I am updating my review: the book arrived with a stench that had to be aired out for months in the garage... BUT IT IS WORTH the wait.I don't know if this is from the print, publisher, storage, etc.The book is EXPENSIVE, but worth every penny. Our worlds are changing so much this day and age, but this book Mouneh is a book of preservation, both foods and natural heritage. It is a must for every Middle Eastern home. It is a must for anyone who can appreciate a hands on approach to foods, from soil, to simplicity of life.Even my husband read it from cover to cover, and he is not one to be in the kitchen.The author has captured the essence of food in nature, and of life.It unveils the simplistic beauty, that modern day life has almost erased from our memories.It is not a cook book in the traditional sense.I cannot wait for the next volume!