New Non-Fiction

The Art of the Con: The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds, and Forgeries in the Art World by Anthony M. Amore. Sometimes the book cover just says it best: "The untold stories of some of history's most notorious art cons - and the secret history of fakes, frauds, and forgeries in the art world."

Diane Von Furstenberg: A Life Unwrapped by Gioia Diliberto. Biography of the fashion designer that made the wrap-dress famous. Includes a handful of
DVF photos throughout the years.

Japan Journeys: Famous Woodblock Prints of Cultural Sights in Japan by Andreas Marks. Smaller art book, packed with photos of prints spanning a couple centuries.

Made in America: A Modern Collection of Classic Recipes by Colby & Megan Garrelts. Old-school, American cookin'. A sampling of the sections include "Cast Iron and Dutch Ovens," "From the Grill," and "From the Fryer." Includes a plenty of photos.

The New Bohemians: Cool & Collected Homes by Justina Blakeney. As the title would suggest, this decorating guide focuses on colorful and eclectic tastes.

Putinism: Russia and its Future With the West by Walter Laqueur. A look at the implications of Putin's reign.

The Spiral Notebook: The Aurora Theater Shooter and the Epidemic of Mass Violence Committed by American Youth by Stephen and Joyce Singular. From the book jacket: "... is an examination of the dynamics driving the violence committed by their [Millennials] peers."

New Non-Fiction

Here's a selection of new non-fiction titles that recently hit our shelves:

A Bone to Pick: The Good and Bad News About Food, With Wisdom and Advice on Diets, Food Safety, GMOs, Farming, and More by Mark Bittman. This is a compilation of Bittman's columns for the New York Times. A bit of everything on the topic of food and how we get it.

I Regret Nothing, A Memoir by Jen Lancaster. Another humorous read from Lancaster, who reflects on middle age and her bucket list.

Goebbels: A Biography by Peter Longerich. For the history buffs (especially WWII), you can delve into this over 900-page book on Hitler's henchman Joseph Goebbels.

John Hughes: A Life in Film by Kirk Honeycutt. The size and shape of the book reminds me of a yearbook, which is fitting for this photo-packed reflection on John Hughes' life and films (Ferris Bueller, The Breakfast Club, and more).


What Katie Ate On the Weekend... by Katie Quinn Davies. Gorgeously photographed cookbook, with an international bent.

When To Rob a Bank... And 131 More Warped Suggestions and Well-Intended Rants by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. From the authors of Freakonomics, comes this new book of the best posts from their years of blogging on their website.

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. As the title simply states, Pultizer-prize winning author McCullough focuses on the first brothers of flight.

New Non-Fiction

Here's a sampling of some new non-fiction book hitting our shelves:

Arts & Crafts: Living With the Arts & Crafts Style by Judith Miller. A photographic look at the wares of famous Arts & Crafts makers, from Grueby to Tiffany to Oakes.



Hand Made Baking: Recipes to Warm the Heart by Kamran Siddiqi. Perfect recipes for a cold winter night, with gorgeous photos help you along the way.


 It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario. Memoir of a female war photographer (who has been kidnapped twice).


Journeys Home: Inspiring Stories, Plus Tips & Strategies to Find Your Family History. Those interested in travel and/or genealogy will want to check this out. Includes an entry by Andrew McCarthy, the 80s "Brat Pack" actor. Lots of nice photos.


Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind by Yuval Noah Harari. It's kind of amazing that this book is only 443 pages, although it does say "brief."


Selected Letters of Langston Hughes, edited by Arnold Rampersad and David Roessel with Christa Fratantoro. Letters of the famous 20th century poet. Presented chronologically by decade.


This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth?: From Eggnog to Beef Jerky, the Surprising Secrets of What's Inside Everyday Products by Patrick Di Justo. Ignorance is bliss, right? After you read this, you might change your mind about some of the products you consume.

Recommended Read: I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich

I love a sardonic wit. 86 year-old Betty Halbreich is the personal shopper at Bergdorf Goodman. A position she's held for 39 years. (She's featured in the documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's, which apart from Betty, is somewhat of a bore.) Part biography, part style guide, she discusses her privileged life and how she landed at Bergdorf's. Many rich and famous people have visited her dressing room, including Candice Bergen and the late Joan Rivers. She has even helped studios outfit their actors for shows, in particular she helped Patricia Field dress the women on Sex and the City.


