Cooking Tips 103

Cooking rice
One important thing to remember when making rice is to stir it as little as possible. Once or twice to break it up a little is fine, but excess stirring will make it mushy and stick together.

Potato patties
If you have leftover mashed potatoes lying around, make them into croquettes! Just form the potatoes into patties, heat up a frying pan with a little oil (see 101 for an oil tip), crisp them up on both sides, and you've got a tasty treat!

Sweet Sauces
If you plan on using sauces, marinades or other flavorings in your recipes that contain significant amounts of natural or refined sugars (such as fruit preserves, chutneys, certain kinds of teriyaki and BBQ sauces ect...), just be aware that those flavorings can caramelize and burn very easily when exposed to direct heat. Just be conscious that the outside of whatever you're cooking doesn't get too crispy for your liking.

Cooler Weather This Week

The unusually warm weather, we have been enjoying the last few weeks, will come to end this week. A strong cold front will be will be dropping from the north today  Temperatures will falling 40s early tomorrow afternoon into 30s, tomorrow evening. To the left is the NAM weather forecast model. It has temperatures dropping into upper 20s across the area on Monday night. Normally, these temps would not be big deal, at this time year. But after last few weeks, with temperatures in 70s, this might come to shock to you.

It will not be this cold, all week, however. Temperatures will slowly rise back to 45-50, Tuesday afternoon. A warm front will move through the area on Wednesday. High temps back into upper 50s and low 60s, with party sunny skies.

Restaurant Review: Penang

Growing up, Chinese take-out was a staple in my family, and one of my favorite meals of the week. It's still good, but after almost 20 years of ordering from the same restaurant, the menu has grown a bit tiresome (something my mother vehemently echoes on a fairly regular basis). In recent years, the vast expansion of Thai and other East Asian cuisines in the city has allowed me to explore alternatives. One of the finest of these alternatives is the exquisite Malaysian eatery between Amsterdam and Columbus on 72nd street: Penang.

As far as the menu goes, Penang really has something for everyone. Besides catering to both meat-eaters and vegetarians, I overheard from a waiter once that the restaurant is dairy-free (don't know if this applies to some of the desserts, though, so it would be good to ask). Unlike many Chinese take-out places, the food is never greasy and always prepared with fresh ingredients (not to mention always delicious- I recommend the Basil Chicken).

In addition to the fabulous menu, the layout of the restaurant is casual yet classy. Long and narrow, but with plenty of elbow room and a full bar in the front. No windows, but the entire front wall (facing the street) is made of glass, letting in just the right amount of light. The most unique part is the restrooms. Two unisex restrooms are separated by a short corridor containing the sinks, making the wait time shorter for both men and women, and no waiting at all if you just want to wash your hands.

If anyone is looking for a change of pace from the usual Chinese food, I highly recommend trying Penang. It's a bit pricey, but the combination of quality food, a cozy atmosphere and all-around good time makes the investment well-worth it.

PENANG NYC WEBSITE

In Search of Myths and Heroes

Ever since I was little, I've always loved folktales and mythology. After becoming enthralled with Michael Wood's famous and amazing series, The Story of India, I wanted to explore his other work. This program focuses on four of the world's most famous mythological stories, explores the actual geographic locations where they were said to have taken place, and analyzes historical and religious texts to see how the myths have been shaped and changed over the centuries and influenced by many different cultural traditions.

The Queen of Sheba
First appearing in the Old Testament of the Bible, this legendary queen is claimed by the Ethiopians to be the mother of their first king via a relationship with King Solomon. In the Yemeni tradition, she is the ruler of a vast kingdom, fabulously wealthy from the historical Arabian incense trade.

Arthur: Once and Future King
While believed by many to be the quintessential English folktale, Arthur's legend was composed over a period of hundreds of years and influenced by stories from Ireland, France and most of all, the rich and enduring traditions of the Celts, Britain's original inhabitants.

Shangri-La
A hidden valley in the Himalayas where the wisdom of humanity is preserved to rebuild the world after violence, corruption and lust for power has destroyed it. Drawing on ancient Indian philosophy, Wood travels straight into Tibet and visits mysterious monasteries and magnificent mountains.

Jason and the Argonauts
One of the most famous of all Greek myths, this story of an ocean voyage to retrieve a magnificent treasure is actually a tale of how the Greeks first started planting colonies in the resource-rich areas of the Black Sea, and how many of those ancient traditions still remain alive today.

