New Non-Fiction Hitting the Shelves

Here is a selection of new non-fiction titles that have recently hit our shelves:

The Homemade Kitchen: Recipes for Cooking With Pleasure by Alana Chernila. Beautifully photographed cookbook that encompasses from scratch pantry items to dinner dishes.


Infectious Madness: The Surprising Science of How We "Catch" Mental Illness by Harriet A. Washington. Examines the connection between our bodies' affect on our brain and mental health.

My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts by Laura T.
Coffey. First off, how can you resist this book cover? You can't. And the inside is just as sweet. If you love animals, not just dogs, you'll enjoy this quick read.

Near and Distant Neighbors: A New History of Soviet Intelligence by Jonathan Haslam. "A uniquely comprehensive and rich account of the Soviet intelligence services," according to the book jacket. For the Russian history or spy enthusiasts among us.

Works Well with Others: An Outsider's Guide to Shaking Hands, Shutting Up, Handling Jerks, and Other Crucial Skills in Business That No One Ever Teaches You by Ross McCammon. Who couldn't use help with deciphering others?

Write Back Soon!: Adventures in Letter Writing by Karen Benke. This book celebrates hand-written letters with trivia, ways to help you begin anew with this lost art, tips and more.

Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Packed with photos (including some how-to photos) this cookbook would help you expand your ethnic dish repertoire.

Motivation for the New Year

Are your New Year's resolutions waning by now? Did you even bother to make any? Well, if you're still hanging in there (or want to be inspired) try out these books.

For those of you planning to get healthier this year, I'd recommend The New Health Rules by Dr. Frank Lipman. This is not a diet book; it includes no elaborate plans or instructions. Every other page is a photo and an accompanying paragraph describing a lifestyle change to make. It reminds me greatly of Food Rules by Michael Pollan, but this book also incorporates exercise, the mind, and overall wellness.

If you're looking to clear the clutter, try The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. I'm not hugely into this topic, but this book seemed different- and it is. Kondo challenges the status quo in de-cluttering. She does not advocate buying tons of storage bins (that's just organized hoarding). She doesn't want you to decide what to get rid of, but what to keep. She advises letting your items "rest" while not using them and to thank them for their service to you. It's a bit odd at times, but I think this book has the potential to really change lives.

If you're looking to just simplify your life (this can go along with the above recommendation), try Lessons From Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott. Her points are about adopting the lifestyle she witnessed as an exchange student for six months in Paris. It's in line with the francophile books that have been popular the last several years, but I think Scott does a better job of describing ways of applying simpler ideals to your lifestyle. In particular, she discusses the idea of a capsule wardrobe, where you only keep and wear a small amount of clothing each season. Quality over quantity, from clothing to food. If you like this book, Scott recently published a companion book, Madame Chic at Home.