Everything (plus more) that anyone wants or needs to know about burgers. Burger is part of a Bloomsbury Academic series of object lessons. Each brief book takes a noun and writes an interesting essay about it. Each is written by a different author. I really enjoyed Souvenir, which I gaveContinue Reading
Good survey of black comic artists by the creators of Kindred. Black Comix Returns contains a short biography and representative art from over 70 comic artists of color. Both established and emerging talents are showcased. Most of the artists have the plot of one of their comics or graphic novelsContinue Reading
There are not enough synonyms for fantastic to adequately describe this book. I’ll just stick with awesome and awe-inspiring! Written in layman’s terms, the Future of Humanity goes from mankind’s move to Mars to its eventual move to a new universe. It discusses what famous science fiction books, television showsContinue Reading
Millennial new age look at how to clear the clutter from your life. There are some practical clutter removal tips scattered throughout Clutter Intervention: remove the easy stuff first, declutter fast to keep your energy high, and make a prioritized to do list of next steps. However, the majority ofContinue Reading
Good outline of the steps to start a new business. Start a Successful Business was written by the reporters of Inc. magazine and published by the American Management Association. It clearly states the steps needed to start a new business. Beginning with the big idea moving through business strategy andContinue Reading
Everyone has at least one souvenir sitting on a shelf or hanging on a wall. Why do we buy them? What do they represent? How did the practice start? All these questions and more are answered in this cute little information-packed book. There are three types of souvenirs discussed inContinue Reading
Really two books in one, this book includes a full book on graphite pencil drawing and a second on drawing using colored pencils. Only requiring pencils, paper, erasers, blending tortillions and stumps plus spray fixative, the author’s technique creates well shaped images that appear 3-D. The book begins simply withContinue Reading
Filled with 200 recipes from breakfast to dinner to dessert, who knew cooking with an Instant Pot could be so simple. The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook is a great resource for those people lucky enough to own an Instant Pot or other brand of electric pressure cooker. The author explainsContinue Reading
Style guide for the social media generation and those that want to communicate with them. Based on the Buzzfeed Style Guide (https://www.buzzfeed.com/emmyf/buzzfeed-style-guide?utm_term=.lmm2Yq31eo#.eezqxB8Lnl) and written by the same author, A World Without Whom goes further by explaining the whys behind the rules. Emily also pokes fun at herself and fellow copyContinue Reading
Meticulously researched history of punk rock. If you ever wanted to know what punk rock stood for and emerged from, pick up this excellent book. No Future covers the punk scene in England and Ireland from 1976 to 1984. It uses material from the time as its source material thus avoidingContinue Reading
Like Beetlejuice’s The Handbook for the Living and the Dead, “this thing reads like stereo instructions”. But if the stereo instructions show Prince behind the scenes, it is worth spending a bit of time reading inconsequential details. Prince and the Purple Rain Era Sessions: 1983 and 1984 describes what PrinceContinue Reading
Stay Fit for Life provides quick workouts for older, rehabbing or sedentary adults with little additional equipment required. With 62 exercises, 20 workout routines, and three levels of fitness programs, Stay Fit for Life covers all aspects of older adult fitness. There are modifications for most to make them easierContinue Reading
Pretty pictures but recipes are less than awe-inspiring. Readers have abundant choices for vegan cookbooks. Most can be separated into quick and easy or complex and expensive. The Vegan Cookbook falls into the second category. It has mouthwatering pictures of the completed recipes. However, all the recipes include a multitudeContinue Reading
Interesting, but pretentious, essays and memoirs about punk rock’s beginnings in England. The essays here vary tremendously in readability and point of view. Quite a few emphasize the punk “scene” and how awesome it was for the writer to be a part of it. Others interpret punk as a reactionContinue Reading
Intriguing look at modern human trafficking victims, their abusers and customers. Hidden in Plain Sight addresses the many ways to exploit humans to make money. It includes those forced into prostitution, paid little for domestic work or to work on produce and cocoa farms, and coerced into solicitation crews. SexualContinue Reading
Interesting dip into the head of someone who isn’t me. Literally Me is a hodgepodge of cute illustrations and seemingly random life observations by a slightly famous Instagrammer. Four Horsewomen of the apocalypse is the best story as it has a plot with a surprisingly religious twist on fame. AnotherContinue Reading