Category: Rare Books

Hunting for books is like finding buried treasure!

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when atlantis was real

there wasa time that the story of Atlantis was considered real
There was a time when the theory of Atlantis was considered real, it was a time of achievement and optimism. Kings and scholars read “Atlantis; the Antediluvian World” with a captivation seldom seen even today outside of Harry Potter phenomenon. However, before we sound too cruel to ‘Atlantis’, allow me to present the last paragraph of the book to help you better understand their enthusiasm:

“We are but beginning to understand the past: one hundred years ago the world knew nothing of Pompeii or Herculaneum; nothing of the lingual tie that binds together the Indo-European nations; nothing of the significance of the vast volumes of inscriptions upon the tombs and temples of Egypt; nothing of the meaning of the arrow-headed inscriptions of Babylon; nothing of the marvelous civilizations revealed in the remains of Yucatan, Mexico and Peru. We are on the threshold. Scientific investigations is making great strides. Who shall say that in one hundred years from now the great museums of the world may not be adorned with gems, statues, arms, and the implements of Atlantis, while the libraries of the world shall contain translations of its inscriptions, throwing new light upon all the past history of the human race, and all the great problems which now perplex the thinkers of our day?”

Ignatius Donnelly (1882)

Here is a fairly good , but brief, synopsis of Donnelly’s book.

Interestingly enough, some recent theories postulate a rather sudden flood of the Mediterranean which may be associated with the legend. In any event, it is from our discarded theories that we learn something of value…. if not be entertained. This reminds me that it is not the theories that we embrace that cause us to falter, but our unwillingness to give them up that continues to haunt us.

“It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.” — Konrad Lorenz

We can look all around us today and see ‘scientific theories’  in the free marketplace of ideas; they should be allowed to be debated and not censored, for only in this way can we eventually discover the truth.

Roger Freberg

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fun with old cookbooks

the virginia housewife or methodical cook

I have found that few things transform you in time quite like an old cookbook. We get wonderful hints as to what it was like to live and dine in another era. Recently, I came across a fascinating little book that you can still find a few recent reprints if you look around. “The Virginia Housewife or, Methodical Cook” was first published in 1831. The author wrote her book:

‘from the want of books sufficiently clear and concise… to reduce every thing in the culinary line, to proper weights and measures… for, when the ingredients employed were given in just proportions, the article made was equally good.”

This was in an era when the culinary skills were truly a ‘learn by doing’ activity and normally little was ever written down and everything committed to memory. It appears that this cookbook was a widely reprinted reference well into the civil war.

We all wonder what recipes might be popular enough with ingredients commonplace enough to be placed in a cookbook of that time? Many of the recipes are very basic: on how to clean and dress various animals, sauces, puddings and desserts, preserves, pickling and the making of beer and cordials. But what it does include that might surprise you is a nice recipe for ‘Curried Chicken’. As you know curry powder is a blend of spices and she even includes a recipe for her ‘curry.’ Who knew?

TO MAKE A DISH OF CURRY AFTER THE EAST INDIAN MANNER

Cut two chickens as for fricassee, wash them clean, and put them in a stew pan with as much water as will cover them; sprinkle them with a large spoonful of salt, and let them boil until tender, cover close all the time, and skim them well; when boiled enough,take up the chickens, and put the liquor of them into a pan, then put half a pound of fresh butter in the pan, and brown it a little; put into it two cloves of garlic, and a large onion sliced, and let these all fry till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the chickens, and sprinkle over them two or thee spoonfuls of curry powder; then cover the pan close, and let the chickens do till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the liquor the chickens were boiled in, and all stew together until tender; if acid is agreeable squeeze the juice of a lemon or orange in it.

CURRY POWDER

One ounce turmeric, one do. coriander seed, one do. cumin seed, one do. white ginger, one cayenne pepper; pound all together, and pass them through a fine sieve; bottle and cork it well — one tea-spoon is sufficient to season any made dish.