The most unique and enchanting aspect of the series is the "storytelling". Whenever a text or source is quoted, the screen displays a black room lit only by candlelight, and a woman (a different one for each episode) recites the words in a soft and mysterious voice (each brings a unique touch, but the one for the "Shangri-La' episode is particularly adept).

Simply put, anyone looking for good historical information, highlighted by dramatic scenery, camerawork and captivating storytelling, this is the series for you!    

Cooking Tips 102

Moist chicken
If you want your chicken to stay nice and moist while grilling, marinate it in yogurt. This technique is often used in the Middle East and India, and adding spices like garlic, cumin and black pepper to the marinade will emulate the flavors of these areas.

Adding eggs
If any recipe requires that raw eggs be added to a hot mixture, wait until the mixture cools unless the recipe says otherwise. Raw eggs + hot mixture will actually end up cooking the eggs and the whole recipe could be ruined.

Chopping peppers
If you are preparing peppers for crudite or some other form of cooking, be sure to remove the seeds before serving or adding them. If any of your guests are not particularly fond of spicy food, this will take away much of the heat of the peppers.

More Warm Weather This Week

Unsually warm weather for this time of year, will make a return this week. With the potential for 80 degree weather, later this week.

 For today, we will see temps in the low to mid 70s, away from the beaches. In Southern Queens and Brooklyn, a sea-breeze this afternoon, may prevent high temps from reaching 70 degrees. Tonight a backdoor cold front (a cold front coming from the east), will cause skies to cloud over and drop temps in 50s this evening than middle to upper 40s overnight. An isolated shower is also possible. Tomorrow with the light east/southeast winds, off the ocean and partly cloudy skies, high temps will only reach between 60-65 degrees.

On Tuesday night, the backdoor cold front, comes back as a warm front. This will cause winds to switch from a east/southeast direction, to a west/southwest direction. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, will have at least partial sunshine, with highs possibly reaching upper 70s to middle 80s. Especially farthest away from the beaches. Another cold front, could give us a chance of showers and t-storms sometime late Thursday or on Friday. But 90% of time, it will be dry.

I will have more updates this week, on the warmth and threat for rainfall.

Cooking Tips 101

Many years of watching cooking shows and practicing in the kitchen have led to the accumulation of many helpful tricks that you may not pick up elsewhere. Here are a few choice ones:

Cooking with oil
To check that oil has reached the right heat for cooking, splash a few drops of water into the pan. If the oil sizzles and spits, it is ready (just be careful not to burn yourself).

Marinating fish
Because of the delicate texture of some types of fish (salmon, tilapia ect...), marinating them in liquid for longer than 10-20 can make them soggy and crumble in the pan when cooking. A thick fish steak like tuna or swordfish can be marinated for significantly longer periods.

Washing strawberries
The best way to clean strawberries is to wipe them with a damp towel. They are porous by nature and will soak up a lot of liquid. If rinsed under running water and not eaten soon afterward, they can rot more quickly.

More tips will undoubtedly come, so stay tuned!

Book Review: The Castle in the Attic

 

Along with Lloyd Alexander's The Book of Three, this story was instrumental in establishing my childhood love of fantasy literature. I remember my mother reading it to me, and later reading it on my own. I loved each and every page, and not just because of the story itself. The main character was someone I identified with on several levels, the most significant being his abiding love of gymnastics (a passion of mine from age 5 until age 17).

Ten-year old William Edward Lawrence has been cared for all his life by Mrs. Eleanor Phillips, an English widow who is preparing to return home at the end of the month. Having no children of her own, as a parting gift she bequeaths to William a scaled-down, fully functional stone model of a medieval castle, complete with a figure of a knight in silver armor, that has been in her family for generations. While dreading the departure of his beloved caretaker, William is given the biggest shock of his young life. At his touch, the figure of the silver knight mysteriously comes alive and reveals an incredible story: Sir Simon (the knight) was cheated of his kingdom by an evil wizard who murdered his father and turned Sir Simon into a lead statue. Eventually, using magic stolen by Sir Simon from the wizard himself, William enters the enchanted kingdom of the Silver Knight and embarks on a quest to defeat the tyrant wizard once and for all.

In addition to my personal gymnastics aspect, William was a character who was very easy to relate to. His feelings of anger, sadness, courage and even social awkwardness are things that all children go through at some time or another. In addition, what little boy doesn't enjoy stories of knights, castles and magic?

