A Cook's Tour : Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisine - Anthony Bourdain

Summary:  The only thing "gonzo gastronome" and internationally best-selling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling.  Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?", Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection" inside out.  From California to Cambodia, A Cook's Tour chronicles the unpredictable adventures of America's boldest and bravest chef.  ( Summary from book - Image from www.bookcoverarchive.com )

My Review:  Anthony Bourdain is a famous chef and the best-selling author of Kitchen Confidential, a gritty and graphic behind-the-scenes look at restaurant kitchens. However, he wants more than just being in a kitchen and selling books. He wants to wander the world, getting into trouble, and eating amazing meals. So he speaks to his publisher. His hook?

“How about this?... I travel around the world, doing whatever I want. I stay in fine hotels and I stay in hovels. I eat scary, exotic, wonderful food, doing cool stuff like I’ve seen in movies, and looking for the perfect meal. How’s that sound?”

And his publisher bit. Now, in A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventure in Extreme Cuisine, Anthony takes readers (and a camera crew) along on his quest for adventure, trouble, and the perfect meal.

Okay, so until I read this book, I'd never actually heard of Anthony Bordain. I had to google him because I’m just not up on those kinds of things. Also, I don’t have cable. Mostly, I like to read about people who travel and eat.  You see, I am not an adventurous eater and I love books, like this one, that allow me to “sample” international cuisine and culture without the terrifying experience of actually having to sample it.  While I was a little disappointed to find out Anthony would be accompanied by a camera crew, it wasn’t hard to forgive him once he flat out admitted to selling out to the Food Network. I guess it’s hard to turn down an all expenses paid trip around the world.

Anthony's adventure started off a bit rocky; while he enjoyed the food, I think he was expecting bliss right away and was disappointed when he didn’t get much more than forced adventure. For a while he bounced in and out of the moment, alternating between loving (and hating) the experience, but eventually he found his groove. 

A Cook’s Tour provides plenty of opportunities to sample food and culture as Anthony eats his way around the world. Here’s a small sneak peek at some of his adventures: He helps slaughter a pig in Portugal, admires the elegant simplicity of Japanese cuisine (and eats one of the worst meals ever made), attends a vegan potluck in California (he hates vegans), kills fluffy bunnies in Scotland (vegans don’t like him much either), eats braised reindeer in Russia (and a little vodka), is force fed iguana in Mexico, eats the most impressive restaurant meal of his life in California, and falls in love with the food and people of Vietnam (but not their driving). Each chapter was a revelation of experience and I loved how he managed to weave food, culture, politics, and history into his narrative. Through it all, Anthony discovers that when looking for the perfect meal – one composed of “good food, good company, exotic ambiance, and an element of adventure,” – it’s all relative, and that “perfection” can be found in the most unexpected places.

While I really enjoyed reading about his adventure, Anthony is kind of a jerk. Well, to be perfectly honest, he’s a pompous, mean-tempered, arrogant, vulgar, foul-mouthed heathen and he’s proud of it. His less-than-polite personality is reflected in every facet of this book, especially when he rants about anti-smoking laws,  vegetarians, and a variety of other topics. A sensitive reader might do well to steer clear or opt for watching the video version on The Food Network (where I’m reasonably certain it will be edited for television). Overall, I enjoyed this book and, while I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone (e.g. my mother), I might recommend it to a few die-hard foodies who would appreciate the journey.

Sidenote: This book has some similarities to Eat My Globe, another book about a man who travels around the world eating all types of food. The difference between the two books is that Anthony was a professional chef in pursuit of the perfect meal, while Simon was more professional eater on a quest to eat the good, the bad, and the hideously disgusting (on purpose).

My Rating: 3.5 Stars (It might have been more if there had been less swearing and vulgarity)

For the sensitive reader: Um. Watch the show on The Food Network. I’m pretty sure it’s edited for television.

Sum it up: An enjoyable trip, full of great food, stories, and observations, but you have to wade through a quite a bit of muck.

So Sexy So Soon : The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids - Diane E. Levin, Ph.D & Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D

Summary:  Thong panties, padded bras, and risque Halloween costumes for young girls. T-shirts that boast "Chick Magnet" for toddler boys.  Sexy content on almost every television channel, as well as in books, movies, video games, and even cartoons.  Hot young female pop stars wearing provocative clothing and dancing suggestively while singing songs with sexual and sometimes violent lyrics.  These products are marketed aggressively to our children; these stars are held up for our young daughter to emulate--and for our sons to see as objects of desire.

Popular culture and technology inundate our children with an onslaught of mixed messages at earlier ages than ever before.  Corporations capitalize on this disturbing trend, and without the emotional sophistication to understand what they are doing and seeing, kids are getting into increasing trouble emotionally and socially; some may even engage in precocious sexual behavior.  Parents are left shaking their heads wondering: How did this happen?  What can we do?

So Sexy So Soon is an invaluable and practical guide for parents who are fed up, confused, and even scared by what their kids--or their kids' friends--do and say.  Diane E. Levin, Ph.D., and Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., internationally recognized experts on early childhood development and the impact of the media on children and teens, understand that saying no to commercial culture -- TV, movies, toys, Internet access, and video games -- isn't a realistic or viable option for most families.  Instead, they offer parents essential, age-appropriate strategies to counter the assault.

Filled with savvy suggestions, helpful sample dialogues, and poignant true stories from families dealing with these issues, So Sexy So Soon provides parents with the information, skills, and confidence they need to discuss sensitive topics openly and effectively so their kids can just be kids.  (Summary from book - Image from www.dianeelevin.com )

My Review:  “Beth” usually wears a skintight top and low slung jeans. Like most girls, she worries about her weight and wonders whether boys find her attractive. She wants to be a superstar, like Lady Gaga, and loves singing along with I Like it Rough, while swaying her hips to the music. Beth isn’t 18, or 14, or even twelve-years-old. She’s seven. She wants to be “sexy,” and she has no idea what that means.