She may appear proper, but she's not afraid to tell it like it is. In fact, that is what attracts customers (repeat customers value that quality too). And that is what attracted this reader to her book. She's not only honest about her successes, but also her failures in life, and quite eloquently to boot.

Halbreich says "As soon as I get home, I undress, brush my clothes, put them on the proper hangers, and give them an airing before they return to the closet- which, containing a lifetime of garments, is a Narnian portal to times and place that no longer exist." She is a relic, not because of age, but because of her habits, which is oddly refreshing.

I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich

New Non-Fiction

A selection of new non-fiction titles that recently hit our shelves:

101 Two-Letter Words by Stephin Merritt. You may recognize the author's name, but from a different medium: he's the founder of the band Magnetic Fields. Short (and sweet) book of two-letter words presented in a witty, rhymed fashion.

Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen With an Indian Soul by Aarti Sequeira. Recipes that fuse Indian and American cuisine from the Food Network chef. Lots of photos!

The Edge of the Sky: All You Need To Know About the All-There-Is by Roberto Trotta. Astrophysicist Trotta undertakes describing cosmology using the most common 1,000 words so that the average person (and non-astrophysicist) can understand it. Short book that comes in at 85 pages.

How We Got To Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson. Johnson details six technologies that changed our lives: refrigeration, clocks, lenses, water purification, recorded sound, and artificial light.

The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control by Walter Mischel. Based on studies (particularly Mischel's eponymous Marshmallow Test) about self-control and delayed gratification.

The News Sorority: Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric, Christiane Amanpour-- and the (Ongoing, Imperfect, Complicated) Triumph of Women in TV News by Sheila Weller. Details how these three women cracked the news industry and became successful, even influential.

Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S.C. Gwynne. A biography of the other famous Confederate general.

Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century! by Steven Pinker. I was excited about this book, until I read the subtitle. Then, I re-thought this position and got excited again. Mainly because I could probably stand to read this book, as evidenced by my posts.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons From the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty. Anecdotes from a young, female mortician. This book had a lot of "pre-pub" buzz.


Wheat Belly Total Health: The Ultimate Grain-Free Health and Weight-Loss Life Plan by William Davis, MD. Sequel to Wheat Belly, with new tips and information for success with this diet.

New Non-Fiction

A selection of the newest non-fiction titles to hit our shelves:

The 40s: The Story of a Decade, from the New Yorker. Compilation of pieces, even criticism, that ran in the New Yorker during the 40s. This would be a nice view of the decade for those of us who weren't living at the time (ahem). Find it in the catalog!

Joe and Marilyn: Legends in Love by C. David Heymann. Biography of the unlikely couple, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe. Find it in the catalog!

Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience, compiled by Shaun Usher. Includes many images of the originals (handwritten postcard, typed letter, etc.). Spans history and cultures to present interesting letters by people of note. Find it in the catalog!

Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park by Matthew Gilbert. For dog lovers - an observation on the "dog park subculture," which I wasn't aware even existed. Find it in the catalog!

One-Hour Cheese: Ricotta, Mozzarella, Chèvre, Paneer--even Burrata. Fresh and Simple Cheeses You Can Make in An Hour or Less by Claudia Lucero. It begins with basics such as pantry staples and equipment for making cheese. Chock full of photos to help along the way. Find it in the catalog!

Price of Fame: The Honorable Clare Boothe Luce by Sylvia Jukes Morris. Biography of renaissance woman Luce, a playwright and screenwriter who became a congresswoman and the first American woman foreign ambassador. Find it in the catalog!

Supersuvivors: The Surprising Link Between Suffering and Success by David B. Feldman and Lee Daniel Kravetz. Highlights people who have rebounded from traumatic events to accomplish great things, not just survive. Find it in the catalog!

The Zhivago Affiar: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book by Peter Finn and Petra Couvee. Part classic Russian literature history, part Cold War history, and part censorship history. Which all means it was difficult to assign a Dewey number. Find it in the catalog!

