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Virginia Aronson, Writer

Reviews

PRAISE FOR VIRGINIA ARONSON'S BOOKS:

The White House Family Cookbook (with Executive Chef Henry Haller)
"This hefty volume offers an intriguing glimpse of presidential history." - Publishers Weekly

"This is a classic!" - Liz Carpenter, former White House Press Secretary

"This elegant and easy-to-follow cookbook...should satisfy the curiousity of those not invited to those state dinners." - People Magazine

"Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan enjoyed Haller's services as executive chef at the White House. His anecdotes are blended here with recipes served to each family…These recipes cover a wide range…the anecdotes are surprisingly interesting, even entertaining." - Library Journal

"(Haller) upholds the first White House cookbook's tradition of propriety. The recipes, which include some of Haller's own engagingly genuine Swiss favorites, reveal him to be a capable, tolerant, and certainly versatile purveyor of everything from upscale banquet fare and ladies'-magazine casseroles to such regional standards as the Johnson's chile con queso, the Carters' hush puppies, and even President Reagan's hamburger soup. Undeniably, there is something here for anyone who might turn up for dinner--and the numerous photos, illustrious names, and other trimmings ensure coffee-table as well as kitchen-table utility." - Kirkus Reviews

"This book not only has great recipes but it also talks about why the president(s) enjoyed them so much. Also included are photographs of presidents and their guests with descriptions of their time spent in the White House. More than just a recipe book!" - Amazon Reviewer

"Surprisingly doable recipes--every one so far has been one of the best meals ever--family favorites--nothing even 'OK'--everything fantastic. The history or personal stories included are fun as well. Best cookbook I ever had--going to give as a gift to everyone who cooks. Can't help but love it!"
- Amazon Reviewer

"I first purchased this book years ago, and it is still a cherished favorite. It is as much fun to browse through as it is to cook from, with well-written stories recollected of our first families. Mr. Haller included recipes which can easily be mastered by the average household cook, with photos to inspire and amuse. We enjoy this cookbook so well, we've purchased copies for family and friends over the years, and continue to do so. It makes a wonderful and thoughtful gift--a book of elegant and practical recipes, fit for coffee table display! This book has something for every taste and every occasion, and covers everyday recipes to the truly sublime, decadent to healthy, down home Southern recipes to European favorites, with everything in between. The White House Family Cookbook is truly worthy of America's talented First Chef Henry Haller. It is also the only recipe book of which I personally own two--a 'working copy' for the kitchen, and a more pristine copy for our personal library." - Amazon Reviewer

"This is not just a cookbook. It's filled with anecdotes about the First Families who lived and ate tasty meals in the White House. (Fun to read while your batch of Tricia's Chocolate Chip Cookies is in the oven.) The recipes run the gamut from simple to sensational, so there should be something for every taste in here. Highly recommended for folks interested in getting to know our presidential families as real people." - Goodreads

J'Adoube (I Adjust) / South Florida Spin
"Virginia Aronson's characters are ethereal, world-hungry ghosts lost in a haze of youth, addiction, delusion, and obsession. From the inlands to the beaches of Miami, American Suburbia has never looked so alien and so familiar before. She brings to the table the starkness of Bukowski, the postmodernism of (Ryu) Murakami, and Maugham's innate sense of beauty within the human condition... An epic journey in 108 pages that will leave you breathless and stunned." - Amazon Reviewer

"The debut fiction collection of Virginia Aronson--and what a debut she makes. Highly intriguing and entertaining from the first page to the last, Aronson will touch your heart and make you laugh all the same with her edgy yet authentic prose. Highly recommended to fiction collections everywhere." - Midwest Book Review

Little Smiling Hooks
"Sylvia Plath was acutely wary of the 'hooks' that fastened her to the world, the bonds of family and culture that she could not escape except in fantasies of power, a.k.a. Poetry. Her final poems (from ARIEL) were full of hooks, hooks she named and despised, even as she prepared her own hooks, in the form of poems—incandescent and enraged—that subsequently hooked the world.

Certainly hooked Virginia Aronson, who in LITTLE SMILING HOOKS inhabits Plath’s life and suffering by channeling both her works and her biography, as well as a sympathetic poetic sensibility. The collection gives us a kind of narrative-in-poems of Plath’s frustration and despair leading ultimately to her self-annihilation. We are brought to understand that her psychological destitution was as much the result of her husband’s pattern of ruthless betrayals as of her own history of mental illness: a lethal combination.

Personally, I wonder if we, the readers, are not also complicit in her death in some retrocausal manner…. We have mounted her on a sacrificial altar of sorts: the poems we love depend on her doom; lacking her grave, they would lack their grave sting. Poetry is life on the page, and it’s by that standard we are accustomed to reading it, imbibing of the author’s life force… but in Plath’s unusual case, we drink also of her death. This delicious sin flavors a poem like 'Lady Lazarus' or 'Tulips' ineradicably. Possibly, we feel we shouldn’t, but we do relish that astringent taste.