In recent years, a startling number of children, tweens, and teens have demonstrated signs of “early sexualization.” These children show an alarming interest in sexual behavior, language, and the exploration of sexual relationships, long before such behavior is considered developmentally appropriate. This sexualized childhood manifests in a variety of ways but is easily visible in the way young children dress, speak, and interact.

If you’re like me, and this trend scares you senseless, then So Sexy So Soon might be one of the most important parenting books you’ve ever read. Without proper guidance, children of all ages and genders can become confused by subtle and not-so-subtle messages found in popular culture (e.g. books, magazines, movies, television, the internet, music, music videos, video games, etc.). Through a series of unsettling examples and well-researched studies, this book shows the negative effects that early exposure to inappropriate imagery can have on our children. It also serves as a scathing indictment of industries that value profit over principle, targeting children through advertisement and spreading the idea that appearance determines an individual’s worth or personal happiness.

While we can and should control the flow of media into our own homes, our children will still receive mixed messages while standing in the checkout line, on the playground, from friends, or even older siblings. So Sexy So Soon alerts parents to possible dangers, but also provides useful ways to counteract harmful messages that slip through the cracks and promote healthy, age appropriate sexual development. For example, the authors describe how to establish relationships where children will feel comfortable asking questions or voicing concerns. They also provide tips for dealing with teenagers, combating negative stereotypes, teaching children how to evaluate images they encounter, and much more.

I read So Sexy So Soon with my three young daughters in mind, but there was plenty of information for families blessed with Y chromosomes. The authors’ explain how media and the early sexualization of young girls can negatively influence the perspective of young males. They also show how unrealistic standards of masculinity are established and maintained through early exposure to violent video games, music videos, toys, books, and other social media.

This book was a brutal wake-up call – the smack you in your face kind. It wasn’t always an easy read and occasionally blew things out of proportion, but it validated many of my concerns, helped identify other areas that need special attention, and offered reasonable solutions to problems I might encounter. I recommend this book as a compelling and invaluable resource to every parent who is concerned with the current trend towards sexualized childhood and looking for ways to limit media influence in the home.

My Rating: 5 Stars.  *I feel like I should qualify my rating because I'm wavering between 4 and 5 stars, depending on the day*  Occasionally this book slides into the sensational and scary.  In other words, it tries to scare the pants off you and most likely will succeed.  I gave this book five stars because I feel this book does a reasonably good job of addressing a subject that every parent should consider, NOT because every solution is perfect or the writing is amazing.

For the sensitive reader: Some frank discussion of sexual topics and media that kids might encounter. Some of the language used could be considered offensive, but I really felt it was necessary to illustrate the problems our children are likely to encounter.

Sum it up: A must read for any parent.

To learn more, visit the So Sexy So Soon website at http://www.sosexysosoon.com/ or click here to read the introduction.

Facing Forward : A Life Reclaimed - Reba D + GIVEAWAY

I will be giving this book to someone who really needs it.  See the bottom of this post for details.

Summary:  Like so many women, I wanted a home, children, a loving husband, and a pet.  When life didn't work out the way I'd hoped by the time I was 30, I started to panic.  I was actively looking for love when I met a man who would ultimately change my life and the lives of those closest to me.

This story has a happy ending.  Unfortunately, not all victims of domestic violence are so fortunate.  There are steps you can take to free yourself or help free someone you know.  Through my story, you'll find out how.  You will walk away with a better understanding of how someone can lose everything to an abuser -- and when she is ready, reclaim her life.

What would ever make a woman settle for someone she knew in her heart wasn't right?  Worse, what would make her stay in an abusive marriage or relationship once she realized the truth?  A lot of things, among them, shame and fear.  Shame of leaving, shame of failure, fear of his retaliation, fear of personal marital details becoming public in a divorce proceeding -- and fear of suffering socially or financially by a divorce.  For some, there's the fear of being alone.  If you're unable to understand this, be thankful.  But also be careful.  Prior to my marriage to the pastor, I would never have tolerated anyone treating me this way.  (Summary from book - Image from www.mondialbooks.com  - Book given free for review)

My Review:  Facing Forward is a heartbreaking account of one woman's struggle to endure nearly two years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of her husband. I warn you, this story is both compelling and disturbing. Once I picked it up, I could think of little else. I read it all in a day because I could not go to sleep without seeing the author safely out of her marriage.

Reba’s husband Philip is a seemingly dedicated Lutheran pastor, affectionate and attentive when he has an audience, but frightfully domineering and vindictive behind closed doors. Almost immediately after the wedding (and to be perfectly honest, even before it), Philip begins to insult Reba and berate her for the smallest of perceived offenses. To make matters worse, Philip's parents – who are, quite possibly, the most offensive, psychotic, and dysfunctional parents I have ever heard, seen, or read about – visit frequently and only uphold their son’s treatment of his wife. At first, Reba tries to stand up for herself, but when the verbal abuse escalates to the occasional physical confrontation, she discovers it is far easier to walk on eggshells and give in to her husband’s demands in order to keep the peace.