New Non-Fiction

Here's a selection of some new non-fiction that recently hit our shelves:
 
The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff. Mark Twain heads to the West to explore San Francisco as it begins to boom, and meets some influential friends. Includes some black and white photos.


Devotion and Defiance: My Journey in Love, Faith and Politics by Humaira Awais Shahid. Pull quote from the book jacket:
"They cut off my microphone. I raised my voice. They vowed to defeat me. I said, 'Let the record show that someone tried.' They labeled me 'the most unmanageable woman in Pakistan.' My husband said, 'Tell me something I don't know.'"

  
A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred by George Will. I recently saw Mr. Will interviewed and he said (paraphrasing here) "I do politics commentary so I can feed my baseball habit." A history of Wrigley Field, includes some black and white photos interspersed throughout.

Nothing Like a Dame: Conversations With the Great Women of Musical Theater by Eddie Shapiro. Interviews with Elaine Stritch, Carol Channing, Patti Lupone, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, and more.

A Sliver of Light: Three Americans Imprisoned in Iran by Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal & Sarah Shourd. The true story of three hikers who were held in an Iranian prison after accidentally crossing over from Iraqi Kurdistan.

Sous Chef by Michael Gibney. Memoir of a sous chef who has worked with some of the most renown chefs, in some of the most renown restaurants. Foodies would enjoy this one.

Some New (and Cool) Additions to the Collection

Dancing Through It: My Journey in the Ballet by Jenifer Ringer. Ringer, a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, pens her autobiography about her life as a dancer. Includes a section of photos. Find it in the catalog

How Paris Became Paris: The Invention of the Modern City by Joan DeJean. Many illustrations and maps litter this book on the city planning of Paris. Find it in the catalog

Mission at Nuremberg: An American Army Chaplain and the Trail of the Nazis by Tim Townsend. Lutheran minister Henry Gerecke is assigned to counsel the Nazi defendants of the Nuremberg trail. Includes a section of photos. Find it in the catalog

Money: The Unauthorised Biography by Felix Martin. "... a sweeping historical epic that traces the development and evolution of one of humankind's greatest inventions." Although, at 320 pages, it's not too epic. Find it in the catalog

The New Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison. A pretty extensive collection  but, unfortunately, it has no photos. Find it in the catalog

The Priority List: A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons by David Menasche. English teacher Menasche's inspiring life lessons after he is diagnosed with cancer. Find it in the catalog

Vintage Quilt Revival: 22 Modern Designs from Classic Blocks by Katie Clark Blakesley, Lee Heinrich, and Faith Jones. Includes a CD-ROM of 12 printable patterns. Find it in the catalog

You Can Date Boys When You're Forty by Dave Barry. Barry's take on parenting issues. Find it in the catalog

Some New (and Cool) Non-Fiction Additions To the Collection

American Fun by John Beckman - The first line in the book jacket: "From the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Americans have defied their stodgy rules and hierarchies with pranks, dances, stunts, and wild parties, shaping the national character in profound and lasting ways." A history of our wily ways. Find it in the catalog!

The Antidote: Inside the World of New Pharma by Barry Werth - Werth follows the business story of  the pharmaceutical company Vertex, part of one of America's most profitable industries. Find it in the catalog!

Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half  by Beth Moncel - Begins with some kitchen basics (like stocking a pantry and becoming friends with your freezer). Includes sample menus and many vegetarian and vegan recipes. Find it in the catalog!

A Curious Madness: An American Combat Psychiatrist, A Japanese War Crimes Suspect, and an Unsolved Mystery From World War II by Eric Jaffe - The author's grandfather, Major Daniel Jaffe, was tasked with determining the sanity, and ability to stand trial for war crimes, of a Japanese man. Includes a section of photos. Find it in the catalog!

Doctor Who: The Vault by Marcus Hearn - Attractive book of the history, including behind the scenes info and a plethora of photos. A must for Doctor Who fanatics. Find it in the catalog!

The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life by Kimberly Palmer - Thinking of starting your own side business? Check out this book. Find it in the catalog!

I Forgot to Remember: A Memoir of Amnesia by Su Meck - Chronicles a wife and mother's struggle to re-enter the life she doesn't remember after a traumatic brain injury. Find it in the catalog!

