6 Books for Food and Wine Lovers

Happy Saturday and Weekend Cooking day. Because it's been ridiculously hot here (as everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere), I haven't been overly motivated to cook or bake, and that has put me more than a little behind in my cookbook reviews.

Today I'm going to feature six food books that are on my radar. Three of these are for reading (or listening) and three are for cooking and baking. It may be a few weeks (or even into September) before I'll be ready to turn on the oven, but I should be able to tell you my thoughts on the foodie books before the end of summer.

Note that all these books were (or will be) published in 2022. I want to thank the publishers and publicists for the review copies. Because I haven't yet explored these books in depth, the following thoughts are based on my first impressions.

Mediterranean Small Plates by Clifford A. Wright (Harvard Common Press, August): Who doesn't love having substantial appetizers for dinner? In this cookbook, Wright takes us all the way around the Mediterranean Sea in small plates: from tapas in Spain to hors d'oeuvres in France; meze in Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans; and ending with mazza in the Mideast and North Africa. The opening chapters introduce us to the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, how to make a balanced small-plate meal, and a list of ingredients to have on hand. The chapters explore each region separately, providing recipes, background info, tips, wine pairings, and more. The cookbook ends with almost 20 menus for small-plate meals for entertaining. Pretty much everyone will find more than a few recipes that will fit their dietary plan; I was impressed with the variety of flavors and types of dishes. Note too that many of the recipes are easy and quick enough for weeknight dinners.

Ultimate Food Atlas from National Geographic Kids (Hachette, June): I cannot wait to delve into this fun, colorful, and informative atlas. Each chapter focuses on a continent (the Australia chapter includes Oceania) plus there's a chapter dealing with climate change and the world food supply. Each chapter discusses a variety of topics pertaining to the continent (such as food production, festivals, and global issues) and includes descriptions and photos of regional foods. Instead of going country by country, the maps and sections home in on areas that share climatic, geographical, or ecological traits. Fun facts, recipes, activities, games, quizzes, and super graphics make the book a delight to look through and easy to read.

Bake by Paul Hollywood (Bloomsbury, July): In this cookbook, the world's favorite expert on all things baking shares his recipes for classic bakes: cakes, cookies, breads, pastries, and other desserts. I love to bake and am looking forward to the fall when I can try some of Hollywood's versions of naan bread, shortbread, brownie cheesecake, orange brioche, sausage rolls, bread pudding ... and well, just about everything! Beautiful photographs (some showing a step-by-step process) inspire me to don my apron, get out my pastry board, and start baking. While waiting for cooler temperatures, I plan to read through the cookbook and learn Hollywood's techniques and tweaks and tips for achieving my best bakes yet.

To Fall in Love, Drink This by Alice Feiring (Scribner, August): If you don't know, Feiring is a James Beard award winner for her wine journalism. Besides books and articles, she also writes The Feiring Line newsletter about natural wine (see her website for more). The essays and short pieces in this volume work together as a memoir. Among the stories Feiring shares are ones about her observant Jewish family and childhood, about how she discovered the world of wine, about winemakers and the industry, and about the men in her life. Her focus is on wines that are free from the many additives used in most mainstream wines. She also introduces us to various wine regions around the world and suggests wines to put on your to-buy lists. I plan to savor this collection, one essay at a time.

A Dish for All Seasons by Kathryn Pauline (Chronicle, August): I'm intrigued with the concept of this cookbook. Instead of dividing her recipes into four chapters (winter, spring, summer, fall), Pauline features a single dish and offers variations and transformations to fit the season. The main chapters are by meal or type of dish (breakfast, salads, sides); those chapters are organized by specific dishes. I'll illustrate the idea by focusing on one dish. Under "Mains" we find a section called "Sandwiches." Pauline describes her idea of a deli sandwich and then provides a grid for mixing and matching seasonal produce and flavors. Then she gives her best tips on how to create the "perfect" sandwich. Next she offers four recipes, one for each season. In this case, we find Shrimp Rolls, Boiled Corn, and Potatoes for summer, Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce and Lacto-Fermented Torshi for fall, a Meatball Sub with Caramelized Fennel for winter, and Bánh Mi for spring. Despite the examples I gave here, vegans, gluten-free eaters, and vegetarians will find plenty of recipes and seasonal combos to fit their needs. I'll likely use this cookbook before fall because I'd love to try some summer recipes while the farmer's markets are still in full swing.

Eat Up! by Ruby Tandoh (Vintage, July): If the name Ruby Tandoh sounds familiar to you, it may be because she was a finalist in the Great British Bake Off or because you've read some of her articles focusing on the intersection of food and society and culture at large. In this collection of essays, Tandoh focuses on issues that are near and dear to her, especially how attitudes about what we eat, what we look like, and who we are entangled and difficult to unknot. She talks about body shaming, being gay, emotional eating, and food in movies. She isn't shy to praise or condemn the foodie elite and food snobs. As I often do with essay collections, I plan to read this one piece at a time, all the while, taking Tandoh's advice to enjoy what I'm eating and ignore the naysayers. Note that she has a cookbook coming out in November.

Shared with Weekend Cooking, hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader (and Baker)

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12 True Stories to Read This Month

Although I seem to be lost in a sea of speculative fiction and mysteries/thrillers during these trying times, I haven’t forgotten that I normally love nonfiction. In fact, I’ve already finished one of the books on this list and have another one in my queue.

If you can’t quite face true stories right now, jot down the titles that call to you and save them for brighter days.

Most of the following books are coming out this month, but please double-check because publishing dates are unreliable this year. Summaries are cobbled from the publishers; audiobook information is included.