In Facing Forward, Reba acknowledges the red flags she missed, and those she simply ignored or rationalized away. From a outsider's perspective, it would be easy to see the same warning signs and say, "She's such an idiot. She should have seen it coming” or “There is no way I would have put up with that behavior. I would have left right away." However, the reality of abuse is always more complicated than it seems. Reba states "living in an abusive relationship can turn the most confident, secure, independent person into someone she never would have previously believed possible." Nowhere is this more evident than in Reba's own brief marriage as she transforms from an assertive, passionate woman to a fearful, desensitized submissive. Although Reba's situation deteriorated more quickly than most, such abuse is not uncommon. Her husband exhibited behavior typical of an abusive partner and it wasn’t long before she showed all the signs of being abused. It was only through her own determination and the loving support of family and friends that Reba was finally able to leave her husband and regain her sense of self-worth.

If I've learned anything from James Frey, Milli Vanilli, and the allegations currently swirling around Greg Mortenson, it is that sometimes people embellish the truth, pay lip service, or outright lie to make themselves look better. While it is true that there are always two people in a marriage and two sides to every story, I felt that Reba gave an honest portrayal of her marital woes. She was upfront about her own, relatively microscopic, failings in the marriage and accepted the blame for times when she erred, regardless of her husband's inexcusable behavior.

Facing Foward is a riveting narrative, but the author did not write it to entertain. She shared her story in the hope that it could serve as a wake-up call for someone currently living in an abusive relationship or lend some perspective to those trying to support a love one who is being abused. I recommend this book to everyone. Read it and you might recognize the signs. Read it and you might find the strength to leave.

My Rating: 4.25 Stars

For the sensitive reader: There were a handful of times in this book when the couple's sex life came into play. While I understand its relevance to their relationship and this book, I would have been okay with a little less detail. The pastor is also quite fond of profanity-laced tirades.

Sum it up: A compelling memoir of abuse and a life reclaimed.

_______________________________________

A Note from Reba:

For too long, domestic violence was something no one talked about in polite circles. But that didn't mean it didn't exist. Today, few people haven't been touched by it personally or known someone who has.  Today, we know longer accept it the way things have to be. We know we have choices, options and that help is available. As we continue to raise our social consciousness, we learn that it's only by facing this openly together that we can bring about the awareness that ultimately leads to change. If you know someone in need of help anywhere in the US, download a free state-by-state resource guide at http://www.facingforward-alifereclaimed.com/ 

__________________________________________

As of right now, this book has been claimed. 

You can buy your own copy of Facing Forward here or the Kindle edition (for $4.99) here.  

GIVEAWAY:  Because I feel that more people could benefit from this book, I will ship my copy to the first person* who contacts me at mindyoja AT hotmail DOT com.  Please only write if you are currently involved in or know someone who is involved in an abusive relationship.  Read it and, when you're through, pass it on.


*US residents only.  I can't afford to ship internationally.

Back To Basics: Traditional Kitchen Wisdom - Readers Digest, edited by Andrea Chesman

Summary:  Live on less and still have plenty!  There's something to be said for simpler times, when our way of life seemed more wholesome...when our food was grown with fewer pesticides and growth hormones...when we tended kitchen gardens, kept a flock of chickens, and "put up" beans, pears, and pickles.  So it's easy to see why people across the nation are returning to their roots--and root cellars--and embracing a return to the basics.

With Traditional Kitchen Wisdom you, too, can enjoy the rewards of being more self-reliant by...

• Growing your own fruits and vegetables in a space as small as a windowsill
• Turning fresh fruit into jams and jellies
• Learning safe canning and freezing methods
• Drying foods and creating your own herbs and spices
• Making homemade wine, beer, and naturally flavored vodka
• Raising chickens and honeybees, making your own cheese, and more

Start your own family traditions with Traditional Kitchen Wisdom, and rediscover the pleasure of returning to a greener, healthier, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.   (Image from  http://images.bookcloseouts.com/ and summary from back of the book.)

My Review:  Honestly, I've never been much of a Suzy-Homemaker type.  My mother knew how to can, sew, garden, pickle, and everything in between.  I spent a little time learning the very basics of a couple of these skills--definitely not enough to talk about though.  In the past couple years I've gotten into gardening and consequently canning and maybe someday I'll get into sewing.  This book peaked my interest because it gives the basics on many kitchen tasks I've never fully explored...and allows me to refresh my skills without pestering my mother!

Reader friendly is the best way to describe the format.  It has an easy to follow table of contents, clear headings broken down into steps, has color illustrations depicting what it's describing, tables and charts when the information is best conveyed that way, equipment lists, and recipes.  I can't say I've tried everything in the book because I don't have all the right tools/equipment for each skill. But, I'm excited to try some though.

There's one section of the book that is obsolete for me, but may intrigue other readers: wine and beer brewing.  While I'm sure it's a great skill for some, I have no use for it.

The last section of the book shows ways to have a sustainable home.  I'm not sure I'll ever get to this point in my life, as raising chickens is not my ambition.  Still, I like having the information if I ever do need it.

For a novice like me, this book was informative and inspired me to want to try some of these food preserving techniques.  If you're a domestic diva knowing all the arts of the kitchen, this book is probably too simplistic.


Rating:  4.5 Stars

Sum it up: A book with basics of home preserving techniques for a beginner in the process.

Book of Ages: 30 - Joshua Albertson, Lockhart Steele, Jonathan Van Gieson

Summary:  Welcome to your thirties.  Are you rich, poor, single, married, divorced, straight, gay, crazy in love, happy, in good health, insured, employed, in school, falling apart?  On the brink of fame, like Ford, Emeril, Napoleon, Nonan, Couric?  Do you have problems, dreams, house, job, money, kids, car, gun?  Do you exude sex like Clooney, Berry, Stallone, Madonna, Elvis, Cher?  Feeling promiscuous, monogamous, dumped, living in sin, virginal, pregnant?  What's next?  Layoff, promotion, power, new career, wedding, debt, divorce, degree, death?  Are you in danger like Welles, Plath,Alexander Ringwald, Murphy?  Struggling like Bush, Tan, Gandolfini, Kafka, Rowling, Mr. T?  How do you stack up?  Are you a visionary like Oprah, Bono, Gates, Edison, Franklin, Eminem?  Will you change the world like Shakespeare, Mandela, Mao, Lennon, Gorbachev, Kennedy?  31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39...What's Next?  (Image from https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ and summary from back of the book.)

