The book has some nice simple recipes, although it is not written in a "simple" way. This is a good $5 used book, not a $20 new one.The preface is demanding and esoteric and was a total turn-off. The Preface is written in a manner that reminds me of Joyce, yet the difficulty in deciphering it is almost a lesson in futility. My advice, skip the preface and enjoy the recipes.The Jaques Pepin books are much easier to read and use.