Seaside Quilts: Quilting & Sewing Projects for Beach-Inspired Decor by Carol C. Porter & Rebecca J. Hansen - Ah, the beach ... Anyway, I think the title explains is all really. Find it in the catalog!

Where the Locals Go: More Than 300 Places Around the World to Eat, Play, Shop, Celebrate, and Relax compiled by National Geographic - Just as the title suggests, a guide to all the happening places and things to do around the world. Includes lots of photos to entice you. Find it in the catalog!

Some New (and Cool) Additions to the Collection

A mix of some new non-fiction additions to the collection:


The Rocket Man ,and Other Extraordinary Characters In the History of Flight by David Darling. Looks to be a quick read at 195 pages, and I love the cover ... so the book must be good, right? Includes photos.


The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Pulitzer Prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. This book was in Amazon's top 100 books of 2013.

Vanished: The Sixty-Year Search for the Missing Men of World War II by Wil S. Hylton. Account of a WWII American bomber that went missing, and the mystery surrounding the fate of the men.

American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell by Deborah Solomon. Includes many photos of his artwork and personal life.

A History of the World in 12 Maps by Jerry Brotton. Interesting concept; photos of all kinds of maps (which one would hope, considering the title).

The outspoken actress, Shirley MacLaine, is back with another book: What If ... A Lifetime of Questions, Speculations, Reasonable Guesses, and a Few Things I Know for Sure.

Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him by David Henry & Joe Henry.

The Book of Jezebel: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Lady Things by Kate Harding. From the online catalog summary: "From A to Z, this work covers the spectrum of defining the woman in contemporary society, and includes short bios of famous and influential women plus cultural terminology, concepts, and the gamut of interests pertaining to womanhood." It's a book that you wouldn't have to read cover-to-cover, but skip around based on your interests.

Some New (and Cool) Additions to the Collection

Just an eclectic mix of some new non-fiction additions to the collection:

Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets of the Samurai by Masaaki Hatsumi - on a cart full of books, THIS is the first one I picked up to look at. It's full of photos. Find it in the catalog

Surgeon in Blue: Jonathan Letterman, the Civil War Doctor Who Pioneered Battlefield Care by Scott McGaugh. Seems like an interesting angle on one more aspect of the Civil War. Might fit the bill for history and medical buffs alike. Find it in the catalog

iPad for Artists by Dani Jones. Mainly tutorials for different creative techniques, like drawing and painting, using art apps. Color photos/illustrations. Find it in the catalog

Asperger's Syndrome Workplace Survival Guide: A Neurotypical's Secrets for Success by Barbara Bissonnette. Excerpt from the book description: "It covers everything from choosing the right career to deciding whether disclosure is the right option. It features realistic strategies for meeting employer expectations and effectively resolving problems." Find it in the catalog

Quick Changes: Fresh Looks for Every Room (from House Beautiful). Little, but packed, with ideas to spruce up your home. Color photos. Find it in the catalog

Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust. A massive graphic novel. From the description: "Two teenaged punk-rock girls hitchhike their way across Italy without a penny in their pockets..." Find it in the library catalog

The Universe: An Illustrated History of Astronomy by Tom Jackson. Lists 100 astronomical discoveries that changed history; includes a section in the
back of famous astronomers. Lots of Photos. Find it in the catalog

Detroit Rock City: The Uncensored History of Rock 'N' Roll in America's Loudest City by Steve Miller. I think the title says it all. Find it in the catalog

American Epic: Reading the U.S. Constitution by Garrett Epps. You must be dedicated for this one ... according to the book jacket, legal scholar Epps goes through the entire Constitution. Find it in the catalog

Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids by Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero. Another one that has a descriptive enough title. Photos! Find it in the catalog

Confessions of Sociopath by M.E. Thomas

Most sociopaths (also known as psychopaths) aren't serial killers as the media might make you think. Most are productive and functioning human beings - you may know one - that often come across as extremely charming but manipulative individuals seemingly without a conscience. After reading Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas I was enlightened to the more "everyday" sociopath among us.