Her poems are gorgeous, gruesome, and holy works, bending the lives of multiple generations of individuals, and therefore the culture at large, incalculably. In this way, she gave herself to a larger purpose and became an immortal Poet, whether she wanted to or not, and the price was a human life. It is THAT life, not the Poet’s, but rather the sacred and profane life of a young woman trying to be (and to see) herself, that Aronson honors in this engaging and sharply felt collection of poems." - Amazon Reviewer

"Aronson squeezes so much into each verse. Each one is packed with plump eruptions of words put together in this writers' voice. Aronson is able to pull back the curtain and create a pome of her own. She is able to let go and hit close to home. Her poems may make you feel unsettled. Her poems may make you feel cut off. Her poems may make you want to explore your feelings, or other circumstances. The point is these poems will make you feel something which at the heart is what poetry is supposed to do...The book as a whole will challenge the reader. The poems are striking. The lines come in almost a fluid rapid succession offering a vivid combination of visuals. There's a raw edge to these poems. But they are important poems to be saved and referred to later. - Pegasus Literary

Celestial Healing
"Remarkable...Fascinating...Impossible to put down." - Edith Fiore, PhD, author of Encounters

"Hard to put this book down. Virginia Aronson has a wonderful knack for keeping the reader on the edge of her seat. I truthfully could not put this down. She has done a great job of investigating and research which really makes this great reading -- knowing how much work went into this book. There is more to healing than we realize and I feel this book will help to open the frontier to more information regarding celestial healings." - Amazon Reviewer

Different Minds, Different Voices
"A refreshing alternative to the medical approach." - Peter Breggin, M.D., author of Talking Back to Prozac

"Virginia Aronson is to be complimented for her sensitive study of creativity among the mentally ill." - Lee Kogan, Director, Folk Art Institute, Museum of American Folk Art

"Aronson supports her introductory hypothesis: that mental illness can create a valuable product. This is not a new idea. Many people subscribed to this belief after Hans Prinzhorn put together his collection in Heidelberg and wrote Artistry and the Mentally Ill in the 1920s. And, while the creative process has led to a better life for Aronson's 10 subjects, not all the artistic products would be considered esthetically worthy to an art collector or curator. The cover photo is a case in point--a surreal painting of only psychological interest. This might discourage some readers, but it would be wise to persevere and read on." - Journal of Art Therapy

Venus Williams
"Smooth-flowing, informative text…excellent quality, full-color photographs, many of which are action shots…Tennis fans and students interested in contemporary sports figures will find this biography a smashing success." - School Library Journal

"In this well-written book, Aronson describes how Williams’ father took control of her career, making sure that her education and life came before tennis. Interwoven with her story is a history of women’s tennis and a frank discussion of how players’ lives have unraveled by becoming pros too early."
- Booklist

"From the time she picked up at tennis racket at age four, Venus knew she wanted to be a champion. This book will tell you all the details of Venus's life while she was growing and present day right now. If you love tennis or any sports then you will love Venus and this book." - Goodreads

Just Say No
"Don't miss out on this wonderful little text." - Science Books and Films

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918
"Reliable, detailed resource…gripping opening…richly detailed text…fine use of archival black-and-white photos… Students will be lining up for their flu vaccines after reading this book." - School Library Journal

"This is a children's reference book about the Great Pandemic of 1918. It provides a great overview of the problems faced by people all over the world by this disease. Since the medical profession was still young, there were still debates on how the germs were spread and what to do about it. Shame kept some countries from reporting it, others hadn't created a form of record keeping to do the work. Interesting book and great resource for the classroom."
- Goodreads

"Excellent Resource on Pandemic of 1918…I will use it in my classroom." - Amazon Reviewer

Ethan Allen
"A balance of facts about the notable deeds and human shortcomings…lively…insight into the period." - School Library Journal

Iguana Invasion
"Virginia Aronson and Allyn Szejko educate the public about the threat these invasive species pose...Through this book, the authors hope to create a culture of caring for the environment. There are more than 230 documented exotic species thriving in Florida alone. In order to reverse this trend, citizens must become aware of the dangers of exotic pets, learn never to release pets into the wild, and most importantly lend their voices to those seeking to preserve the natural environment." - National Science Teachers Association Recommends

Konnichiwa Florida Moon
"Fascinating book, a must read! This book, besides being well written and produced, provided a deep insight into the life of George Morikami, The Yamato Colony and George's plans for his land to be donated to Palm Beach County for use as a public park after his death." - Amazon Reviewer

Thirty Days to Better Nutrition
"This is one of the few popular books on nutrition that can be safely recommended to anyone." - South African Medical Journal

"Aronson seems to have come up with a valuable book. She's humorous and educational, doesn't play on our guilt, and always offers a plan of action." - The Declaration, Newsletter for Independent Living

The I Don't Eat (But I Can't Lose) Weight Loss Program
"This book is another testimony diet book with the theme of 'how I changed my life by not going on another diet.' The authors state that through slow, gradual changes in exercise and eating, weight can be lost and kept off for life. They contend that the diet treadmill is one of the reasons why chronic dieters cannot lose weight; their bodies have become highly efficient at saving energy, which translates into a slowed metabolism. This plan calls for increasing exercise through a brisk walking program and a reduction of foods high in fat and sugar." - Library Journal

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