Life Stories

• Olive the Lionheart by Brad Ricca (St. Martin’s Press): In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her fiancée, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa. So she went to find him. This is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. Based on firsthand sources (letters and diaries). Audiobook: Read by Billie Fulford-Brown; 11 hr 31 min; Macmillan Audio
• Being Lolita by Alisson Wood (Flatiron): The true story of how the author came under the thrall of her high school English teacher, and it all began when Mr. North gave Allison a copy of Lolita. This is a stunning coming-of-age memoir that shines a bright light on our shifting perceptions of consent, vulnerability, and power. Audiobook: Read by Alisson Wood; 6 hr, 46 min; Macmillan Audio.
• The Book of Atlantis Black by Betsy Bonner (Tin House): A young woman is found dead on the floor of a Tijuana hotel room. An ID in a nearby purse reads “Atlantis Black.” The police report states that the body does not seem to match the identification, yet the body is quickly cremated and the case is considered closed. So begins Betsy Bonner’s search for her sister, Atlantis, and the unraveling of the mysterious final months before Atlantis’s disappearance, alleged overdose, and death. Using her sister’s online history, the author sets out to find out what happened. This is a haunting memoir and piercing true crime account. Audiobook: Read by Laura Jennings; 5 hr, 15 min; Blackstone.
• The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg (Abrams): This is the story of how a straight wife and mother discovered that her self-identified sexuality and images of family changed irrevocably after a chance meeting with a woman lawyer. This memoir explores timely and timeless questions about desire, identity, and the limits and possibilities of family. It’s a frank and moving story about letting go of rigid definitions and ideals that no longer fit and of learning instead who we really are. Audiobook: Read by Erin Mallon; 6 hr, 21 min; Dreamscape.

Science and Nature

• The End of Everything by Katie Mack (Scribner): An accessible and eye-opening look at five ways the universe could end, and the mind-blowing lessons each scenario reveals about the most important concepts in cosmology. Told with lively wit and humor, this is a wildly fun, surprisingly upbeat ride to the farthest reaches of all that we know. Audiobook: Read by Gabra Zackman; 6 hr, 21 min; Simon & Schuster Audio.
• Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald (Grove): A transcendent collection of essays about the human relationship to the natural world “Animals don’t exist in order to teach us things, but that is what they have always done, and most of what they teach us is what we think we know about ourselves.” This is a captivating and foundational book about observation, fascination, time, memory, love and loss and how we make sense of the world around us. Audiobook: Read by Helen Macdonald; 10 hr, 22 min; Recorded Books.
• Gods of the Upper Air by Charles King (Doubleday): A dazzling history of the birth of cultural anthropology and the adventurous scientists who pioneered it—a sweeping chronicle of discovery and the fascinating origin story of our multicultural world. A century ago, everyone knew that people were fated by their race, sex, and nationality to be more or less intelligent, nurturing, or warlike. But Columbia University professor Franz Boas looked at the data and decided everyone was wrong. Racial categories, he insisted, were biological fictions. His students were some of the century’s most colorful figures and unsung visionaries whose revolutionary findings would go on to inspire the fluid conceptions of identity we know today. Audiobook: Read by January LaVoy; 13 hr, 32 min; Random House Audio.
• Leave It as It Is by David Gessner (Simon & Schuster): From Theodore Roosevelt’s rallying cry of “Leave it as it is” (referring to the Grand Canyon) to today’s continued environmental fight to save our wild areas, conservation has never gone out of style. This is an account of a nature writer’s retracing of Roosevelt’s steps through the grandeur of our public lands, telling the story of the president’s life as a pioneering conservationist and offering an arresting history, a powerful call to arms, and a profound meditation on our environmental future. Audiobook: Read by Fred Sanders; 12 hr, 24 min; Simon & Schuster Audio.

History

• Berlin 1936 by Oliver Hilmes (Other Press; paperback): A lively account of the 1936 Olympics told through the voices and stories of those who witnessed it, from an award-winning historian and biographer. The book takes the reader through the sixteen days of the Olympiad, from the activities in the stadium to the lives of ordinary Berliners, offering a last glimpse of Germany’s vibrant and diverse life, before the Nazis tried to destroy it. Audiobook: no information
• The Craft: John Dickie (Hachette): The history of the Freemasons and how it influenced history, society, and government around the globe. Yet the Masons were as feared as they were influential. This is an enthralling exploration of a the world's most famous and misunderstood secret brotherhood, a movement that not only helped forge modern society but has substantial contemporary influence, with around six million members across the world. Audiobook: Read by Simon Slater; 16 hr, 35 min; Hachette Audio.
• Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price (Basic Books): Written by an archaeologist, this is billed as the definite history of the Vikings told on their own terms: their politics, their cosmology and religion, their material world. Known today for a stereotype of maritime violence, the Vikings exported new ideas, technologies, beliefs, and practices to the lands they discovered and the peoples they encountered and, in the process, were themselves changed. Audiobook: Read by Samuel Roukin; 17 hr, 25 min; Recorded Books.
• Iron Empires by Michael Hiltzik (HMH): After the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, America’s railways soon exploded into a titanic industry helmed by a pageant of speculators, crooks, and visionaries. This is an account of the vicious competition between empire builders and how the iconic figures of the Gilded Age, the robber barons, drove the country into the twentieth century—and almost sent it off the rails. Audiobook: Narrator and publisher not yet available; 15 hr, 57 min

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9 Nonfiction Books to Read Right Now

No matter where you live, October is a time for changing seasons. For me, the days are noticeably shorter, and I'm looking forward to cool evenings curled up with a book. This week I'm expanding my horizons by gaining new perspectives on humanity and learning more about life in other places and other times. The 9 books I feature today are exemplary of the outstanding nonfiction available in your bookstore right now.

What It Means to Be Human

• Admissions by Henry Marsh (Thomas Dunne, Oct. 3): A well-respected retired neurosurgeon examines his career with grace and style. Marsh provides a broad perspective by sharing not only his tenure in Britain's top hospitals but also his experiences as a volunteer in much poorer countries with few medical resources.
• The Origins of Creativity by Edward O. Wilson (Liveright, Oct. 8): A Pulitzer Prize-winning evolutionary biologist looks at the intersection of the humanities and biology to explore the importance of creativity in the evolution of Homo sapiens. Wilson looks to our distant past and also offers his thoughts on how we can protect our planet's future.
• On Living by Kerry Egan (Riverhead, Oct. 25): A compassionate hospice chaplain shares the life lessons she learned while tending to the dying. Egan writes that surprisingly few patients wanted to talk about God, instead finding meaning and purpose in their relationships with family and friends.