Overall, The Castle in the Attic is a touching, poignant and very human story about the joys and sorrows of growing up. You could even say that it was my very first introduction to the classic "hero's journey" archetype so important to my later storytelling interests (Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings ect... ect...). I would highly recommend this story to any child with a love of fantasy, or an adult who wants to recapture some of that sweet, literary magic they enjoyed in their own childhoods.  

Greetings From Mexico

For as long as I can remember, food has been a significant part of my life. When I was growing up, home-cooked meals were a mainstay in my house at least four times a week (although the takeout we sometimes ordered wasn't half bad either). My mother has always been infamous for hosting large dinner parties and family gatherings for holidays and special occasions, and in the last bunch of years I have become her "sous chef" in preparation for these big gatherings (so much to do, so little time).

More recently, I have been fine-tuning my own culinary skills and hosting parties of my own. I like to cook whenever I can and enjoy experimenting with new recipes, techniques and ingredients. I have absorbed many helpful hints working alongside my mother over the years, and the Food Network and the newly created Cooking Channel are common staples of our evening entertainment. In addition, I'm always excited to discover a new restaurant and sample its many delicacies. Whether a simple sandwich shop or the fanciest of French bistros, New York City certainly has no shortage of these palate-pleasing wonderlands. Overall, I think I can safely say I am comfortable with calling myself a "foodie".

The following recipe not only comes from the Food Network website (always a great source for gastronomic inspiration), but was perhaps the most difficult recipe I have tried to date. I have never been a fan of the "Tex-Mex" style of food, and this culinary concoction has turned me onto the authentic flavors of Mexico. Although very delicious, a word of advice: if you want to attempt to make this recipe, CLEAR YOUR DAY!!!

Yucatan Marinated Chicken Skewers with Peanut-Red Chile Mole Sauce  

Byzantium: The Lost Empire

When I first viewed this documentary series, I wasn't exactly awed (it took several tries to make it through all four episodes). The photography was not not very sophisticated (although I later realized that the 2007 label on the case was incorrect- the series actually dates from 1997- thus the photography was typical) and the host wasn't the most engaging. Eventually, however, I was watching it over and over again, taking in a fascinating period of history that, more often than not, gets insufficient coverage in most academic studies programs.

For those not familiar with the empire of Byzantium, let's just say that the "fall" of the Roman Empire was not nearly as cut-and-dry as most of us probably learned in school. Beginning with the establishment of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) in 330 C.E., the eastern half of the Roman Empire grew into one of the wealthiest and most powerful states in the world, far outstripping the western half, including Rome itself. When the last Roman emperor abdicated in the 5th century, the eastern empire endured for over a thousand more years, witnessing some of the most momentous events in European and Middle Eastern history and taking on a cultural identity all its own.

Filmed in locations on three continents, each episode of the series focuses on a different time segment of the Byzantine Empire, beginning with the founding of Constantinople and ending with the Turkish conquest of the city in 1453. One constant theme throughout all the episodes was the profound influence Byzantium exerted on other cultures- artistically, culturally, economically and, most of all, religiously. Mr. Romer acts as the tour guide/cultural informant to a multitude of historical sites, as well as providing mild comedy relief when necessary.

For anyone interested in exploring a culture that is sometimes described as "the new Rome", this series would be an excellent and extensive jumping-off point.       

War Horse at Lincoln Center

Perhaps more than other major conflicts, World War I holds a unique place in history. It marked the first time heavy machinery had entered the field, and resulted in a greater loss of life than any conflict up to that time. European society was thrown into chaos, and nothing would ever be the same again. One fact about WWI, however, is not as widely known; this was the last time that cavalry was deployed as a major unit in armed combat. Recently adapted by Stephen Spielberg into a feature film, the production of War Horse now playing at Lincoln Center offers a unique and touching glimpse into this little known world of vanishing cavalry.

 

Upon seeing the performance, my feelings and reactions were somewhat mixed (as were those of the rest of my family). The storyline in-and-of-itself was not groundbreaking- the prized horse (and perhaps only friend) of a poor English farm boy is sold into the cavalry by his drunken, gambling father and sent to fight in France. The boy secretly enlists and faces many dangers to find his horse, and the two are reunited in the end. The most unique and memorable aspect of the production, however, was the effects. The horses were constructed essentially like mechanical costumes; an articulated framework covered with strips of cloth and leather and manned by 2 or 3 puppeteers. They were really the stars of the show, even more than the actors. There was also a massive computer screen set above the stage, which featured continuously changing digital images (fashioned to look like black and white drawings) relating to the time and place of the current scene.