Thomas (an alias for obvious reasons) runs the blog SociopathWorld, is a former lawyer, and a current law professor. Her opening anecdote was upsetting to the point that I doubted I could continue reading, but I forged ahead. She discusses some of the theories and diagnostic tests surrounding psychopathy, but she doesn't dismantle or attempt to prove any of them in depth, she mostly identifies with them or not. She's very confident, if not arrogant, about her abilities: occasionally she makes declarations such as "I am a genius." At times I couldn't shake the feeling that she was manipulating all of us "empaths" just a bit. However, I do applaud her honesty - her childhood didn't sound particularly rosy, which I wish she had explored a bit more. She adds some humanity to an otherwise generalized label. I recommend this book if you're interested in psychology and/or psychopathy, or if you want some insight into someone you know to be, or suspect might be, a sociopath.

Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas
Find it in the catalog!

Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe

One of America's greatest and strangest authors has a birthday this week; Edgar Allan Poe's brief and tragic life began January 19, 1809. In his forty years on this Earth he lived in extreme poverty, battled debilitating addiction, mourned the deaths of virtually every woman he ever loved, and, however improbably, penned immortal verses, invented the detective story, gave new resonance to the literary terms "macabre" and "bizarre," and left an indelible mark on world literature. Should you wish to celebrate this author's enduring legacy, I would encourage you to seek out The Library of America edition of his Poetry and Tales or the Penguin Classics edition of The Portable Edgar Allan Poe. Both collections contain exciting, suspenseful stories that have thrilled readers for over one-hundred-and-fifty years. For an overview of the author's troubled life, I recommend the biography The Haunted Palace: A Life of Edgar Allan Poe.

My Favorite Reads of 2012

Highly scientific selection criteria:
-All books were read from start to finish by me.
-I enjoyed reading them.
-They were published in 2012.
-Adult fiction, non-fiction and teen books are included.

My Top Ten Books of 2012:

My list this year is has an obvious girly bent, but with Behind the Beautiful Forevers and Gone Girl, I think it's been a pretty strong year for female authors.  If anyone has suggestions for books that I've overlooked (and I'm sure there are plenty), please leave them in comments!  And if you are really bored, you can check out all the 2012 books I've read.

10).  These Days Are Ours by Michelle Hamioff
As a big Paul Simon fan, I was all ready biased towards this novel because the title references his song "The Obvious Child."  Set in just post 9/11 NYC, this book is a coming of age story following a jobless but wealthy recent college graduate, Hailey.  The characters in this book are not always likeable, but they are very realistic.

9).  The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman
Fans of historical mysteries should check out this novel set in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the 1660s.  This book is quite dark and it took me fifty or so pages to get into it, but the characters are quite interesting, including a young but strong Dutch businesswoman, Blandine van Couvering, and a British spy, Edward Drummond.

8).  Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
This is a great light read that still manages to be pretty smart.  Set in Oak Park, IL, Lucy Bloom is a single mom who just sold her house to send her nineteen year-old son to rehab.  Now broke, she takes a job cleaning the house of Marva Meier Rios- a famous artist and notoriously difficult woman and hoarder.  This book is funny, moving, and would make an interesting movie.  

7).  Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Set in England, the elderly Harold Fry receives a letter from an old friend Queenie saying that she is dying of cancer.  After failing to write a letter to properly impart his regrets, he decides to take an impromptu walking journey to visit her.  At first this book didn't sound like my cup of tea, but after several recommendations, I checked it out and I'm really glad I did.  Although it is sometimes a sad and existential book, it is occasionally very funny.

6).  Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway
This novel is set in NYC and following a recent college graduate, Dawn, who gets a job working for a Glamour-esque magazine Charm.  She's in charge of tracking down past winners of the magazine's "Ten Girls to Watch" contest and is frankly just happy to have a job. The book has a fun, light premise, but it turned out to be way less formulaic and more inspiring than I initially would have guessed.  I really like the way the love triangle between Dawn, her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, Lily, is resolved. 

5).  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Everybody in the world (or at least this country) has probably read this book all ready.  I really enjoyed the first half of the book and after the big twist, I couldn't put the book down.  Dark Places is still my favorite book by Flynn, but Gone Girl is a great read.   