My Review:  Yes, I am thirty.  I'm actually fine with that number, but I was given a book to remind me that time is ticking and maybe to shame me into being more aware of how I'm using my time.  This little coffee table book is set up visually appealing with black letters on white pages with red thrown in for emphasis and lots of fun pictures. Easy and fast to read is an understatement.  Whether the information in the book is really all that important is debatable.  Much of what you learn is about famous people and what they were doing at that the age of thirty.  Sometimes this was interesting, sometimes it was worthless.  When you spend your time comparing yourself to people that are such a small percentage of the population it can never be realistic.  I'm afraid some readers might be discouraged after learning all these minute details.

The other aspect to the book I wasn't so thrilled about was how much emphasis was put on a person's sex life and how much money he or she makes.  As if those are the greatest indicator of how happy you truly are at the age of thirty.   Maybe that's a representation of the authors?  Or is that really what Americans really care about?  I'd wager it isn't, but I could be wrong.

If you're not taking it too seriously and enjoy frivolous facts, feel free to pick up this book.  Otherwise, it's more or less forgettable.

Rating:  2.5 stars

Sum it up:  Random facts about anonymous people and famous people alike while they lived the years called their thirties.

The Rape of Kuwait - Jean Sasson

Summary:  At dawn, on August 2, 1990, Iraq's troops stormed across the Kuwaiti border, collapsing the goverment of its tiny neighbor in a matter of hours.  The brutality with which this illegal invasion was carried out -- and the atrocities to which the Kuwaiti population are subject on a dailiy basis -- will shock the world.

Jean P. Sasson traveled to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, England, and the U.S. to gather firsthand accoutns of the invasion and its aftermath from stunned and angry refugees.  From exiled members of the ruling family, resistance fighters, medical professionals, wives, and mothers, she heard startling tales of terror:  Infants torn from incubators and left to die on hosptial floors.  Women savagely raped.  Refugees shot in the back of the head as they attempted to escape through the desert.

The Rape of Kuwait presents these eyewitness stories, which bring to light for the first time the extent of the crimes committed against the nation's civilian population.  A shocking indictment of the Iraqi military, this book will increase the world's understanding of Saddam Hussein -- and raise the frightening question of what he might do next.  (Summary from book - Image from www.jeansasson.com )

My Review:  I have always been fascinated by the Middle East and have read several books by Jean Sasson, including Princess: Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia, Princess Sultana's Daughters, Princess Sultana's Circle, and Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein.  I highly recommend any of these books, as each was deeply compelling and related the difficult, but remarkable, experiences of women living in the Middle East.

The Rape of Kuwait was written quickly, between August 2, 1990, when the Iraqi military invaded Kuwait, and January 17, 1991, when the U.S. and its allies stepped in to help liberate the country.  Sasson freely admits that her purpose for writing this book was to let the world know exactly what was going on in Kuwait and to encourage international intervention.  Published just before the U.S. became involved, it reached #2 on the NYT Bestseller list and, according to Wikipedia, the Kuwaiti Embassy even paid to have 200,000 copies shipped to U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf.

Except for a brief history of Kuwait, which I found incredibly helpful, this book is comprised almost entirely of first-hand accounts of the atrocities committed by the Iraqi military against the citizens of Kuwait.  I don't think I can possibly convey my horror at the depth of cruelty perpetrated by the invading army and condoned by its leaders.  Though it occurred over twenty years ago, I am sickened by their actions and haunted by the people whose lives were cut short, whose stories might never be told. 

Throughout the book, Sasson questions what Saddam will do next.  It was haunting to read these statements, knowing that so much more cruelty was to come, not only for Kuwaiti's trapped inside Iraq, but for Kurds, and for Iraq's own people.  I ran the gamut of negative emotions while reading this book: sadness, anger, frustration, etc., but there was one positive emotion that stood out.  Relief.  Saddam Hussein is dead, and I am relieved (and even, though I'm not terribly proud of it, a little bit glad).

The Rape of Kuwait is a shocking and painful description of violence committed by the Iraqi military, but it is also a tale of a beloved nation that fought to regain its freedom from a grasping, predatorial dictator.  I was continuously impressed by the love and loyalty of the Kuwaiti people, the nation's generous humanitarian donations, wise financial investments, and their determination to rebuild.

I don't usually read books like this, but when I do I am rarely sorry.  I feel a sense of purpose, like reading them can somehow give these people a voice, so that even twenty years later their sacrifice is not forgotten.  If you think you can handle it, and maybe even if you think you can't, I recommend picking up a book like this one. 

My Rating: 4 Stars

For the sensitive reader:  Each account is graphic in its own way, though not in a glorified or overly detailed sense. 
Sum it up:  These accounts are horrible, bloody, tragic, and terrifying, but they are also true, and they deserve to be read.

The Dirty Life : On Farming, Food, and Love - Kristin Kimball

Summary:  Single, thirty something, working as a writer in New York City, Kristin Kimball was living life as an adventure.  But she was beginning to feel a sense of longing for a family and for home.  When she interviewed a dynamic young farmer, her world changed...On an impulse, smitten if not yet in love, she shed her city self and moved to five hundred acres near Lake Champlain to start a new farm with him.  The Dirty Life is the captivating chronicle of their first year on Essex Farm , from the cold North Country winter through the following harvest season--complete with their wedding in the loft of the barn.