There were also short musical pieces spaced throughout the performance, some of which were surprisingly good. While the storyline may not have been remarkable, the characters featured multi-layered personalities and displayed very genuine (if somewhat exaggerated) emotions. Overall, if you looked at the story from the personalities and life situations of the characters, you could easily understand their feelings as well as the reasons for their actions.

Seeing this performance has inspired me to view Spielberg's film to see how it stacks up. In any case, I would recommend anyone who can afford it to visit Lincoln Center and book a seat to this remarkable production.

4/14/12- movie comparison 

The Biography of Studio 54

Studio 54: The Rubell/Schrager Years

In 1977, Studio 54 was transformed into a new age, spectacular nightclub by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, with Jack Dushey as a financial backer. They operated the company as Broadway Catering Corp. It took four months to transform the theater into a nightclub and cost $400,000.^[6]

Rubell and Schrager hired Ron Doud as interior designer, Scott Bromley as architect, Renny Reynolds as florist, and Brian Thompson to design environmental lighting. Jules Fisher, a Tony Award winning theatrical lighting designer and Paul Marantz, a world renowned architectural lighting designer known for his work on buildings and bridges, were enlisted to lead a team of International lighting and theatrical set designers to convert the theater into an ever changing environmental sensory explosion including a dance floor and moveable, theatrical sets and lights using the original theatrical fly rails. Using the theater's original theatrical infrastructure, they were able to dramatically change the space and alter the size of the space multiple times a night—something that had never been done before. The club was exciting and was always doing something different and unexpected; they often had special “one night only“ performances by the hottest musical acts around. Studio 54 took the nightclub scene by storm and was an instant success.

Within a month of opening, the New York State Liquor Authority raided Studio 54 for selling liquor without a license, and closed it. The owners of the nightclub said the incident was a "misunderstanding". The next night the club reopened, serving fruit juice and soda instead of liquor and was still a success.

Studio 54 was a melting pot where people of different ages, ethnicities, professions, and lifestyles came together under one roof: the diversity was truly combustible. The crowd included the most celebrated writers, actors, artists, dancers, musicians and other culturally influential people. Among the many celebrities present were Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Rick James, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Hall, Diana Vreeland, Halston, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Margaux Hemingway, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Salvador Dalí, Brooke Shields, Francesco Scavullo, Cher, Joan Collins, Martha Graham and Deborah Harry.

Studio 54 was operated by the publicly visible Rubell and his invisible creative partner, Schrager. Rubell became widely known for his door policy, mixing ordinary people with glamorous celebrities. Rubell "cast a play" when selecting the perfect mix of people to enter the club each night. The nightclub held around 1,550 patrons who paid a $15 / $20 cover charge to get in each night.

Rubell and Schrager gave event planner Robert Isabell his first break with the planning of an unbelievable New Years Eve party. Isabell had four tons of glitter dumped in a four inch layer on the dance floor. Ian Schrager described it as "standing on stardust". Glitter could be found months later on guests' clothing and in their homes.^[7]

In December 1978 Rubell was quoted in the New York newspapers as saying the Studio 54 had made $7 million in its first year and that "only the Mafia made more money." Shortly thereafter the nightclub was raided and Rubell and Schrager were arrested for skimming $2.5 million.

Studio 54 closed with a final party on February 4, 1980 where Diana Ross personally serenaded Rubell and Schrager. Ryan O'Neal, Mariel Hemingway, Jocelyn Wildenstein, Richard Gere, Gia Carangi, Jack Nicholson, Reggie Jackson, and Sylvester Stallone were among the guests that night. Schrager and Rubell were found guilty of tax evasion^[vague] and spent 13 months in prison. It was the first time anyone had ever been prosecuted for a one year tax evasion.

by Justin Stenzler

source : wikipedia.org

The Life of Steve Rubell who owned Studio 54

Steve Rubell
Born	December 2, 1943 Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died	July 25, 1989 (aged 45) New York City, New York, United States

Early life

Rubell and his brother Don spent their childhoods with their parents in Brooklyn, New York. His father worked for the U.S. Postal Service and later became a tennis pro. Rubell attended Wingate High School, and was also an avid tennis player,^[1] but decided against playing professionally.

[edit]Education

Entering Syracuse University ^[2] Rubell had the intention of becoming a dentist, but failed his courses and switched majors, studying finance and history. Rubell was reportedly not a good student but managed to complete his studies, going on to complete a Master's degree in Finance. While attending college Rubell met Ian Schrager, who became a lifelong friend and business partner.