4).  Where'd You  Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
This is the funniest book on the list.  Bernadette Fox was once a brilliant architect but is now a very eccentric stay-at-home mom who hates her home city of Seattle and people in general.  After some increasingly odd behavior, Fox mysteriously goes missing before a promised trip to Antarctica.
 
3).  Wild by Cheryl Strayed
This is great, suspenseful memoir about Strayed's solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.

2).  Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
This non-fiction book is a grand and absorbing read that takes place in modern day Mumbai.  Boo adds so many small details into the book that it reads like an excellent work of fiction, but is instead an incredible piece of journalism.

1).  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
John Green has been one of my favorite teen authors for a while and now he's gone and written a masterpiece!  This is an excellent novel about teens wrestling with existential issues, cancer and falling in love for the first time. 

Favorite Children books:

1).  Oh, No George by Chris Haughton
George is a dog who has trouble doing the right thing.  Will he learn from his lessons?

2).  Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
 Author Adam Rubin and illustrator Daniel Salmieri are a very funny duo.  I love their Those Darn Squirrels! books, but this simple tale of non-spicy taco loving dragons is my favorite of their work.

3).  This is Not My Hat by J. Klassen
Klassen is one of my favorite illustrator's working today.  His books have a very distinctive (and cool) look to them.  This darkly funny book is the follow up to last year's I Want My Hat Back.  

Favorite Cookbooks:

1).  Homemade Winter by Yvette van Boven
I was a really big van Boven first Home Made last year, and this book is equally as compelling.  The design of the book is really cool, with a mixture of gorgeous food pictures and quirky illustrations.  And the book is loaded with great recipes for cooks who want to try making their food from scratch. 

2).  Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles, and Snacks by Rick Bayless
Margaritas are probably one of my favorite cocktails to go with food, and this book by one of Chicago's greatest chefs has tons of very fancy twists on the margarita.  This is a great cookbook for parties.

3).  Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson
As an avid baker, I get tired of seeing recipes for the same desserts over and over again in cook books.  But this book has lots of new, usual recipes to discover like avocado cake or black pepper and goat cheese truffles.  Vegan recipes and single portion desserts are also included.  It's a refreshingly unique book.  Joy Wilson's blog of the same name is a also a good read for foodies. 

4).  Feast of Ice and Fire by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel
Inspired by the George R.R. Martin book series (Songs of Ice and Fire) which was turned into the HBO Series Game of Thrones, this book has lots of exotic ingredients and medieval flair.   I can't honestly say that I would make any of the recipes in the book, and I might even be a little bit afraid to eat some of the dishes.  However, it is really cool to browse.

5).  True Food by Andrew Weil
If you are looking for health conscious recipes, it's hard to to beat this beautifully photographed book. Best of all, Weil has recipes for cocktails!

Recommended read : Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes

A famous Hollywood actress and an American composer, predominately active in the first half of the 20th century, are basically responsible for the fact that you can make a cell phone call today. It's so refreshing when you read about the unexpected.

In 1940, Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil invented a secret communication system which was (and is) the basis for many communication technology advances in the last half century, including but not limited to, the cell phone. Lamarr and Antheil created a system that would allow frequency hopping (or spread spectrum). 

Rhodes quotes quite a bit directly from Lamarr and Antheil themselves, as well as Antheil's wife Boski. This is fascinating in that the reader is able to hear it directly from the source. The portions about the patent process were informative as well. Hedy's Folly is not an in depth biography of either subject, rather a biography of what led each to be informed, meet, and develop their invention together. Hedy was influenced early on by her father, who encouraged her to think about how things were made (Hedy, in fact, invented other things). She was also influenced heavily by her first husband, Fritz Mandl, who was a very wealthy munitions manufacturer in Austria. Hedy was naturally exposed to his colleagues and work-life, paid attention, and as a result, most likely learned a lot about weapons-- which would help in her developments with Antheil.

Antheil had other endeavors besides his avant-garde composing: he briefly wrote articles and a column for Esquire magazine, and wrote two books (one about the coming involvement of the US in WWII and the second an autobiography entitled Bad Boy of Music). But, most importantly, George's early musical compositions were mechanically inclined. In one of his most famous symphonies, Ballet Mecanique, he used an airplane propeller, among other things, and tried to synchronize multiple player pianos (pianos that automatically played using pre-programmed music). His experiments with synchronicity would become a fundamental pillar of their invention.