Kimball and her husband had a plan: to grow everything needed to feed a community.  It was an ambitious idea, a bit romantic, and it worked.  Every Friday evening, all year round, a hundred people travel to Essex farm to pick up their weekly share of the "whole diet"-- beef, pork, chicken, milk, eggs, maple syrup, grains, flours, dried beans, herbs, fruits, and forty different vegetables -- produced by the farm.  The work is done by draft horses instead of tractors, and the fertility comes from compost.  Kimball's vivid descriptions of landscape, food, cooking-- and marriage -- are irresistible. 

"As much as you transform the land by farming," she writes, "farming transforms you."  In her old life, Kimball would stay out till four a.m., wear heels, and carry a handbag.  Now she wakes up at four, wears Carhartts, and carries a pocketknife.  At Essex Farm, she discovers the wrenching pleasures of physical work, learns that good food is at the center of a good life, falls deeply in love, and finally finds the engagement and commitment she craved in the form of a man, a small town, and a beautiful piece of land.  (Summary from book - Image from amazon.com )

My Review:  Kristin Kimball never imagined herself on a farm, slaughtering pigs, planting beets, and driving a team of horses. When a chance interview leads to few days of grueling farm work, Kristin falls in love, first, with a way of life, and then with Mark – a farmer, who is equal parts eccentric, romantic, and world-class chef. Despite all good sense and the concerns of her family, Kristin moves to a ramshackle farm located on 500 acres of land in upstate New York, to cultivate a life of agricultural bliss with her soon-to-be husband.

The Dirty Life follows Kristin’s transformation from a single, freelance writer and devoted city slicker, to that of a wife, mother, and down-home farm girl.  In a fit of idealism, Kristin and Mark embark on an agricultural venture that, given their lack of capital, equipment, and expertise, has very little chance of success.  Their goal is to grow and eat their own food – all of it – and to give their community the same opportunity by building a cooperative, CSA-like farm that will provide members with a year-round, complete diet of organic fruit, vegetables, beef, chicken, pork, milk, eggs, butter, cheese, grain, dry beans, maple syrup, and more).  If that isn’t ambitious enough, they plan to do it all without chemical fertilizers or heavy-duty machinery.  Mark is determined.  Kristin is sure they are crazy.

After endless days of what Kristin calls, “trying to hammer out this big, awkward thing, [and] bring it from theory into being,” a farm begins to emerge from the dust and the wilds. It hobbles at first, and then it runs, as each week more members arrive at the farm, boxes in hand, to pick up their increasingly unlimited supply of food. While it was thrilling to watch the Kimball’s dream come true, it was Kristin’s description of the journey that I found most interesting – the successes, failures, and frustrations of living a life both gloriously simple and tremendously difficult.

Passionate and evocative, The Dirty Life had me at the prologue, with an irresistible blend of food, romance, and farm life that continued throughout the book. I was absorbed in the particulars of cooperative farming, the authors’ eloquent imagery, and unexpected sense of humor. I savored every page of it. Whether you are in love with country living, looking for a little inspiration, or just longing for a good book, The Dirty Life won’t disappoint you.

*POST EDIT* While I read the hardcover version of this book, the paperback version released April 12th, 2011, complete with recipes and photographs. *Yay!*

My Rating: 5 Stars

For the sensitive reader:  There were two moments of profanity and a few scenes of slaughter and gore that, though realistic in a farm setting, made my stomach a little squeamish. 

Sum it up:  A riveting agricultural love story that is compelling, realistic, and well worth your time.

1-2-3...Get Organized Mini-Book Series - Beverly Coggins

Summary:  After studying personality types for over 15 years, Beverly Coggins, professional organizer, created 1-2-3...Get Organized to appeal to those personality types who were overwhelmed by organizing...

The 1-2-3...Get Organized series springs from Coggins’ experience as a professional organizer in both homes and offices [and covers] such topics as office and home organizing, time management in several arenas, as well as organizing for college students, and downsizing for seniors.

Each book is short and covers only one organizing task, addressing the feeling that the job is too huge to tackle. So instead of feeling overwhelmed, the reader is able to take one task at a time and feel a sense of accomplishment upon completing it.  (Summary and Image from http://1-2-3GetOrganized.com - Books given free for review)

My Review:  While there are many books and e-books in this mini-book series, I am only reviewing the following five: 

Three Steps to Clever Cleaning
Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-at-Home Mom
Three Steps to Decluttering
Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room
Three Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen

First, let's talk about format. These books are tiny -- measuring 6x6 with an average of 26 pages. They are organized into three specific, easy-to-follow steps (or chapters), with even tinier sub-steps given in bullet-point format.  Personally, I prefer paragraphs to bullet points, but the books were short enough that it didn't really matter. 

Initially, I was unsure about the concept of mini-books, but after receiving them, I understand why the author released them as a series. While the book fiend in me longs for one big book, I am not her target audience. Instead, they are designed to help someone who is "overwhelmed" with organizing and only feels capable of handling one area at a time. If you feel like you fall into this category, read on.  However, if you find that you'd like to buy all five of these books, it might be time to get something more comprehensive.

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If I had to pick one person to hire -- chef, housekeeper, or nanny -- I would pick housekeeper in a nanosecond.  Why?  It's simple.  I hate cleaning.  Oh, I can sweep, wipe a counter, and  "tidy" with the best of them, but hand me a toilet brush and I'm more likely to whack you with it than clean a toilet (and wouldn't that be gross).  And dusting?  Forget it.  I picked up Three Steps to Clever Cleaning, hoping to find ways to clean faster and smarter. 