Sound Familiar? YUM!

Roger

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the truth was written in the past

two steps forward one step back

The book entitled “Atlantis the antediluvian world” was received as ‘fact’ when the book was released in 1882. Kings and heads of state reviewed with awe the tale of Atlantis, and with the recent discovery of Troy and the continued exploration of Egyptian antiquity, who could blame anyone from being captivated? We often don’t admit to being hoodwinked which is why you seldom hear about this book, but it is fun to read!

Which brings me to a curious point, one of the things that are quickly vanishing out of libraries and large private collections and into the hands of many everyday people are thousands and thousands of books. If you haven’t been to a library recently — and few have — there is one thing missing… books!  Personally, I am not sad to see the library go the way of the dodo. Libraries are the clerics of an ancient technology.

However, the challenge we have today is sifting through the interpretations of others and never seeing the original source. If you don’t read the original books, you might believe  that Abraham Lincoln’s overriding passion wasn’t to free the slaves. You might not be aware that many believe he was influenced by an account of the capture and slavery of a seaman in North Africa in the early 1800’s.

By building your own library, you can see for yourself what people thought about their times and the people in them. Just as any good chef will own hundreds of cookbooks ( although there are those who won’t admit it!), how can you really know your field if you have not read their founding books?

Find something you enjoy and buy some books!

Roger Freberg

PS. Laura has started her own  Psychology Library

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it is all about books

find fun books.... is just fun!
finding and searching for books.... is just fun!

Abebooks.com is one of my favorite on-line sites for… yes… books!  Recently I found two books that were amusing. The first book is a look into how and why alcoholic beverages developed around the world and the importance of various berries and grains as well as honey. The author, Patrick McGovern travels the world to see exactly how various civilizations produced beers and wines… “Uncorking the Past” is an excellent buy for those interested in how things all began.

My second book is a simple cookbook from 1908 the Rumford Complete Cookbook by Lily Maxworth Wallace who went on to write through the 1940’s on cookery and etiquette.  Rumford — as many know — makes baking powder including the ‘Clabber Girl” brand familiar to those here in California.  One can already see the trend towards recipe simplification, cost  reduction and minimization of preparation time. However, the book is fun in that it covers a wide variety of subjects not addressed in many cookbooks today… for example, how to properly bone a fowl.

see you on the internet!
see you on the internet!

Roger Freberg

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Madame Wu and the art of chinese cooking

Madame Wu's Cookbook -- buy it if you can find it!
Madame Wu's Cookbook -- buy it if you can find it!

Whenever Laura and I could save enough, we would make the journey to Madame Wu’s for a very special dinner. Considering dinner for us struggling students meant coming up with a weeks pay for dinner for two, we valued the times we were able to come and dine.

I have wanted a copy of Madame Wu’s cookbook for quite some time, but I have had a bit of a wait. Her cookbook I love was printed in 1973 ( the year after Laura and I were married) and her recipes are simple, yet wonderful. Her specialty at the time was Wu’s Beef, one of my many favorites. She speaks — as some of us sometimes do — that the culinary world is as important to a culture as art and science… and I agree.

“The first condition on learning how to eat is how to talk about it. Only in a society wherein people of culture and refinement inquire after a cook’s health, instead of talking about the weather, can the art of cuisine be developed. No food is really enjoyed unless it is keenly anticipated, discussed, eaten and then commented on….. as the poets of yore praised good Chinese food, so will you!”

I hope Laura doesn’t find the recipe for “Cashew Shrimp” or I’ll never get her out of the kitchen. In the meantime, I plan to prepare and enjoy every recipe in her lovely and simple book.

Roger

PS. Madame Wu has returned to Los Angeles near their farmer’s market under the name MADAME WU’S ASIAN BISTRO & SUSHI. It won’t take a week’s salary anymore as it is most affordable… and I hope to try it the next time we’re in town.

(323) 965-8150