Insights into Other Lives

• Code Girls by Liza Mundy (Hachette, Oct. 10): A well-known journalist give thousands of women their rightful place among the American heroes of World War II. Mundy introduces us to the young female recruits who spent the war years breaking enemy codes, testing U.S. codes, and providing vital intelligence to the military.
• Blood Brothers by Deanne Stillman (Simon & Schuster, Oct. 24): An award-winning author delves into the deep friendship between Sitting Bull, a Lakota Indian, and William Cody, the owner of the famous Wild West Show. Stillman focuses on the lives of the two men in the years after the Little Big Horn, placing their actions in the broad context of Native American rights both then and now.
• The Six by Laura Thompson (Picador, Oct. 3): A freelance journalist gives us the inside scoop on the famous Mitford sisters. Thompson not only tells us the gossipy stories of the young women but notes how their very diverse lives reflected the changing British and European landscape surrounding the war years. (Note: not new, but new in paperback.)

Investigating Issues

• A Moonless, Starless Sky by Alexis Okeowo (Hachette, Oct. 3): An on-site reporter provides a firsthand and personal account of devastating conflicts in four African countries. Okeowo reports on a small group of inspiring individuals who suffered and survived extremist violence and who are now trying to end further tragedy in their respective homelands. 
• Wild Horse Country by David Philipps (Norton, Oct. 10): A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist explores the history of the wild horse from its introduction by Spanish explorers to its hallowed place in the American imagination. Most important though, Philipps exposes the precariousness of the mustang's future in the ever-diminishing public lands of the west.
• Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson (Hachette, Oct. 17): A documentary film producer / journalist looks at the two active killers of 1952 London's harrowing winter of death. Dawson tracks the effects of the tens of thousands of deaths caused by a five-day noxious smog and the half dozen victims of a presumed serial killer, who was on the loose in the crippled city.

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12 Books from the Big Publishers (BookExpo 2017: Part 3)

My final roundup of BookExpo highlights books from the big publishing houses. As I did for my previous posts (5 books for your wish list; 8 books from smaller presses), I'm leaving out the really big authors, whose books you're unlikely to miss (for example, both Alice Hoffman and Philip Pullman have novels coming out this year). My intent is to share just some of the books I discovered in New York. You'll be hearing about more over the coming months.

The following 12 books are a mix of fiction and nonfiction, and all but one is geared to an adult audience. Pay attention to the publishing date; some will be in bookstores this summer, but most won't be available until fall.

• The Address by Fiona Davis (Dutton, August): When the New York City apartment building the Dakota was built in the late nineteenth century, it was considered to be in the hinterlands, a haven for the rich and famous. This novel takes place in two time periods--the 1880s and the 1980s--and explores life within the walls of the iconic building.
• Calling My Name by Liara Tamani (Greenwillow, October): Set in Houston, Texas, this story is told from the view point of an African American girl, who reflects on her teen years, from middle school through senior year of high school. In the short chapters of this emotionally strong novel, we see Taja trying to balance the conservative values she learns at home with her experiences in the outside world.
• The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey (Grand Central Publishing, October): This first in a new police procedural thriller / mystery series is set in rural Australia. As Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock investigates the murder of a former high school classmate, her own past secrets threaten to bubble to the surface. The novel has been billed as being dark and complex.
• Island of the Blue Foxes by Stephen R. Brown (De Capo Press, November): Did you know that Czar Peter the Great funded a major expedition through Siberia and the polar waters into North America, ultimately "discovering" what is now Alaska. Led by Captain Vitus Bering, the adventure had mixed success: it opened up the northwest fur trade but cost dearly in terms of human suffering. This is the true-life account of that Russian journey of exploration.

• The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan (Touchstone, September): I couldn't resist picking up a copy of this true story about Edith Dresser who married George Vanderbilt and was one of the key forces behind keeping the beautiful Biltmore house and estate running smoothly, even during tough economic times. Although many of us have heard of the magnificent North Carolina chateau and the Vanderbilt family who occupied its rooms, few of us know Edith's role in preserving the grounds and her husband's legacy.
• A Moonless, Starless Sky by Alexis Okeowo (Hachette, October): Written by a journalist who was once based in Nigeria, this book follows four threads that expose real life in today's Africa. The people we meet are from different countries and have had different experiences, some unimaginable to those of us in the comfortable West. The publisher's summary to this nonfiction account says it's about "ordinary people doing the extraordinary" to make lives better for all Africans.
• A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan (Redhook, September): This novel was pitched as a family saga, spanning several generations, and set in France and England. It focuses on mother-daughter relationships and, of course, has a bit of magic.The story spans the early 1800s through to World War II and is billed as being good for fans of Discovery of Witches.
• Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak (Berkley, October): I couldn't resist the premise of this novel: A family is quarantined in their home over Christmas week because one member has just returned to the UK after being part of a team that treated victims of a viral epidemic in Liberia. No one can leave the house and no one can enter. Will they survive each other's quirks while keeping their own secrets to themselves?

• Sourdough by Robin Sloan (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, September): What happens when a non-cooking Bay Area software engineer inherits a sourdough starter? In this fun foodie novel, Lois is transformed by her new charge, learning to bake and getting involved in San Fransisco's underground food culture.
• South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby (Picador, July): This novel introduces us to a young painter who is accepted into a National Science Foundation retreat program for artists and writers. Sounds like heaven--that is, if your idea of heaven is Antarctica, with six months of no sun and subzero temperatures. Personal growth, the politics of climate change, and making unlikely friendships are at the heart of this book.
• The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson (Ecco, September): Set on a family farm in 1930s Georgia, this novel explores family secrets, racial tensions, violence, and economic hardship. This multigenerational story shows us both the strength of individual spirit and the ugliness that arises from hate of those who are different from us.
• Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown (Spiegel & Grau, July): This novel's tagline caught my attention: "Who you want people to be makes you blind to who they really are." Billie, a seemingly happy and successful woman, goes missing while on a solo hike in the American west, leaving behind a daughter and husband, who can only assume she has died. When father and daughter begin to search into Billie's past for clues of her fate, they realize they never actually knew her at all.

