 Miles, 2 Guides, 1 Globe, No Airplanes
by Steve Hely Vali ChandrasekaranTwo comedy writers race each other around the world—no planes allowed—in this hilarious true travelogue that “reads like a 300-page Simpsons episode” (Wired).It started as a friendly wager: two old friends from the Harvard Lampoon, Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran, now hotshot Hollywood comedy writers, challenged each other to a race around the globe in opposite directions. There was only one rule: no airplanes. The first man to cross every line of longitude and arrive back in L.A. would win a very expensive bottle of Scotch and infamy. But little did one racer know that the other planned to cheat him out of the big prize by way of a ride on a quarter-million-dollar jet pack.From the West Bank to the Aleutian Islands, the slums of Rio to the steppes of Mongolia, traveling by ocean freighter and the Trans-Siberian Railway (pranking each other mercilessly along the way), Vali and Steve plunge eagerly and ill-preparedly into global adventure in a comic travelogue unlike any other, an outrageous tale of two gentlemen travelers who can’t wait to don baggy cardigan sweaters, clench corncob pipes between their teeth, and yell at their sons, “You lazy bums! When we were your age, we raced around the world without airplanes!”“Riotous fun.” —People Magazine“Hilarious.” —Entertainment Weekly“This is one of the funniest books I’ve read in years.” —The Arizona Republic
The Rio de Janeiro Reader: History, Culture, Politics
by Daryle Williams Amy Chazkel Paulo Knauss de MendonçaSpanning a period of over 450 years, The Rio de Janeiro Reader traces the history, culture, and politics of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, through the voices, images, and experiences of those who have made the city's history. It outlines Rio's transformation from a hardscrabble colonial outpost and strategic port into an economic, cultural, and entertainment capital of the modern world. The volume contains a wealth of primary sources, many of which appear here in English for the first time. A mix of government documents, lyrics, journalism, speeches, ephemera, poems, maps, engravings, photographs, and other sources capture everything from the fantastical impressions of the first European arrivals to the complaints about roving capoeira gangs, and from sobering eyewitness accounts of slavery's brutality to the glitz of Copacabana. The definitive English-language resource on the city, The Rio de Janeiro Reader presents the "Marvelous City" in all its complexity, importance, and intrigue.
The Ripening Sun
by Patricia AtkinsonFor most people giving up the day job and moving to a beautiful area of France and living off the vines is an impossible but delicious dream. In 1990, Patricia Atkinson and her husband decided to sell up in Britain and emigrate to the Dordogne. Their idea was to buy a house with a few vines attached and employ someone to tend to the wine while they earned their living with some financial consultancy work. There followed a series of disasters: the stock market crashed leaving their small holding as their sole source of income; the first red wine harvest turned to vinegar; and Patricia's husband returned to Britain, unable to cope with the stress. He never returned. Patricia Atkinson, whose only knowledge of wine up to that moment was 'that it came from a bottle' and who had not a word of French, was left to salvage their life savings form the vineyards. What follows is a remarkable story of struggle and transformation whereby her tiny 4 hectare plot has become a major estate of 21 hectares, where her Clos d'Yvigne wines have won awards and been adopted by wine merchants throughout the world and where she has been hailed as a superstar by UK wine writers.
