The Joy of Mindful Writing

This is a short (144 pages) but surprisingly deep treatise of conscious creativity and mindfulness as they relate to the writing process.  It's not so much an instruction book as a philosophical examination of writing and how to open a conduit and tap into one's inherent ability.

The text is accompanied by sidebars with various mindfulness exercises to lead and inspire the writer's creativity.  They focus on diverse goals such as breathing, awareness, dealing with a block, stream of consciousness and others.

The book is not so much a treatise on writing craft or mindfulness, but the intersection of the two.  The included exercises could well be adapted to mindfulness and meditation without the intention to write, and can be used to bring more awareness and meditation to our everyday lives.

For people who are interested in incorporating more organic and philosophical working methods into their writing process, this book could be a useful tool.

Basic info:
Author: Joy Kenward
Publisher: Quarto Publishing - Leaping Hare Press
Release date:15 Oct, 2017
144 pages, ebook and hardcover formats

Four stars

Disclosure: I received an  electronic-ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Hand Tool Basics

Hand Tool Basics is exactly what the title claims, a solid handbook on the care, use, and feeding of hand powered woodworking tools. Self taught woodworker, author and blogger Steve Branam has teamed up with F+W Media and Popular Woodworking; the book is available in hardcover and ebook formats, and was released 12th January, 2018.

The book opens with an introduction which explains why someone would choose hand tools when electrical tools are available, materials, the value of practicing new skills to become comfortable with them, setting up a work space, using jigs and guides, etc.  The intro covers about 5% of the page content.
Chapter 1 (roughly 5% of the book) covers tools: workbenches, safety, saws and planes and other basic info.

Chapter 2 (18% of the content) - Sharpening and care of tools is important from a safety standpoint as well as to get the best results from the tools. Dull and badly maintained tools suck the joy out of any project as well as being a dangerous safety risk.  This chapter provides clear concise instructions with full color photos in a step-by-step format.  I came away with a clear understanding of  single and double bevel edges and sharpening everything from chisels to saws.  Maintenance is so important and the author uses easily followed and complete language (and pictures).  It really felt like having a one-on-one instructor available.

Chapter 3 (21%) covers  the tools used in preparing stock materials: gauges, squares and marking tools, planes, and how to prepare and face stock.  I really like that the author gives considered opinions about potential strengths and drawbacks of different methods throughout the book.  He often refers to these as 'fistfights' or places where woodworkers tend to have very fixed opinions about the relative merits of one approach over another.

Chapter 4 (20%) - is a really complete treatise of joinery in all its forms and functions.  I can't emphasize enough how helpful it was for me to have the reference photographs to see hand and tool positions.  He covers simple joinery with glues and this chapter has the best illustrations of any book in my library on using a chisel and how to use the bevel (forward or backward facing) to cut exactly to the desired depth and removal area.

Chapter 5 (11%) Mortise & Tenon joinery - well photographed and complete step by step instructions.  I really like that he explains potential problem areas and pitfalls before they can arise and ruin progress.

Chapter 6 (12%) - Dovetail joinery.  This is a solid chapter.  The instructions and photography are -so- good that even beginning woodworkers will feel like they can succeed with the step-by-step instructions.  There's a tutorial for practicing dovetail sawing.  This chapter alone is worth the price of admission.

Chapter 7 (4%) - Boring holes and curved work. This chapter has a lot of info about boring holes and roughing and refining curves. 

The rest of the content covers conversions, extra available instructions and patterns, links and inspiration.

I previously spent a lot of time frustrated with the results of my woodworking projects because I felt that they were lacking something.  I came to woodworking mostly as a result of needing improved skills for repairing and refinishing and replacing pieces on the furniture I was refinishing and refurbishing.  I'm constantly learning but I really wish I'd had this book years ago.

The author has a real knack for teaching in a calm and clear manner.

Five stars.  This is a good solid book.  I'm going to buy a hardback version for my shop bookshelf; that's high praise from me.

Disclosure: I received an  electronic-ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Success With Succulents

Success With Succulents is a very colorful, well photographed guide to choosing and successfully growing a broad range of cacti and other succulents. Released 5th Dec, 2017 in paperback format from Quarto - Cool Springs Press, co-authors John Bagnasco and Bob Reidmuller, Jr. have between them many decades of plant and gardening knowledge which they generously share in this easy to read and well presented book.

One of the dangers of gardening books is that there's a temptation to concentrate on only the newest and most popular cultivars, making the info in the book seem outdated quickly.  That's not the case here and although there are a number of gorgeous new cultivars highlighted and described, there's a solid basis of good tried-and-true general advice for getting the best performance out of and succeeding with any succulents.

