sammy- I say it over and over again here- but since you're new... and in case you're not aware- go to Amazon. Almost any book you could ever want is available USED for pennies on the dollar. I frequently buy $75 & $50 books for under ten bucks- plus a flat rate of $3.99 S&H no matter how big/heavy the book is. In fact- I can't count the great books I've picked-up for UNDER A BUCK! Plus- you can select the condition you want- "Like New" and "Nearly New" all the way down to "So-So", "Ex-Library Book/Much Loved" and "Rough Shape" for even less $. For example- here are many of my personal favs- as you can see- you can buy them new- or USED...

Amazon.com: Kitchen of Light: The New Scandinavian Cooking (9781579652166): Andreas Viestad, Mette Randem: Books

Amazon.com: Lee Bailey's Long Weekends: Recipes for Good Food and Easy Living (9780517592441): Lee Bailey: Books

Amazon.com: Entertaining (9780517544198): Martha Stewart: Books

This book arrived today...

http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Story-Talk-About-Kitchen/dp/0061241229/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251708581&sr=1-6

...and I don't know quite why it didn't "click" w/ me before, but this is the companion book to the PBS series by the same name. The one where French Culinary Institute (NY, NY) maven Dorothy Hamilton interviews chefs on a set before a small audience, and then stands beside the chef as she cooks a dish. I've only seen a couple of the shows, but it looks great! And first flip thru the book looks like an informative/entertaining read, too!

Got the Pillsbury book today. Nice book lots of good recipes. Gonna try the beef stroganoff pot pie first.

My brother dropped me off a copy of Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook today. Great book I love it.

Ah-h-h Fannie Flagg is an awesome author, I met her in person at a book signing in Fairhope, Alabama she is a sweet and charming lady! I highly recommend any book she writes, but my favorite HOLIDAY story to read is called: "A Redbird Christmas" that she worte, the town where the story was centered around is an actual little town in Alabama called Magnolia Springs it is a quaint little town near Foley, Al where Fannie grew up and Robertsdale Alabama where I spent 32 years of my life. It is truly a speck of a town that is known only to a few lucky folks!