The Ripple Effect Cozy Mystery Boxed Set, Books 1-3: Three Complete Cozy Mysteries in One
by Alice Duncan Jeanne Glidewell"In a world that views aging and senior citizens as obsolete, it is refreshing to read The Ripple Effect Cozy Mystery series by Jeanne Glidewell." ~Cindy Travis, ReviewerJoin Rip and Rapella Ripple and the Chartreuse Caboose on Their First Three Adventures Filled With Mystery and MayhemBOOK 1: A RIP ROARING GOOD TIME – Senior citizens and full-time RVers, Rip and Rapella Ripple, are headed to Rockdale, Missouri, in their old travel trailer (aka The Chartreuse Caboose) to attend a friend's surprise birthday party. But surprise quickly turns to shock when a party guest is found murdered and Lexie Starr, a friend of the Ripples, is hauled off to jail as suspect number one. Determined to exonerate Lexie, the Ripples put the Chartreuse Caboose in park and their investigating tactics in drive. But more than a simple frame-up is afoot when the victim's stepfather, who is also the local Police Chief, ignores the Ripple's findings.BOOK 2: RIP TIDE - Rip and Rapella Ripple are spending the holidays with daughter Regina, in their hometown of Rockport, TX. When Regina's new husband, Milo Moore, becomes a suspect in an off-shore harpooning homicide, the Ripples set out to exonerate him. But proving Milo didn't harpoon his best friend and business partner, Cooper Claypool—with Claypool's spear-gun while out poaching red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico—is more challenging than the Ripples anticipated.BOOK 3: RIPPED TO SHREDS - Visiting Wyoming's Rest 'n Peace RV Park, senior citizens and full-time RVers Rip and Rapella Ripple are intent on winning a wildlife photo contest. But while trying to snap the perfect nature photo, Rapella's game camera captures the truth behind the RV park owner's mysterious death. Now Rip and Rapella are knee-deep in their own investigation, and on the trail of poachers illegally trapping bears in the Bighorn National Forest.From The Publisher: The Ripple Effect series will be enjoyed by fans of Joanne Fluke, Madison Johns, Ceecee James and readers of cozy mysteries who enjoy light-hearted, clean & wholesome, mysteries featuring female amateur sleuths and senior citizens."It is not often a book makes me laugh aloud but Jeanne Glidewell never disappoints . . ." ~Yvonne P., Reviewer"Absolutely love this series. Very well done." ~eBook Discovery Read & Review Club"I hope this series continues. Being Rip and Rapellas' age I am happy to see them featured in adventures. I can recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, cozy or not." ~Anna, ReviewerTHE RIPPLE EFFECT MYSTERIES, in series order:A Rip Roaring Good TimeRip TideRipped to ShredsRip Your Heart OutRipped ApartTHE LEXIE STARR MYSTERIES, in series orderLeave No Stone UnturnedThe Extinguished GuestHauntedWith This RingJust DuckyThe Spirit of the Season - a holiday novellaCozy CampingMarriage & Mayhem
The Ripple Effect Cozy Mystery Boxed Set, Books 4-6
by Jeanne GlidewellJoin Senior Citizens and Full-Time RVers Rip and Rapella Ripple for Three Full-Length Adventures of Mystery and MayhemBOOK 4: RIP YOUR HEART OUT – While celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary on an Alaskan cruise, Rip experiences a serious cardiac event resulting in a triple-bypass. Of course, the hospital is just the beginning; the Chartreuse Caboose isn’t the best place to recuperate and heal. His cardiac care nurse, Sydney Combs, has the perfect solution: her recently deceased aunt’s home. But when Sydney is accused of murder, Rapella takes the case.BOOK 5: RIPPED APART - Rip and Rapella head to Rockport, Texas, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, to assist their daughter and son-in-law, Regina and Milo, with recovery from the horrific storm. Rapella, with a nose for foul-play, suspects Regina’s missing neighbor may have been murdered amidst the maelstrom when she discovers a mysterious note. When an anonymous tipster turns up dead, Rapella is determined to find justice for both.BOOK 6: RIPPED OFF - Rip and Rapella arrive in Albuquerque to surprise their granddaughter Tiffany on her thirtieth birthday.But the festivities take a chill when Tiffany and husband Chase’s investment manager and close friend, Trey Monroe, is found dead in the airport with a one-way ticket to the Cayman Islands in his hand. The money Chase and Tiffany had invested through Trey is missing. Worse yet, Tiffany learns—unbeknownst to her—Chase had invested their entire savings in a risky IPO, which lands Chase in the matrimonial dog house, as well as in the big house as a murder suspect.From The Publisher: The Ripple Effect series is enjoyed by fans of Joanne Fluke, Madison Johns, Ceecee James, and readers of cozy mysteries who enjoy light-hearted, clean & wholesome mysteries featuring female amateur sleuths and senior citizens.“It is not often a book makes me laugh aloud but Jeanne Glidewell never disappoints . . .” ~Yvonne P., Reviewer“Absolutely love this series. Very well done.” ~eBook Discovery Read & Review Club“I hope this series continues. Being Rip and Rapellas’ age, I am happy to see them featured in adventures. I can recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, cozy or not.” ~Anna, ReviewerTHE RIPPLE EFFECT MYSTERIES, in series order:A Rip Roaring Good TimeRip TideRipped to ShredsRip Your Heart OutRipped ApartRipped OffNo Big RipThe Grim RipperTHE LEXIE STARR MYSTERIES, in series orderLeave No Stone UnturnedThe Extinguished GuestHauntedWith This RingJust DuckyThe Spirit of the Season - a holiday novellaCozy CampingMarriage & Mayhem