While Hedy found fame during her lifetime, which inevitably waned with age, Antheil found modest fame, often barely scraping by financially. At the time, they did not gain much attention for this influential invention. It's such an inherently interesting story-- it's not to be missed.

Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes
Find it in the catalog! (Book)
Find it in the catalog! (eBook)

Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard

Part biography, part true crime, and part science, Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard is a book in the vein of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. Millard follows multiple lives as they converge into a life-changing event for all and then splinter off again on individual paths.

Our twentieth president, James A. Garfield, was shot in a Washington D.C. train station on July 2, 1881 by Charles Guiteau. Only four months into office, Garfield had begun to show great promise as president: he championed civil rights 80 years before they became a reality and he stood up to political corruption. He had a Cinderella story, if there ever was one, having lived as a child in poverty only to rise to become a college president, congressman, and eventual U.S. president (interestingly, an office he did not actively seek). When he finally succumbed to death on September 19, he was beloved by Americans, both Northern and Southern-- a tough feat in the post-Civil War era. This would be a cut-and-dry book about his assassination and assassin if Garfield had died because of his gunshot wound, but, instead he suffered months of agonizing medical care administered by Dr. D.W. Bliss, who some might actually fault for the president's death. Many American physicians, including Bliss, had yet to adopt the sterilizing procedures introduced by Dr. Joseph Lister. Meanwhile, an unlikely protagonist emerges in Alexander Graham Bell, who fervently attempts to help the wounded president by inventing a metal detector of sorts in order to locate the bullet in his body.

The rare thing that comes out in this book is that the president and the inventor are infinitely more interesting than the killer(s?). As a society I think we tend to dwell on the perpetrator more than the victim, shadowing the life with the death. Garfield's and Bell's lives and accomplishments are much more interesting and impressive than Guiteau or Bliss could ever hope. Reading about the out-pouring of support for Garfield and the first family reminded me of the months following 9/11 and how people pulled together. Even vice-president Chester Arthur stepped up when the time came; citizens and colleagues alike were weary of his impending administration, but he managed to surprise people. It appears that Garfield had the ability to bring the best out in people, except, of course for his assassin and doctor.

Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
Find it in the Catalog!

Summer reading reviews: Biographies and memoirs

Defending Baltimore Against Enemy Attack: A Boyhood Year During World War II by Charles Osgood
LARGE TYPE BIOGRAPHY OSGOOD
Find it in the catalog!
Rating: 5 out of 5

Bossypants by Tina Fey
NEW BIOGRAPHY
Find it in the catalog!
"This book had me laughing throughout. It didn't make me like or dislike Tina Fey anymore than I already did. She is just like her TV persona in this book." Rating: 4
-- Lindsey S.

Life’s That Way by Jim Beaver
BIOGRAPHY BEAVER
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Rating: 4

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
BIOGRAPHY BURROUGHS
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"Great book. A page turner. Not a book for anyone who is easily offended or kids due to frank description of sexual activity. I would definitely re-read!" Rating: 4
-- Shannon M.

Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia De Rossi
BIOGRAPHY DE ROSSI
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"It was quite a heartwrenching story. She struggled so much but was able to overcome a lot as well. Truly enjoyed reading this." Rating: 5
-- Lizza A.

Coming Home to Myself by Wynona Judd
BIOGRAPHY JUDD
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"Alright muddy depiction of Wynona -- hard read." Rating: 3
-- Heather K.

Recommended read: Open by Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi was thought to be a punk-- all you had to do was look at his hair, outfits, and jewelry (the horror!). But the truth is that he was really trying to rebel against the situation he was put in. Forced to play tennis as a youngster by his father, Agassi never really chose to be a tennis player.

“The net is the biggest enemy, but thinking is the cardinal sin. Thinking, my father believes, is the source of all bad things, because thinking is the opposite of doing. When my father catches me thinking, daydreaming, on the tennis court, he reacts as if he caught me taking money from his wallet. I often think about how I can stop thinking. I wonder if my father yells at me to stop thinking because he knows I’m a thinker by nature. Or, with all his yelling, has he turned me into a thinker? Is my thinking about things other than tennis an act of defiance? I like to think so.”