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Weekend Cooking: Wine Isn't Rocket Science by Ophelie Neiman

I love learning about wine, but finding just the right wine book can be daunting. Many books are too dense with much more scholarly information than I'm ready for. Others assume you have tons of money to buy wines, travel the world, and create a cellar.

Here's where Ophelie Neiman's Wine Isn't Rocket Science saves the day. This is a no-nonsense guide for all kinds of wine lovers, from the rank novice to the curious to know more. Want to throw a party? Not sure what kind of glass to use? Wondering about Italian wines? Neiman has you covered.

Best of all, the information is easily absorbed, thanks to Yannis Varoutsikos's colorful and useful graphics (see the scans; click to enlarge). I'm thankful there are few pages dense with prose; the paragraphs are surrounded with fun illustrations, making the guide a joy to read.

Wine Isn't Rocket Science jumps right into the good stuff. No long introduction about the culture of wine drinking and wine lovers. Neiman treats you as if you were her good friend--no snobbery, no over explaining, just good advice right from the get-go. The first chapter, in fact, is all about how to host a party, from picking the glasses and corkscrew to figuring which wines will suit your gathering best.

Other chapters cover tasting, mastering wine vocabulary, learning how wine is grown, and figuring out what is meant by terroir. For the more experienced, Neiman also reveals the secrets of aging wines and building a wine collection. I particularly like the grape descriptions, the tips on how to taste wine, and clues for reading a wine list and wine label.

One cool idea is found in the food pairing chapter. Neiman provides the expected "what wine to drink with this food" information, but then she turns the tables around to suggest "what food to serve with this wine." So if you have a bottle of Pinot Noir, you can see a list of good pairings (try vegetarian soup, cured meats, and fresh tuna); or if you're planning to serve crab, you'll discover that a bright or aromatic white is a safe choice.

Chances are you won't want to sit down and read Wine Isn't Rocket Science all in one afternoon, cover to cover. Instead, it's a book to dip into. Flip through to find the answer to a specific question, such as how to store your opened bottles. Read about a specific wine region, say Portugal, and then spend a few weeks tasting Tempranillos, Arintos, and Vinhaos. After making a reservation for a special celebration, check out the information for ordering wine in restaurants, so you won't be stumped at the table. You'll use Neiman's guide in different ways as your curiosity about and experience with wine increase.

If you're looking for an accessible, easy-to-use book for learning more about wine, I suggest picking up Ophelie Neiman's Wine Isn't Rocket Science. The guide is approachable on so many levels, wine newbies, sophisticated sippers, and average wine lovers (that's me!) will find plenty to discover.

Note on the scans: The scans are used here in the context of a review, and all rights remain with the original copyright holders, including illustrator Yannis Varoutsikos. Note too that the quality of the finished book pages is much better than the quality of my scans.

Published by Black Dog & Leventhal (Hachette Book Group), 2017
ISBN-13: 9780316431309
Source: review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Today's Read: I'm Your Biggest Fan by Kate Coyne

How do you go from teenage fan girl to adult professional fan woman? Just ask Kate Coyne, who got her first autograph at age 13 and turned her passion into a career, first as a reporter for Page Six and now as executive editor of People magazine. Here is her story: the funny, the embarrassing, and the maddening.

Let's cut to the chase: Tom Cruise is insanely charismatic, so much so that you do feel as though you could maybe, kind of, possibly, convert to Scientology for him. Charlize Theron is so stunningly beautiful it's hard not to reach out and touch her face just to make sure she's real and not carved out of some sort of highly rare and expensive marble that's lit from within. Kelly Ripa is hilarious and warm and bawdy and she makes you want to be her best friend or her babysitter or anything that would involve getting to call her whenever you wanted and hearing her latest outrageous story (the ones you're hearing on morning television are beyond sanitized). Cindy Crawford has no cellulite—believe me. I've stared long enough to make sure. And yes, there are stars who are so cold and aloof and rude that you want to slap them, and others who are so incredibly kind and gracious that you want to write their parents a thank-you note for raising them right.

—I'm Your Biggest Fan by Kate Coyne (Hachette Books, 2016, pp. 1–2, uncorrected ARC)

Quick Facts

• Setting: modern times, lots of places
• Circumstances: In this memoir Coyne tells us about her rise through the ranks of celebrity reporting and shares some stories about the many famous people she's met over the years. She lets us in on her most awkward moments, her mega fangirl meltdowns, and her favorite bonding interviews.
  
• Genre, style: memoir written in a fun, light conversational style.
• Thoughts: I don't follow celebrity gossip, but nonetheless I was curious about how Coyne turned her lifelong passion into a career. I found her to be funny and down to earth. The stories she tells give you a real sense of what it's like to be a celebrity reporter. I laughed at the "Oh No" goofs, like when she published Conan O'Brien's St. Patrick's Day Stew in Good Housekeeping only to learn while watching Conan on his live TV show that the recipe wasn't his and he doesn't know how to cook . . . anything! I laughed at her complete "full-blown nose-dive" at meeting Neil Patrick Harris, and then cheered at Tom Hanks's gentlemanly rescue of her. I also liked Coyne's lists: what not to eat while interviewing a star, the dumbest things she's said on TV, and what celebrity clothing is now in her closet. I'm glad Coyne didn't listen to Michael Douglas, who advised her to quit her job, because clearly she found her niche.
• Recommendation: I read this while at the beach and thought it was perfect for a lazy afternoon. Plus I had fun sharing some of the stories with my family and friends. You won't find anything mean in I'm Your Biggest Fan, but you will gain new insight into some your favorite stars. They may seem larger than life, but Kate Coyne shows us that they are, in the end, just regular people who (usually) love to be loved. You may want to borrow this memoir instead of buying it, but in either case, don't forget to add it to your summer reading list.