While this book wasn't necessarily a fountain of knowledge in terms of how to clean, it did offer many suggestions on when to clean. I discovered that I tend to excel at the chores that need to be done frequently (sweeping, cleaning counters, picking up toys, etc) but am an all out failure at those that need to be done less often (vacuuming, dusting, cleaning out the fridge).  I think (er..hope) that being aware of my strengths and weaknesses will help me to focus on areas of improvement.  I did pick up a number of clever cleanings tips and was able to identify some cleaning strategies that might work for me.  The final step even provides a month-to-month calendar for those bigger chores that only need to be done a few times a year. 

I did notice a few tips in this book that felt incomplete.  One tip on dusters said that "Swiffer has a duster that claims to collect dust and looks like it would be worth trying."  I felt the author should have actually tried the duster to see if Swiffer lived up to their claim, instead of simply recommending that we try it.  I'm lazy like that.  Also, she recommends using Mr. Clean Magic Erasers on "any cleanable surface" when the packaging clearly states that they should not be used on paint or varnished surfaces.  While I still use mine very lightly to remove fingerprints from walls, I have learned the hard way (Pen swirls on my coffee table) that any pressure on a finished surface can remove the paint or varnish. 

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With three kids, a reading habit, a non-profit blog, and a home that I'm trying to put on the market, it's easy to see why Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-At-Home Mom screamed my name.  I am very type A.  I love to make to-do lists and derive an inordinate amount of satisfaction from checking things off .  I could not have been more startled when my first thought while reading the step one(prioritizing)was "I do not have TIME to make all these lists and assign numerical values to my goals".  I wanted to skip straight to Step 2 (making a plan that works) only to find that required me to make several rough drafts of a calendar with time blocked out for my priorities.  The idea that I could assign blocks of time to any part of my life, at this point, felt laughable and so I was glad to see the author offer an alternative suggestion for parents of infants.  I think I'll stick with my daily to-do lists. 

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My house might have its moments, but thanks to my mother, the De-junking Queen, I am fairly familiar with the organizational process described in Three Steps to Decluttering, Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room, and Three Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen.  I rarely have a problem saying goodbye to unnecessary or unwanted items.  If it's broke, I chuck it.  If I don't use it, I give it away.  For that reason, these three books didn't teach me a whole lot that I didn't already know.  My problem lies in the motivation, not the know-how. 
 
I felt that the many of other tips for dejunking, organization, and maintenance were just plain old common-sense, rather than revolutionary recommendations.  However, an amateur organizer (or professional hoarder) might feel differently.  If your house (or even one room) is starting to resembled one of those homes on Clean House, I would recommend a) renting a dumpster and b) picking ONE of these books.  
 

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In addition to the books I received for review, you can find or purchase the following books/ebooks and more at the 1-2-3GetOrganized website. 

• Three Steps to Time Management in the Office
• Three Steps to Time Management for Your College Student
• Three Steps to Time Management for the Single Mom
• Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom
• Three Steps to Downsizing to a Smaller Residence
• Three Steps to Organizing Your Office
• Three Steps to Planning Dinner

They are so small and easy-to-read, that I would recommend purchasing the e-books over the print copy, to save on shipping.  Plus, then you have one less thing cluttering up your house!

My Rating: 3 Stars

Sum it up:  Baby steps for the overwhelmed.

Kabul Beauty School - Deborah Rodriguez

Summary:  Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan with nothing but a desire to help and a degree in cosmetology.  There she joined the Kabul Beauty School, which welcomed its first class in 2003.  Well meaning but sometimes brazen, Rodriguez, one of the school's first teachers and its eventual director, stumbled through language barriers and overstepped cultural customs as she learned how to empower her students to become their families' breadwinners, teaching them the fundamentals of coloring techniques, haircutting, and makeup.

Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred.  As these vibrant women shared their stories, Rodriguez found the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again, Afghan style.  With warmth and humor, Rodriguez reveals the magnificence behind the burqa--and present the remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom.  (Summary from book - Image from http://www.kobobooks.com/ )

My Review:When I saw this book sitting on the shelf at my local used bookstore, I all but leaped at the chance to skip the luggage fee, leave my burqa behind, and experience life behind the veil in Afghanistan. Kabul Beauty School tells the story of Deborah Rodriguez, an American woman fleeing a terrible marriage and who hopes to make a difference in a post 9/11, war-torn Afghanistan by establishing a beauty school. The author's descriptions of the Afghani people, their culture and traditions, and her stories of courage, friendship, and adversity were definitely worth the trip. I loved being able to experience Afghanistan with her, in all its wonder, but without the inherent dangers.

More than a simple travelogue, Kabul Beauty School carries an important message.  While some of the more extremist elements of Afghani culture frown on the education of women,Afghan men are not allowed in beauty salons as a matter of propriety (the women’s hair is uncovered). In an exclusively female environment, Deborah’s students were able to learn a skill that could financially support their families in a country that suffered from 40% unemployment. The school also provided an escape from abusive homes and helped create strong bonds of friendship between students and teachers. Each student's story was heartbreaking and, while difficult to read, especially with eyes used to certain freedoms, these accounts only helped to emphasize the everyday struggles faced by Afghani women and the genuine need for programs like KBS.