The Rise Of Wolf 8: Witnessing The Triumph Of Yellowstone's Underdog
by Robert Redford Rick McIntyreYellowstone National Park was once home to an abundance of wild wolves—but park rangers killed the last of their kind in the 1920s. Decades later, the rangers brought them back, with the first wolves arriving from Canada in 1995. This is the incredible true story of one of those wolves. Wolf 8 struggles at first—he is smaller than the other pups, and often bullied—but soon he bonds with an alpha female whose mate was shot. An unusually young alpha male, barely a teenager in human years, Wolf 8 rises to the occasion, hunting skillfully, and even defending his family from the wolf who killed his father. But soon he faces a new opponent: his adopted son, who mates with a violent alpha female. Can Wolf 8 protect his valley without harming his protégé? Authored by a renowned wolf researcher and gifted storyteller, The Rise of Wolf 8 marks the beginning of The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone series, which will transform our view of wolves forever.
The Rise and Decline of the Medici Bank, 1397-1494
by Prof. Raymond de RooverThe roots of modern capitalism go back to the Italian banking system of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In the fifteenth century, the Medici Bank succeeded in overshadowing its competitors, the Bardi and the Peruzzi, who were the giants of the fourteenth century, and grew into a vast establishment with branches in most of the large cities of Western Europe. A study of its operations is essential to an understanding of the economic conditions in Europe in the fifteenth century.From a careful study of pertinent documents, including a set of libri segreti (confidential ledgers) discovered in 1950, Professor de Roover has reconstructed the details of the bank’s organization and operating methods; its loan policies, which reflected the Church’s doctrine on usury; its trading and industrial investments; its roles within the Florentine gild system and tax structure; and its activities as financial agent of the Church. He covers every aspect of the bank’s history, from its early years under the management of Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici to its collapse with the expulsion of the Medici from Florence.“An invaluable contribution to the economic history of the period….A splendid book.”—Harry A. Miskimin, The American Economic Review“The most important work in English on a medieval or Renaissance bank.”—The Economist“The best book ever written on the medieval banking system.”—John T. Noonan, Jr., Harvard Law Review“The most authoritative treatment of its subject in any language.”—Rondo Cameron, The Accounting Review
The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies: Lessons from San Francisco and Los Angeles
by Michael Storper Thomas Kemeny Naji Philip Makarem Taner OsmanToday, the Bay Area is home to the most successful knowledge economy in America, while Los Angeles has fallen progressively farther behind its neighbor to the north and a number of other American metropolises. Yet, in 1970, experts would have predicted that L. A. would outpace San Francisco in population, income, economic power, and influence. The usual factors used to explain urban growth--luck, immigration, local economic policies, and the pool of skilled labor--do not account for the contrast between the two cities and their fates. So what does? The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies challenges many of the conventional notions about economic development and sheds new light on its workings. The authors argue that it is essential to understand the interactions of three major components--economic specialization, human capital formation, and institutional factors--to determine how well a regional economy will cope with new opportunities and challenges. Drawing on economics, sociology, political science, and geography, they argue that the economic development of metropolitan regions hinges on previously underexplored capacities for organizational change in firms, networks of people, and networks of leaders. By studying San Francisco and Los Angeles in unprecedented levels of depth, this book extracts lessons for the field of economic development studies and urban regions around the world.