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6 Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List (BEA)

Did you think I had moved past BookExpo America? I hope not because, although I've gushed about the Audies, shared my love of totes, and told you about new books in food and cooking, I still have more books to talk about.

Today is all about my summer reading list. Later this week, I'll share a few fall books I'm excited about. Even though I received some 2017(!) galleys, I think I'll wait before discussing those books.

Beach Reading

• Invincible Summer by Alice Adams: Four college friends face the new century with college degrees and all the hopes and dreams of the life to come. After the optimism of their twenties has been tempered by the realities of their thirties, the friends reunite in an effort to capture the heady days of their more naive youth. Set in Europe. "Okay, here's one. If you could know the answer to any question, what would it be?" (Little, Brown / June) • Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand: One dead celebrity chef + three widows + one small Nantucket cottage = one weekend of drama. Can the ex-wives guard their secrets and remain civil long enough to honor and mourn the man they all once loved? Classic Hilderbrand. "Deacon Thorpe is thirteen years old and still more a boy that a man when his father, Jack, tells Deacon they're taking a day trip out of the city, just the two of them." (Little, Brown / June)

Suspense and Mystery

• The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware: This psychological thriller is set on a small cruise ship headed for the North Sea. Lo Blacklock, on board to write about the trip for a magazine, is enjoying the cushy assignment until one night she sees a woman being tossed overboard. But in the morning, no one is missing. What really happened? "In my dream, the girl was drifting far, far below the crashing waves and the cries of the gulls in the cold, sunless depths of the North Sea." (Gallery / July) • Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris: Jack and Grace have it all: plenty of money, good looks, and a solid place at high society's table. Their mutual devotion is something to be envied and admired . . . or is it? How come Grace is never seen out on her own? Why doesn't she ever say yes to lunch with the girls? Gripping suspense. "The champagne bottle knocks against the marble kitchen counter, making me jump." (St. Martin's Press / August)

Memoir: Country and Town

• Raising Wild by Michael P. Branch: Life in the Nevada Great Basin Desert is not for everyone: poisonous animals and harsh weather are only two of the challenges. In this collection of essays, however, Branch lets us see the natural beauty of his home and how an intimate connection with the environment can strengthen ourselves, our families, and our friendships. Thoughtful reading. "It is true that on the day Eryn and I decided to have a kid we had been drinking quite a lot of gin." (Roost Books / August) • I'm Your Biggest Fan by Kate Coyne: On her journey from a young reporter for Page Six all the way up to executive editor of People magazine, Coyne has interviewed many of the major stars and celebrities. Not all of those encounters were pleasant, and some were down-right awkward, but few people have seen the rich and famous at their most authentic moments. Respectful, funny, and revealing. "Let's cut to the chase: Tom Cruise is insanely charismatic, so much so that you do feel as though you could maybe, kind of, possibly, convert to Scientology for him." (Hachette / June)

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Weekend Cooking: 6 Books for Foodies and Cooks (BEA)

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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As many of you know, I was in Chicago last week for Book Expo America. Although I wandered the show floor with no particular agenda, I kept my eyes open for books that would be a good fit for future Weekend Cooking posts.

Here are a six books I picked up or heard about at BEA. Half fall into the category of food writing and the other half are cookbooks. All looked interesting to me and I hope to write full reviews in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, I'm sharing my quick impressions, so you can get a jump on preordering or requesting from your library. Hope you find two or three to add to your list.

Food Writing / Memoirs

• The Food & Wine of France by Edward Behr: This books consists of 32 essays, each one focusing on a different aspect of French cuisine, such as bread, salt, champagne, snails, cheese, and cake. Looks like a good one to read a chapter at a time. (Penguin Press, June)
• Pancakes in Paris by Craig Carlson: The story of how the Connecticut-born author came to open an American-style diner in Paris, the city known for its haute cuisine. The style is fun, light, and conversational. (Sourcebooks, September)
• Truffle Boy by Ian Purkayastha: After tasting his first truffle, this Arkansas native was so instantly a fan he made the fungus his business. Still in his 20s, he now sells one of the world's most expensive ingredients to the most famous chefs in New York City. (Hachette, August)

Cookbooks

• Breaking Breads by Uri Scheft: Hello! It's a cookbook on bread and all its cousins (like babka and doughnuts). You knew I couldn't walk by this one. I have only a pamphlet, but I can already tell I'm going to love the cookbook. (Artisan, October)
• Fast to the Table Freezer Cookbook by Becky Rosenthal: I'm a big fan of using my freezer and this book promises to have be full of tips and advice on both properly storing foods as well as cooking with them later. Can't wait to see the full cookbook. (Countryman Press, May)
• Eat What You Love: Quick & Easy by Marlene Koch: This cookbook really caught my attention with its full-flavored and varied recipes all geared to good health. From a quick look through the book (and see the cover) I doubt I'm going to notice those missing calories. (Running Press, April)

I found other food and cooking books at BEA and made some new contacts, so it looks like I have a good start on my summer Weekend Cooking posts.

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Weekend Cooking: The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book by Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Confession time: It's not that I dislike chocolate, but if given a choice of desserts, I pick fruity or spicy over chocolate every time. And among the classic fruit desserts, pie comes in near the top of heap.

Thus I'm not sure why it took me so long to investigate Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen's The Four & Twenty Blackbird Pie Book. The recipes within its pages hits all my flavor buttons. Most of the pies have fruit fillings, and many are enhanced with warming spices.

In case you don't know (I didn't) Emily and Melissa are sisters who (after other, separate, careers) moved from the great Midwest to Brooklyn, New York, and started baking pies professionally. They now own a pie and coffee shop called, duh, Four & Twenty Blackbirds.

So what makes the Elsens' pies so different? It all starts with the crust, and Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book contains recipes for about a dozen different varieties--not one containing solid vegetable shortening (one common brand being Crisco). Instead, the crusts call for butter or lard or both. There are cracker crusts, butter crusts, nut crusts, and chocolate crusts. Sounds intriguing, yes?