Deborah’s understanding of Afghani behavior was limited by both a substantial language barrier and some massive cultural differences. Her diligent attempts to navigate the morass of societal rules and traditions provided ample entertainment whenever she would unintentionally horrify the local population. Throughout the book, Deborah's take-no-prisoner’s personality conflicted with more extremist elements in the country (like the time she kicked down her neighbor’s gate, machine gun in hand, after they threatened one of her workers). While I wonder at the wisdom of such action, I certainly enjoyed reading about it. It was also fascinating to read about Deborah’s struggle to reconcile American with Afghan in a marriage that is, by western standards, extremely unconventional.

I experienced the same internal conflict reading Kabul Beauty School that I felt when I read Three Cups of Tea. Both books relate the story of a humanitarian that traveled to Afghanistan in the hopes of educating women, and in both books, they left families behind. I long to travel the world, making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate, but now that I have children, I can’t reconcile doing any of those things if it comes at the expense of my own family. I admire Deborah greatly for her compassion and dedication to the women of Afghanistan, and while I understand the passion she found in dedicated service, I wonder at the cost to her own children. Did they understand? Did they miss the time they could have spent with their mother? Where was she more needed? That question weighed on my mind as I read the book, and it is a question with no easy answer.

I will admit to being saddened and a little disappointed by the end of this book (mostly the afterword). Deborah’s program could make a profound difference in the lives of countless women, but is hindered by a culture that seems resistant to change, especially in regard to women’s rights. When faced with the loss of a particularly close friend, Deborah writes,

“There are many of us Westerners who want to help Afghan women, but our efforts don’t always help them in the ways that we hope they will. There are so many ties that bind these women and hold them back, and many of the ties aren’t visible to the Western eye. It takes a long time to understand how the complexities of these women’s lives differ from the complexities of ours. Sometimes we can’t help, even when we understand these complexities. The culture is changing so much more slowly than their dreams are.”

 I can only hope that the political atmosphere in Afghanistan will eventually become one that will welcome and nurture this type of humanitarian aid.

Similar to Three Cups of Tea or The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, I thought this book offered an increased understanding of a complicated issue and that its value lies less in its literary quality (eh.) and more in the humanitarian concepts that it promotes. Education and the promotion of strong, self-sufficient families is a vital step towards a securing civil rights, a better economy, and a more peaceful world.

My Rating: 4.25 Stars

For the sensitive reader: This book contained some profanity and brief discussion of sexual matters, though usually within the context of cultural differences.  There are also several horrifying (but essential) stories that illustrate the difficulties of growing up female in Afghanistan. 

Sum it up: An aesthetician’s Three Cups of Tea.

Raising the Perfect Child through Guilt and Manipulation - Elizabeth Beckwith

This guest review comes from my sweet cousin, Kalea Christman, mother of two under two and therefore wholly qualified to write her own parenting guide. 

Summary: Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation is not one of those traditional, all-too-earnest parenting guides that, for generations, have sucked all the fun out of child rearing. The foundation of Elizabeth Beckwith's Guilt and Manipulation family philosophy is simple: We do things a certain way, and everyone else is an @**#&!$.   Is that something you should put on a bumper sticker and slap on your minivan? Of course not—that would be trashy. But in the privacy of your own home, you can employ the essential components of Guilt and Manipulation to mold the little runts ruthlessly yet effectively into children you won't be embarrassed to admit are yours. (Summary and cover from amazon.com - Image from usedbooks.co.nz ).

My Review:  I originally wanted to read the book based on its title. But as we all know, you can't judge a book by it's cover. What I thought would be a fun parenting book turned out to be a spoof on parenting books.

The author considers herself conservative and says that she gets uncomfortable if anybody brings up the subject of sex. I found that inconsistent with the fact that there is at least one swear word per page (including the “F” word in one story), that she explicitly describes what Las Vegas Show girls do to each other onstage, and brings up sexual topics throughout the whole thing.

It did, however, have a few redeeming qualities. There were times that it was laugh-out-loud funny. It also had some gems of parenting advice, like:

• Don't tell your kids that if they don't turn off the TV, you'll through it out the window, unless you really intend on doing it. She harped on consistency, which is crucial in parenting.
• Explain to your kids that the reason why they need to hold your hand when crossing the street is because if they don't, they could get hit by a car and die. So many parents sugarcoat the severity of certain consequences instead of being honest.
• Make your home into a comfortable haven with good food and team-building activities so that it's a place they want to be.

I've read other reviews on it and it seems as though there are two takes on it. Either you love it, or you wanted to love it, but hated it.

My Rating: 2 stars

Sum it up: A sarcastic spoof on parenting books with some good advice sprinkled here and there.

The Busy Book Series - Trish Kuffner

Summary:  365 fun and creative activities to stimulate your toddler, preschooler, or older child every day of the year.  (Summary from books - Images from AbeBooks.com)

My Review:  It’s time to come clean. You know those moms who manage to run a successful home-based business, craft with their kids, bake bread, and scrapbook stunning works of photographic art? Well, I am not one of those Super Moms. I try to be a good parent, but there are some days that I just stare at my kids and, with all the love in my heart, think “What on earth am I going to do with you?” . I try to think of ways to entertain them and I come up empty.

Do you have days like that? Days when, if you hear the words “I’m bored” one more time, you swear you’ll lock yourself in the bathroom? If so, I suggest looking through the Busy Book Series by Trish Kuffner. I found a used set on my last visit to the bookstore and it was a lights-shining-down-from-heaven kind of moment. I snatched them off the shelf in a millisecond, but it wasn’t until I started flipping through the pages that I realized what a treasure I had found.

I wish I had read The Toddler’s Busy Book when my two oldest were little. Designed specifically for 1 ½ to 3-year-olds, this book is packed with 365 simple ideas for educational toddler play, crafts, music, and snacks, along with parenting tips and organizational ideas. Your child will love snow painting in the winter, flying a balloon kite in the spring, or any one of their 84 ideas for rainy day play!