[edit]Business

Rubell joined the National Guard, returning to New York after a tour of duty in the military intelligence unit, he worked at a brokerage firm after his return. Rubell then decided to start his own business and opened two restaurants, one in Queens, New York, and the other in New Haven, Connecticut.

[edit]Studio 54 Era

In 1974, Rubell teamed up with Schrager to run a chain of Steak Loft restaurants, and after spending some time in the NY nightclub scene, the two decided to open a club of their own. John Addison, owner of La Jardin on West 43rd Street, introduced Rubell to Billy Smith A/K/A Billy Amato, in 1974. Smith was asked by Schrager and Rubell to handle the promotions for their new disco club called "Enchanted Gardens", a dinner/disco in Queens. While still in the music business, Smith then joined Rubell and Schrager part-time at Studio 54 in the Spring of 1977 and full-time in 1981. Smith stayed with the pair until the closing of Studio 54 in April 1986.

Rubell and Schrager opened two clubs, one in Boston with John Addison from La Jardin, the other, called The Enchanted Garden, in Queens in 1975. In April 1977, they opened Studio 54 in an old television studio on West 54th Street. Rubell became a familiar face in front of the building, turning people down at the door and only letting in those who met his specific standards. Rubell also dealt with the club's celebrity patrons, ensuring that they were thrown lavish parties. His tactics worked, and the club made $7 million during its first year.

In December 1978, Studio 54 was raided after Rubell was quoted as saying that only the Mafia made more money than the club brought in. In June 1979, Rubell and Schrager were charged with tax evasion, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy for reportedly skimming nearly $2.5 million in unreported income from the club's receipts, in a system Rubell called "cash-in, cash-out and skim." ^[3] A second raid occurred in December 1979. The pair hired Roy Cohn to defend them,^[4] but on January 18, 1980, they were sentenced to three and a half years in prison and a $20,000 fine each for the tax evasion charge. On February 4, 1980, Rubell and Schrager went to prison and Studio 54 was sold in November of that year for $4.75 million. In January 1981, Rubell and Schrager were released from prison after handing over the names of other club owners involved in tax evasion.

[edit]Hotels

Once released, Rubell and Schrager purchased the Executive Hotel on Madison Ave and renamed it Morgan's. Rubell later opened the Palladium, a large dance club famous for displaying art by Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, and considered central to the New York club scene in the 1980s. In 1998, the Palladium was demolished so that New York University dorms could be built in its place.^[5]

[edit]Pop culture

Mike Myers played the part of Steve Rubell in the movie 54. ^[6] Rubell has also been the topic of an episode of Biography titled Steve Rubell: Lord of the Disco.

[edit]Death

In 1985, after discovering he had contracted AIDS, Rubell (who was closeted for most of his life^[2]) began taking AZT, but his illness was furthered by his continued drug usage and drinking, which affected his already compromised immune system. Rubell died on July 25, 1989, with the official cause of death listed as hepatitis.^[3]

by Justin Stenzler

source : wkipedia.org

Studio 54

Studio 54 is a movie that was released in 1998. It is a based on a real life story of Steve Rubell  played by one of my favorite actors Mike Myers. Ryan Phillipe who plays Shane who waiting to get into the club then becomes a bus boy and then becomes a bartender who made a lot of money. Selma Hayek who plays a singer in Studio 54 and Neve Campbell who plays a actress. That movie tells a great story about club and features great disco music.

by Justin Stenzler

Movie Review: Marco Polo

 

I first came upon this film without the faintest idea of the brilliance in store. It was August 8th 2008, mere hours before the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics was set to begin. I was browsing the "Free Movies on Demand" channel with my father and this title came up. Interested, we set it to play, and I was awed as I rarely have been in my entire life.

The film chronicles the incredible story of the Venetian trader who, at barely twenty years of age, traversed practically the entire breadth of the Asian continent and spent over a decade in service of the legendary Mongol emperor of China, Kublai Khan. Facing danger at every turn, both inside and outside the confines of the palace, young Marco saw wonders that most other Europeans would not behold for centuries and wrote perhaps the world's most famous travel guide, which (according to the ending scene of the film) has never been out of print since its first publication nearly 800 years ago.