But, of course, the heart of any pie is the filling, and I can't tell you how much the flavor combinations in this book call to me, just the names give you some clues:

• Wild Ginger Strawberry Pie
• Farmer Cheese Thyme Pie
• Black Currant Lemon Chiffon Pie
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie
• Rosemary Honey Shoofly Pie
• Pear Anise Pie
• Maple Lime Custard Pie
• Cranberry Sage Pie

Okay, seriously, I might as well list the entire contents. I'm not sure there's a loser among the sixty or so primary recipes. Those of you who are true pie lovers (Hi, Care!) could spend a lovely year baking one heavenly Four & Twenty Blackbird Pie each week. You wouldn't be sorry, and your family would love you for it.

Delicious sounding is all well and good, but are the pies doable for the home baker? Why, yes they are. The recipes are arranged seasonally, and all the filling ingredients are readily available at any grocery or farmers market. For the handful of ingredients that might be hard to find in a small town, check out the resources section at the back of the book or read the tips on substitutions.

The instructions are well written and very clear. Each step is described in detail, and the Elsens provide additional hints and tips when needed. In addition, there are absolutely stunning photographs of the pies (check out the scans), so you can see where you're headed. Finally, I appreciate the storage information for each pie, so I know how far in advance I can bake dessert for a specific occasion.

Here's another thing that I love about this book: Not all the pies are baked in a traditional round pie pan. I'm intrigued by the concept of the slab pie, which is baked in a 16- by 11-in. baking sheet: This is, as the recipe introduction says, the perfect size and shape to feed a crowd. I think it'd be great on a buffet at a cookout. There are also recipes for mini tarts, individual pies, galettes, and other variations.

Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen's The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book is not your ordinary dessert cookbook. The unique spice combinations are geared to make the fruit flavors pop. This is the perfect cookbook for the baker who wants to push gently into new territory without turning her back on tradition. For a couple of recipes from the book, check out this article from Edible Brooklyn. Other recipes pop up on a simple Internet search, if you care to look.

Published by Hachette Book Group / Grand Central Publishing, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781455520510
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Today's Read: When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord

Suppose your town had a dark, secret rite-of-passage for all adolescents. Could you keep your promise to refuse to participate? For Lumen, things became complicated. Years later, living in another place and using another name, she tells us what she remembers.

For a long time, when I was a girl, I was a very good girl.

You should have known me then. You would have liked me. Shy, undergrown, good in school, eager to please. At the diner table, especially when my father and I went visiting, I didn't eat before others, and I sometimes went without salt because I was too timid to ask anyone to pass it. . . .

I did all my homework. I ate celery sticks as a snack. I went to bed early and knew that the shrieking outside my window had nothing to do with me at all.

—When We Were Animals by Joshua Gaylord (Hachette Book Group / Mulholland Books, 2015, p. 1)

Quick Facts

• Setting: rural middle America, modern times
• Circumstances: Years after Lumen has moved away from home, she lives a conventional life, overprotecting her son, just like she's supposed to. But memories of her youth bubble up, and she wonders how the teen she was became the unremarkable wife and mother she is now.
• Characters: Lumen/Ann (young & old); people from her childhood: father, friends, neighbors; people from now: husband, son, friends
• Genre: coming-of-age with Gothic and thriller elements
• Themes: secrets, family, social pressures, escaping one's past, self-discovery, marriage, love
• Words & thoughts from reviews: dark, fascinating, emotional, Gothic, different, a story of how childhood experiences shape adult perceptions, well written, couldn't stop reading
• My thoughts: I haven't read more than a few pages, but I'm intrigued by both Lumen's past and her present.

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Today's Read: Born with Teeth by Kate Mulgrew

Imagine that it's the early 1970s and you have moved from America's heartland to the big city to learn to be an actor. Now suppose that you got your first major part when you were barely twenty years old. How would you cope with fame?

I started out in a green house with a red door in a small town, where mysteries abounded. Immediately after issuing me into the world, my mother took me to this house and put me in a shoebox, which she placed on the dining room table so that one and all might come and gaze upon my perfect miniature beauty. Hands like starfish, to hear her tell it, grave but ravishing cornflower-blue eyes, and, most remarkable of all, a set of baby teeth. Two pearls on top and two, nonpareil, on the bottom. Shakespeare, my mother said, would have a field day. The neighborhood ladies were not impressed and stood there in silent judgment with arms crossed over pregnant stomachs. It wasn’t good form to crow about your child’s beauty.

—Born with Teeth: A Memoir by Kate Mulgrew (Hachette / Little, Brown, 2015, opening paragraph)

Quick Facts

• Setting: Iowa, New York City, Hollywood, Ireland, Europe
• Circumstances: In her fascinating memoir, actress Kate Mulgrew tells her story from her Iowa childhood through to her work on Star Trek: Voyager.
• People: Kate Mulgrew, her immediate family, her husbands, her children, her lovers, her closest friends, and various other significant people
• Genre: memoir
• What she talks about: Mulgrew is incredibly frank about her successes, her friendships and loves, and her family. but she also reveals the deepest, darkest moments of her life. She is forthcoming about the importance of her career and the difficulties she had juggling work, motherhood, marriage, and men. We are given plenty of stories, but Mulgrew doesn't hang out other people's dirty laundry
• General thoughts: Loved the style of the book and the way Mulgrew tells a story. She lets us see her many sides: funny, sad, frustrated, practical, and reckless. Although she discusses her career (up to Star Trek), the memoir's focus is mostly on her private life, some difficult decisions she made, and her hope for a happy future. Engaging without being gossipy.
• Audiobook: Mulgrew narrates the audiobook herself (Hachette Audio; 9 hr, 26 min). I thought she did a fabulous job and would recommend the audio edition without reservation. (My review will be published by AudioFile magazine.) Note that audiobook comes with a PDF containing the many photos that illustrate the book.

For a sample of the audiobook and of Mulgrew's writing, click on the play button in the widget below.