The Preschooler’s Busy Book is the perfect way to give your 3 to 6-year-old the sensory, imaginary, and educational experience their little brains crave. Whether they are playing with Super Goop, setting up their own grocery store, or making a Pom-Pom spider, you can be sure they’ll be having tons of fun. This book even includes activities that help promote basic reading readiness, math, geography, and botany in inventive and entertaining ways.

My girls were most excited about The Children’s Busy Book, written primarily for children ages 6 to 10. My 7-year old immediately began marking pages to try. At bedtime, I had to pry it from her grasp when I found the book hiding under her pillow. She loves the cooking section, with its child-friendly recipes, and has plans to make The World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, play Penny Toss, and build sculptures with toothpicks and mini-marshmallows.

While you will see a few activities that are suitable for all ages repeated throughout the three books, each book offers unique ideas that will inspire the minds of those left in your care. My favorite part of these books is that most of the activities are simple to set up and require only a few, easy to find items that are usually already hanging around my home. Above all, I love that don’t have to wrack my brain to come up with ideas that are creative, constructive, and entertaining.

I’m a realistic woman. I will never be the super mom-next-door. However, with a Busy Book or two at my disposal, hopefully my kids will have too much fun to notice.

My Rating:  5 Stars

Sum it up:  These books might keep your kids busy long enough for you to actually...wait for it...get things DONE.  It's a literary MIRACLE!!

The Anatomy of Pilates - Paul Massey

Summary:  Pilates is an exercise method designed to elongate and strengthen the body by emphasizing balance, alignment, proper breathing, and core stability.  Osteopaths, physiotherapists, and general practitioners recommend its simple, low-impact approach as one of the safest forms of exercise, ideal for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and overall physical health.  Pilates can be beneficial for just about everyone, regardless of age and fitness level.

The Anatomy of Pilates takes the reader inside the body to show exactly what happens in the body's muscles and joints during a Pilates exercise.  At the heart of the book are 150 full-color illustrations showing the muscles that lengthen and strengthen in 40 classic exercises, together with information on anatomy, technique, breathing pitfalls, and more.  The Anatomy of Pilates is an accessible, authoritative guide for current and prospective teacher of Pilates, practitioners at all skill levels, physical therapists, and health professionals.  (Summary from back of the book, book free for review from Lotus Publishing and image from http://www.pilates-pro.com/)

My Review:  Reading this book made me want to utilize Pilates more in my exercise routine.  I'm not the most versed in Pilates, but I have enjoyed a class or two.  I think this book is geared more towards people who know anatomy, or have more experience with Pilates.  Not that I didn't find it helpful, because I did.  I have never taken an anatomy class. Therefore, the read wasn't as fast as it would have been had I been more knowledgeable in the proper names of each muscle.

The book is organized in a way that the reader can easily navigate the basics of Pilates--Introduction, Posture and Movement, Applications, and Classical Pilates Exercises.  There were a couple of aspects I found very helpful (besides all the full-color pictures).  The pitfalls that accompany each exercise/pose were informative for someone who is a beginner.  The second section of the book, Posture and Movement, had diagrams and examples of poor posture.  After determining your posture--unless you're perfect and don't have any problems with incorrect posture--there is a suggested exercise section.  These suggested exercises will help improve the weakened areas of your body based on your posture.  The last aspect to the book I found useful is the chart on page 60.  It illustrates the exercises to do at what ability level and how many repetitions.

Overall the The Anatomy of Pilates is very informative and because the book is only around 150 pages, it isn't a daunting read.  The full-color illustrations are the icing on the cake, making the book more easily digested.  (Does icing to do that?  Oh well, If not, you get the idea.)

My Rating: 4 Stars

Sum it up: A comprehensive look at Pilates and how it works the body.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Summary: Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the effects of the atom bomb; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live, and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.
Summary from book, cover photo from indiebound.org

My Review: Chances are you have heard of Hela cells. They make regular appearances in articles and on news channels as scientists use them in research to discover how human cells react to various toxins and come up with new medications and vaccinations from studying them. But not much has been said about where these cells originated from. This book takes us behind the scenes of Hela cells back to the woman whose body they were cut from more than fifty years ago - Henrietta Lacks.

This book is more than a scientific study on Hela cells. It's a touching story of the Lacks family - a mother who died of cancer too early leaving her young children and husband behind. It's about the legacy of Henrietta Lacks, whose body passed on but whose cells not only still live but continue to reproduce at astonishing rates.

This book is perfectly laid out to create a beautiful, yet educational story. It contains some interesting information on chromosome mapping, cell reproduction, and cell research in general. The information is provided mostly in layman’s terms making it easy to understand and read. At the same time it brings light onto the woman who was Henrietta Lacks from her childhood to beyond her death with a detailed look inside the lives of her children. The author has done an amazing job of reporting as a neutral party (for the most part) and yet humanizing the Lackes. There were a few parts toward the middle that felt a bit over dramatized. Yet there is no doubt that Henrietta's children suffered greatly, especially her daughter, Deborah. Their torment is adequately portrayed.

This book will leave the reader puzzled with feelings on the equity of tissue ownership. Parts produce outrage toward the abuse of power by the medical profession, Yet where would we be without the medical advancements led to by Hela? What a miraculous legacy Henrietta left behind. This would certainly make for an excellent book club discussion with some warmer moments.

My Rating: 4 Stars

To Sum it Up: So much more than a scientific article yet so much more than a memoir, this is a book that begs to be read.