As was well publicized when the book came out, Agassi discloses his crystal meth use in the late 90s. Shocking, not really. Disappointing, yes. What I found to be shocking was his revelation about his feelings on tennis: he views it as a necessary evil because as a teenager, who had dropped out of school, it was his only real skill to earn a living. It is sad that he hated the very thing that brought joy to so many.

Agassi is a talented writer. He skillfully conveys the contradictions that go on in an athlete's head-- especially an athlete in "the loneliest sport." The passages that recall his crucial tennis matches over the years are as riveting as watching them. He delves respectively into his marriage to Brooke Shields, his relationship with Barbra Streisand, and ultimate courtship and marriage to Steffi Graf. An excellent autobiography, even if you're not a tennis fan.

Open by Andre Agassi
BIOGRAPHY AGASSI
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Charles Schulz

Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was born on November 26, 1922. His comic strip, "Peanuts" (which Schulz originally called "Li'l Folks"), continues to run in syndication, and TV specials written by Shulz featuring the Peanuts gang have become a big part of many people's holiday-viewing rituals (It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc.). Schulz died February 12, 2000, the night before his final strip appeared in Sunday papers February 13, 2000, announcing his retirement. For as long as I can remember I've looked forward to reading the Sunday "Peanuts" strip; even now, the reprinted strips are the first ones I go to read in the paper.

In honor of Schulz's birthday, I thought I'd highlight the excellent book Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography by David Michaelis. When I read this book several years ago I couldn't put it down. Actual comic strips from the "Peanuts" run are included throughout the book, which really highlights how much of Schulz's life he included in the strips-- from his childhood and his own family. If you are a fan of the "Peanuts" comic strip I think you will become engrossed in this book, especially if you know little about its creator's life.

BIOGRAPHY SCHULZ
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Recommended read: The Lost Cyclist

The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance
by David V. Herlihy
NEW 796.6 HER
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The title of this book refers to Frank Lenz, a 25 year-old from Pittsburgh who embarked on a cycling tour around the world in May 1892. A clerk at a brass factory, he had previously entered different races before deciding to try touring full-time. His tour proposal, in which Lenz estimated a two yearlong bicycling tour through North America, Asia, and Europe, was accepted by Outing magazine. Lenz acted as their correspondent, writing about his journeys and providing his own photographs (he was an amateur photographer) to accompany the articles. He started in the United States before crossing the Pacific by ship, then traveled through China before continuing on through Burma and India before his death in Turkey in 1894. When they didn't hear from Lenz for several weeks, family and friends worried about what happened to him, and Outing (after lying about his safety) eventually sent another cyclist, Will Sachtleban, to discover the truth behind what happened to Lenz in Turkey.

Will Sachtleban (from Alton, IL) and Thomas Allen were college friends who completed their own bicycling world tour. Their tour lasted three years in duration, and they came home just as Lentz was starting his way through China. The first part of the narrative goes back and forth between following Lenz for a chapter and then Sachtleban and Allen. The second part describes Sachtleban's struggle to get the truth about Lenz's death and his slow progress toward a trial. Because of the tension in Turkey between the Kurds and Armenians, Sachtleban encountered problems getting people to talk to him and then stick to their stories.

The Lost Cyclist is a really fascinating read, and not just because of the mystery surrounding the fate of Lenz, who insisted on traveling through Turkey even after others recommending he go through Russia. I couldn't believe the long distances that cyclists like Lenz, Sachtleban, and Allen traveled--they had to carry all their supplies with them (including bulky cameras), and encountered curiosity and even animosity when visiting foreign countries where it was a rarity to see white people, let alone white people riding odd machines like bicycles. Lenz was sometimes greeted with cries of "foreign devil," with stones and other objects thrown at him. This sort of reaction was the opposite to what cyclists experienced across the United States, where cycling clubs, journalists, and friends held dinners and parties for them. The book also includes many black and white photographs taken by Lenz during his journeys.

If you are interested in this topic you may also want to read the article "The Last Ride of Frank Lenz" by Geof Koss from Adventure Cyclist.