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Review: The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton

To say that Christopher Scotton's The Secret Wisdom of the Earth is a coming-of-age story wouldn't be wrong but would distill this beautiful, many-layered novel to only one plane. Scotton's don't-miss debut touches on much more, including the environment, prejudice, family, love, socioeconomic issues, and friendship.

What's it about? In 1985, Kevin Gillooly, along with his mother, spends the summer with his grandfather, hoping to find peace and healing after the tragic death of his much younger brother. While Kevin harbors guilt (the result of his father's insensitive comments), and his mother seems lost to a bottomless depression, Pops and his housekeeper, Audy Rae, offer them patience, kindness, love, and tender care.

But small-town Kentucky is not exactly the quiet place that fourteen-year-old Kevin had imagined it would be. In the face of economic collapse caused by the closing of the underground coal mines, local politics and tempers run hot. Even as the beauty of the mountains and woods seeps into Kevin's bones, the boy learns that desperate times drive grown men to ugly deeds. By summer's end, fear and violence have erupted, forever staining those pivotal months in Kevin's life.

Among the layers. The more familiar Kevin becomes with Medgar, Kentucky, the more he comes to realize that a small town is made up of many kinds of people, some of whom only barely tolerate each other. The economy is on the top of the list of local concerns, as dishonest entrepreneurs buy up land and rights-of-way so they can blast off the tops of mountains to get at the coal, promising prosperity to one and all. More than just the scenery is marred, however, as family homes, wilderness areas, and waterways are destroyed in the path of progress. All kinds of hate and intolerance rise to the surface, fueling the fires of aggression.

What I loved. So many scenes have stuck with me from The Secret Wisdom of the Earth: Pops and his men friends sipping bourbon on the front porch, talking politics into the hot summer nights. Kevin and his new friend Buzzy exploring the woods, camping out, and helping each other through hard times. Kevin accompanying Pops on his veterinary rounds and developing the skills to be an assistant. Kevin's confusion and hurt over his mother's withdrawal. The colorful citizens of Medgar, who eke out a living in the hard-scrabble hollows or the local shops. And, of course, the moments of violence that shocked me as much as they horrified Kevin.

Recommendations. Christopher Scotton's The Secret Wisdom of the Earth sits in a special place in my heart. His characters became so real to me, I had to remind myself that I was reading fiction. The book is told by Kevin in retrospect, and it sometimes felt as if he were talking directly to me, as friend would tell a story. From Kevin's tender, sensitive descriptions of the people and places that were so important to him as a boy, I became emotionally invested in him and the events of that summer.

The language is absolutely gorgeous, and I love the way Scotton uses words; I often found myself pausing to savor his style. Here's just one sentence:

Black and white photos of the family and the hollow storied the off-white walls.

Whether writing about the typical, goofy antics of teenage boys or the horrors carried out in the name of greed and intolerance, Scotton perfectly captures each scene. I know I'll reread The Secret Wisdom of the Earth many times over the years, and I know the emotional impact of Scotton's prose will not weaken.

Audiobook. I listened to the unabridged audiobook edition (Hachette Audio; 13 hr, 32 min), read by Robert Petkoff. Look for my full review at AudioFile magazine, but in the meantime, do not hesitate to pick up this stellar, brilliantly read audio.

Published by Hachette Book Group / Grand Central Publishing, 2015
ISBN-13: 9781455551927
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Weekend Cooking: The Way of Tea and Justice by Becca Stevens

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

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Sometimes I look at the title of a book and think, "OK, that sounds like it would work well for Weekend Cooking." That's what happened when I was asked if I'd like a copy of Becca Stevens's The Way of Tea and Justice. I'm sure that if I had read the full description, I would have passed this up. And truly that would have been my loss.

Although this little book does indeed talk about tea and even includes recipes for tea blends and suggestions for serving tea, it's really more about Becca Stevens's work with troubled women, the founding of the Thistle Stop Cafe in Nashville, and the way that tea--as a drink and as a symbol--brings the world together.

Stevens is an Episcopal priest at Vanderbilt University and has made it one of her missions to help and empower women who have faced adversity and have survived acts of violence. Besides founding a shelter (Magdalene) and a small shop (Thistle Farms), she, with the help of many others, opened the cafe, which provides much more than solace to its customers. It's a women-owned and run business that operates under fair trade practices for tea pickers around the world.

Stevens uses tea as a springboard for musings about a number of things from meditation and ritual to politics, history, and workers' rights. Throughout, we hear directly from the women who have sought shelter and help from Stevens and those who have been instrumental in furthering the principles of the Thistle Stop Cafe. The blending of the history and production of tea with the importance of working for social justice is thought provoking.

Although Becca Stevens's The Way of Tea and Justice is a bit more Christian than my normal reading, it made me grateful for the people who devote their lives to helping others and for giving hope and new life to women who would otherwise be lost. Brew yourself a cup of your favorite blend and spend an afternoon with Stevens.

If we knew which cup would be our last, we would sip it differently and taste it with all that we are.

Published by Hachette Book Group / Jericho Books, 2014
ISBN-13: 9781455519026
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Interview: David Baldacci on Pushing Boundaries and Supporting Literacy

Last week I had the great good fortune to be invited to participate in a group interview of best-selling author David Baldacci.

Baldacci is known throughout the world for his thriller novels, of which he's written several series starring well-loved protagonists. His latest, The Escape, is a John Puller book and was just recently released.

What you might not know is that Baldacci has written several books for young readers, including an entry in the popular 39 Clues series. This year he branched out to reach the young adult audience with the first in a new fantasy series, The Finisher.

As you can imagine, everyone participating in the telephone interview with Baldacci was interested in how he came to write The Finisher, which is so different from his other books. Baldacci noted that he has always loved fantasy. Besides, he believes that as

a writer, if you don't stretch, you sort of wither on the vine. So, for me, it was a challenge to get out of my comfort zone and write in a genre and in a way that I'd never written about before.