In films like this, the issue of historical accuracy is always a prominent one. I don't claim to be an expert on the period, yet I had my doubts about certain aspects portrayed in the film; some seemed to have been created merely as romanticizing elements to further the story, yet others have proven, based on my recent research and observations, to be surprisingly correct. Regardless of specific inaccuracies, one thing the film did exceptionally well was show the contrasts between Europe and China (culturally, technologically and intellectually) which, at this time (13th century), were very significant.

The film was not big on special effects by any means (if anything there was a noticeable lack of them), but that was hardly an issue. I did have some qualms-perhaps not initially but after wards- about the casting choices (namely Ian Somerhalder and Brian Dennehy, an American and Irishman, respectively, playing famous Italian and Chinese historical figures), but lavish sets, costumes and cinematography, coupled with dramatic storytelling and fascinating characters affected me in ways that few other movies ever have. So much so, that I re-watched the movie about a dozen more times over the following two weeks and got my hands on the DVD (which contained a lot of extra footage) at the first opportunity. 

Book Review: The Silver Lotus

"Like father, like son". This is one phrase that we hear all the time, and was probably one of the first we heard as children. In the case of Thomas Steinbeck, eldest son of legendary American author John Steinbeck, however, this saying has never been more true. I was a fan of the father's work in high school (The Red Pony, The Pearl, Of Mice and Men), and now have discovered the literary magic of the son through his magnificent novel The Silver Lotus.

Spanning roughly from the 1890's until the 1910's (though this is difficult to determine, since actual dates are mentioned maybe three times in the entire book), The Silver Lotus takes its title from the name of its main character: Lady Yee is the youngest daughter of a wealthy merchant in the Chinese port city of Canton. Unsurpassed in beauty and unbelievably intelligent, Lady Yee is the jewel of her father's existence.

On the surface, captain Jeremiah Macy Hammond is the last person one would expect to be integrated into such a prominent Chinese family (an American merchant captain descended from a Nantucket whaling family). Nonetheless, his fine morals, deep sense of dignity and shrewd yet honest business ways earn him the singular honor of Lady Yee's hand in marriage.

Together, Captain Hammond and Lady Yee have many adventures sailing and trading across the Pacific, and when they finally settle down in Monterey, California, Lady Yee's almost superhuman instincts of perception combine with her husband's vast business network to profoundly change the sociopolitical culture and situation of ethnic minorities of the California coast.

The most remarkable feature about Steinbeck Jr.'s work is that the book contains very little dialog. In 342 pages the amount of actual spoken words adds up to perhaps five pages at most- hence the entire story is told in retrospect, making the reader feel like they are reading a historical account. Its been a while since I read anything by Steinbeck Sr., so I don't recall if this was his style as well. Nonetheless, it was still a very interesting literary technique.

Although some are extensively featured and others are only a passing reference, the sheer number of cultures, nationalities and religions (not to mention their foods, clothes and vast amounts of trade goods) paints an almost global picture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries while still focusing on the simple and loving relationship between an American merchant captain and his beautiful Chinese wife.

Thomas Steinbeck has written other books besides this one, and they apparently have been well received. Whether I will eventually read them or not is uncertain, but one thing is certain; in his firm grasp of characters and storytelling, Steinbeck Jr. is every bit as good as his father, and perhaps in some instances has even surpassed him.

Book Review: Nobody's Prize

Sequel to Nobody's Princess (see link)

Although it covers a significantly shorter time span than its prequel, Esther Friesner's second novel about Helen of Troy's early life is even more jam-packed with adventure, mystery and outright good storytelling than Nobody's Princess. Continuing to immerse the reader in the authentic world of the Late Bronze Age, Nobody's Prize considerably broadens young Helen's horizons, both physically and metaphorically.

She's fourteen years old and everyone expects her to marry, but Helen has already shattered all convention by receiving armed combat training, participating in the Calydonian Boar Hunt and now, disguised as a boy, has snuck aboard the famed ship the Argo to sail across the world on search of the legendary Golden Fleece.

Keeping one's identity secret aboard a crowded ship is no easy task, and soon everybody recognizes Helen for what she is (although relatively few know who she is). As if this were not enough, the young Spartan Princess narrowly avoids death before escaping the eastern kingdom of Colchis. On her way home Helen is taken prisoner by King Theseus of Athens and will be forced to marry him unless she can come up with a plan to escape and return to Sparta.

While giving fresh faces to already famous mythological characters- the legendary poet Orpheus, the mighty yet tragic hero Heracles (Hercules) and the disturbed yet dangerous enchantress Medea- Nobody's Prize contains a fine balance of action, drama and all the storytelling talent expected of an experienced tale weaver.