The Rise of Asheville: An Exceptional History Of Community Building
by Marilyn BallAs newcomers flocked to Asheville over the last fifty years, they joined with locals to breathe new energy into the city. Sometimes called the Asheville One Thousand, these folks didn't necessarily intend to be entrepreneurs, community organizers and business leaders, but when they saw a challenge, they rose to it. Stone Soup became a gathering place and laid the foundation for Asheville's natural food culture. MANNA Food Bank emerged to help solve hunger. And the River Arts District turned into a vibrant cultural center for upcoming artists. Join author Marilyn Ball as she traces the bonds of community that gave rise to Asheville today.
The Rise of Thana-Capitalism and Tourism
by Maximiliano E. KorstanjeWe live in a society that is bombarded by news of accidents, disasters and terrorist attacks. We are obsessed by the presence of death. It is commodified in newspapers, the media, entertainment and in our cultural consumption. This book explores the notion of an emergent class of “death-seekers” who consume the spectacle of the disaster, exploring spaces of mass death and suffering. Sites that are obliterated by disasters or tragic events are recycled and visually consumed by an international audience, creating a death-seekers economy. The quest for the suffering of others allows for a much deeper reinterpretation of life, and has captivated the attention of many tourists, visiting sites such as concentration camps, disasters zones, abandoned prisons, and areas hit by terrorism. This book explores the notion of the death-seekers economy, drawing on the premise that the society of risk as imagined by postmodern sociology sets the pace to a new society: thana-capitalism. The chapters dissect our fascination with other’s suffering, what this means for our own perceptions of the self, and as a tourist activity. It also explores the notion of an economy of impotence, where citizens feel the world is out of control. This compelling book will be interest to students and scholars researching dark tourism, tourist behaviour, disaster studies, cultural studies and sociology.
The Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard
by Thomas DresserNow known as a resort community and vacation destination, Martha's Vineyard was once a simple fishing and whaling community. From the popularity of the Methodist Campground, founded in 1835, the Vineyard soon blossomed into a summer vacation mecca, welcoming visitors to its quaint villages and scenic seashores. As whaling lost its economic dominance, tourism became the catalyst for a revived prosperity on the Vineyard. President Grant's visit to the Vineyard in 1874 drew national attention and marked the beginning of several presidential visits to the island. By 1900, Oak Bluffs had developed an amusement park atmosphere with the iconic Flying Horses, toboggan slide and grand seaside hotels. Join local historian Tom Dresser as he reveals the island's transformation into a premier tourist destination.
The Risk In Being Alive: One Man's Adventures Across the Planet
by Brian HancockDiving off a Jamaican waterfall, evading a charging black rhino in the veldt, running naked through the streets of South Africa, nearly drowning off the coast of Brazil--such adventures and many more are recounted in this personal collection of travel essays about one man's journey following the cardinal winds. Infused with a dry sense of humor and an observant sense of place, these stories cascade in a torrent of thrilling events and breathtaking wonder.
The Risotto Guru: Adventures in Eating Italian
by Laura FraserNYT-bestselling author Laura Fraser journeys from the SpaghettiOs of her American childhood to savor the best of Italian cuisine and the culture that cooked it up. Using the same dreamy, delicious prose that made An Italian Affair a best-selling memoir, these essays will delight readers who loved that book, and all who love Italian food and culture. Sumptuous descriptions of Italian meals—and the passion that goes into them—make this e-book a mouthwatering, uplifting pleasure. In “Italy in 17 Courses,” Fraser uses the pace and order of the dishes in a wedding feast to muse on her own introduction to Italian food, and how it changed her from a diet-obsessed vegetarian to a pasta and pancetta connoisseur. “An Affair to Remember” explores themes of food and nostalgia, and how a good meal can lift the spirit. In “The Risotto Guru,” Fraser writes a funny spoof of New Age gurus as she searches to perfect her own risotto. Warning: Do not read on an empty stomach.