The novel took years to write from its initial conception to completion. Here's how he started:

I wrote the name down, Vega Jane, and I knew she was going to be the lead character, but I didn't know what she was going to be doing. And it took me over four years to finally figure out the world that I wanted to place her in, what her role would be in that, and what the total story, plot, and narrative would be and what the other characters around her would be like.

Baldacci noted that part of inventing a whole new world is imaging the history, and to do that, he had to conduct quite a bit of research into "mythology, classical works of fantasy, and religion."

Good news for you fantasy fans: There will likely be at least four books in the Vegas Jane series. If you haven't read this one yet, I encourage you to wait no longer. I read it one afternoon because I just couldn't put it down.

Moving beyond asking Baldacci about his work as a writer, I was interested in his role as an advocate for literacy. I asked about the foundation Baldacci and his wife started, called Wish You Well. Baldacci explained that

the foundation's been in existence for about 15 years. My wife and I founded it, and it's really based on our immersion in the issues of illiteracy in the United States. We have a huge illiteracy problem here. . . .

So, what [the foundation does] is fund literacy organization programs across the United States. We have funded programs in virtually all 50 states and counting, and will continue to do so. We have a board of directors. We meet six times a year. We receive about 5,000 applications for funding from across the country, which is quite a few applications to go through, but we look through every single one of them.

Isn't that fantastic? If you click the link above, you can learn how you can help. One easy way is to donate books, and everyone knows that we book bloggers usually have a book or two to spare for a good cause. Here's what Baldacci told us about Feeding Body & Mind, which deals with the book collection effort:

We are partnered with Feeding America, which runs all the nation's food banks. And we collect books during my tours, and then we ship them to food banks across the country. People going in to seek food assistance tend to have low literacy skills. And sending them home with books is always a good thing. . . . We've shipped out over a million books in the last four years.

Please keep this in mind when you go out to see Baldacci on tour. You know you have books you can donate.

Baldacci went on to talk about libraries and the huge role they played in his development as a person and a reader:

I take support of libraries very seriously. You know, I tell people to support them, cherish them, fund them because, once you don't, they could very well one day go away. And they're too important to what we are as a country and who we are as a people. . . .

My wife and I got behind a movement and helped build a public library here in our own community. Filling a place with books and walking in and seeing these ideas on a shelf is just the coolest thing in the world. We're a nation that's built on that type of concept, and we're a nation of libraries. And that's something we have to keep and hold dear.

Baldacci not only has helped build libraries but he has gotten personally involved by serving on library boards for the state of Virginia and for the Library of Congress.

I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to get a chance to talk with David Baldacci. I admire his talent and ability to tell an action-packed story to readers of all ages, and I'm very impressed with his advocacy work with literary programs and libraries.

For more on David Balacci, visit his website and Facebook page and follow him on Twitter. Don't forget to click through to the Wish You Well foundation and the Feeding Body & Mind website and see how you can help promote a country of readers.

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Ten Short Takes: Catching Up with Book Reviews

Here are ten books I read or listened to in 2014 I never got around to reviewing on Beth Fish Reads (though reviews and blurbs may have appeared elsewhere). This post catches me up on books I don't plan on reviewing individually in this space.

Humming a Tune

Wonderland by Stacey D'Erasmo is an introspective novel about Anna, a middle-aged indie rock star who goes on tour in hopes of staging a comeback. Although the audiobook (read by Xe Sands) was well done, the novel suffered from lack of cohesiveness. (Houghton Mifflin, 9780544074811). Rock-and-roll journalist Lisa Robinson has seen it all and met them all. Her memoir There Goes Gravity, is a gossipy, witty, sometimes nostalgic insider's look at the popular music scene both on the road and at home. A must-read for music fans. (Riverhead Hardcover, 9781594487149) Rebecca Rotert's Last Night at the Blue Angel is set in the 1960s and tells the story of a blues singer as she and her daughter face an uncertain future while preparing for her last gig at a rundown Chicago club. An enthralling character study and social commentary. (William Morrow, 9780062315281)

Graphic Duo

Brian K. Vaughan's Saga series continues to surprise me. I never thought I'd be so caught up in a comic series that had science fiction roots. Love, war, family, and fascinating beings and worlds give this ongoing series universal appeal. A little humor lightens the mood. The beautiful illustrations are by Fiona Staples. (Image Comics) Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth series is one of my favorite comics. In a dystopian world, children who have been born with animal parts are hunted out and destroyed in the name of scientific study. Your heart will go out to our hero, the young Sweet Tooth, a fantastically complex character. This series has ended, so you can now read the entire story arc in collected volumes or in individual issues. (Vertigo)

Elements of Mystery

Everyone knows by now that Robert Galbraith is really J. K. Rowling. In The Cuckoo's Calling, the first in her Cormoran Strike series, she proves her diversity as a storyteller. Strike, a London private detective, is asked to investigate an already closed high-profile suicide case because a client insists it was actually murder. Great plotting and characters. (Mulholland Books, 9780316330169) Joshua Ferris's To Rise Again at a Decent Hour is not a mystery per se, but it involves elements of identity theft and a fringe religious cult. If I hadn't been listening to it for a freelance assignment, I wouldn't have finished this disjointed story of a dentist's journey to self-discovery. Others have loved the novel. (Little, Brown, 9780316033978) Susanna Kearsley's The Splendour Falls is a little bit mystery and a little bit romance. Enjoyable escape reading, the book is set in modern-day France but involves both World War II and a 13th-century queen. (Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781402258619)

Foodie Finds

Meet Paris Oyster is Mireille Guiliano's love story to her favorite bivalve. A charming and informative look at all things oysters, including species, how to order them, how to eat them, and what to drink with them. Although she generally likes her oysters raw, the book includes a handful of classic and simple recipes. A fun resource. (Grand Central Life & Style, 9781455524082) Daniella Martin has the answer to humankind's future food supply: eat insects. In Edible, she makes a strong case for the importance of insects in the human diet throughout evolution and argues that eating insects is key to providing low-fat, high-quality protein to large numbers of people with minimal environmental cost. She may be right. (New Harvest, 9780544114357)

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