Anime + Chibi Art Class is a good beginning art guide for drawing anime characters and their Chibi variations. While the techniques shown begin with drawing ovals, the vocabulary and suggested tools seem more oriented toward older readers. It is best suited for people used to drawing that want toContinue Reading
Story and Structure is a master class in how literature is structured. It is best for the academically minded. It definitely reads like a university textbook. It has a lot of interesting information buried in its over five hundred pages. I can see why it won an award for bestContinue Reading
Draw with Art for Kids Hub Animals is the perfect book to teach kids, and truly beginners of all ages, how to draw. The easy step-by-step approach will make anyone feel great about their art. It may also lead to an artistic approach where all objects are seen as simpleContinue Reading
I so wanted to like Chris Stein’s, the guitarist from Blondie, autobiography, Under a Rock. Unfortunately, from my perspective, it needed both editing down and fleshing out. The author includes a lot of details about his childhood, 30% of the book, that didn’t add much to his story. When heContinue Reading
I have one word for The Ex-Human: boring. The author obviously has several axes to grind. If you are fascinated by science fiction because it shows us a world of wonder and imagination, read some science fiction. If you want to read about academics arguing about the definition of postmodernismContinue Reading
Quick and Easy 400-Calorie Recipes is filled with comfort food recipes reduced in both sodium and calories. Each recipe comes with full nutritional information. Unfortunately, there are no photos included. I also question some of the directions. In More Like Your Mama’s Tuna Casserole, for example, putting cooked egg noodlesContinue Reading
Kawaii Birdies are a Japanese artform that is easy to learn, at least with the help of this book. The author begins with two simple circles. Soon, the reader will find pages of details to add from noses to wing shapes. A full-color pictorial of different types of birds isContinue Reading
I never thought that I would say this but the funniest book I read this month was Death is No Excuse, a book about wills, trusts, and guardianships. It is amazing how fast distributing your assets after death can go horribly, and hilariously, wrong. Each chapter of the book endsContinue Reading
What you don’t know about American history could fill a book. In fact, the book is here and entitled Lies My Teacher Told Me. This graphic true story tells the rest of the tales not told in traditional history books. It also corrects some frequently repeated outright falsehoods. Some areContinue Reading
Mastery is a deep dive into the science of how people learn. It is not a pop science book. It is full of scientific discoveries rather than a straightforward explanation. Unfortunately, there is a reason that most books are not this comprehensive. Most science, or at least reading about science,Continue Reading
From painting a simple ladybug to creating a professional sketchbook, Wild Watercolour teaches the reader step-by-step how to be a proficient watercolor painter. Beginning with the basics of tools and techniques, this book quickly progresses to lessons teaching perspective, character grouping and style. If you seriously want to improve, orContinue Reading
Quick and Easy Grain-Free Recipes for Families doesn’t make it easy on itself. Not only are grains out but so are corn and soy. This forces some unique recipes like tortillas made with almond and tapioca flours or bread made with ground cashews and coconut flour. However, many of theContinue Reading
If you already draw, the Anime Art Class Sketchbook may include enough instruction to curve your talents towards manga. If you don’t draw much (or at all), this book alone will not be enough. Start with one of the author’s excellent anime or chibi art class books first. The AnimeContinue Reading
Have you ever wondered what being a contemplative (as opposed to a teaching or nursing) nun is like? If so, Cloistered is the memoir for you. Being shut into a convent year after year is definitely not for everyone. However, Catherine is drawn to the sisterhood in equal measures byContinue Reading
From a simple circle to a final artwork, Dynamic Character Design takes you step by step through the process. It takes almost 100 pages to reach the coloring phase. The book is that detailed. There is absolutely no knowledge, or even artistic skill, necessary to use this book. The bookContinue Reading
There is an unstated food truth. If you sacrifice sugar, you need to add fat to make something taste flavorful. And vice versa. Quick and Easy Low Sugar Recipes leans heavily onto fats to make its recipes tasty. For example, its homemade mayonnaise has over 2000 calories per cup. CompareContinue Reading