The book has an easily read, accessible format.  A short introduction is followed by a botanically correct (worded in layman terms) definition of the terms cactus and succulent, the difference between spines, thorns and prickles, and also covers the ranges, culture and habitats of the various members of the succulent family.  All of the text is accompanied by really detailed macro photography which explain and support the text.

The next two chapters (totaling about 50% of the book's content) concern the culture and growing of succulents outdoors and indoors.  The book covers choice, placement, uses and culture for a wide variety of different plants.  With the emphasis on careful use of water and other precious resources, xeriscaping has a rightful place in garden design and the authors do a masterful job of presenting both the challenges and benefits of choosing the right plant for the desired use.

The table of contents includes a well indexed list of 100 featured plants representing both the classics and newer selections and covering a very broad range of styles.  There's a complete alphabetical index at the end of the book which also includes conceptual and gardening terms.

My only gripe, and I do freely admit that it's a trivial one, is that the authors use 'cactuses' instead of 'cacti'. This is clearly a conscious choice (and indeed, even a search of Wikipedia shows that 'cactuses' is a perfectly acceptable plural form along with 'cacti' and 'cactus').    They use the term consistently, so stylistically it isn't a problem. It's just a case of 'po-tay-to' 'po-tah-to' and I'm on the wrong side of the fence.

In all seriousness, it's a very well written, beautifully photographed gardening book, full of good solid advice for succeeding and growing these fascinating plants well.

Four stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Keto Slow Cooker & One-Pot Meals

Keto Slow Cooker & One-Pot Meals is the newest cookbook from author and keto-lifestyle advocate Martina Slajerova, published by Quarto - Fair Winds Press and available 21st November 2017.

The book is very well illustrated with most pages having full color photographs which support and fill out the text. The content is presented in plain and understandable language blessedly free from mumbo-jumbo. It includes a good layman accessible introduction, explaining the biological basis and uses of a ketogenic diet, the history of the diet and what to expect from a lifestyle change which includes replacing some (or most) dietary carbohydrates with fats as a source of energy.

After the introductory content is a basic chapter including slow cooking theory and how-tos along with how to choose proteins and fats and which to choose for optimal results, spices and how to flavor foods.  This chapter is full of useful information for anyone, even people who aren't particularly interested in following a low carb diet.  There are complete recipes for homemade spice mixes (the ranch one is -fantastic- and is my new go-to make ahead ranch seasoning), homemade curry paste (tikka masala, rogan josh, and korma), mayonnaise and even a short introduction to macrobiotic fermented vegetable based things like sauerkraut and kimchi.  The first chapter along with the slow cooking info and how-to's encompass roughly 14% of the total page content.

The next chapters are full of recipes which are good-tasting and made from easily sourced ingredients.  There are chapters for making homemade basics, soups, one pot meals, stews roasts & casseroles, and desserts.  I really liked that many of the recipes come with built-in alternatives which make it very easy to switch things up and add even more variation to menu planning without a lot of extra effort.

Despite being insulin resistant myself (borderline type II diabetes), I've resisted trying out a low carb diet mostly because I'm crazy for carbs.  I love potatoes rice and bread like nobody's business.  I couldn't imagine I would care for any sort of low/no carb version of those three staples.  However, I always try out several recipes for any cookbook I'm reviewing, and I thought I'd give the bread and potato alternatives a test drive. 

We tried the lemon & herb cauli-rice (p.51) which wound up fluffy and flavorful but I wouldn't say it would honestly substitute for rice in any normal situation.  Most people wouldn't take a bite and think they were eating rice.  It was tasty however and certainly could make a nice vegetable side dish.

Bread was my second 'acid test'.  We tried the sourdough keto-buns (p. 52).  My 'complaint' with keto diets previously is that the bread is unsatisfying to me.  That is not the case with these rolls.  They were crusty and flavorful and satisfied my bread craving.  Delicious.  Some of the ingredients were a little hard to source (psyllium husk powder for example; had to go to the international health food co-op in town to find it, but they also had ALL the ingredients mentioned in the recipe, so it was one-stop-shopping anyhow).

The third recipe we tried was creamy "potato" soup (p. 63).  I'm all over rich potato and bacon soup.  It's my number one comfort food, so this was a real taste test, definitely a high bar for me.  This soup substitutes rutabaga for starchy potatoes and is a vegetarian version without any meat in it, otherwise it's a traditional root vegetable type hearty soup.  I enjoyed the actual soup.  It's hearty and filling.  It's not potato soup and it doesn't taste like potato soup (or at least it didn't fulfill the 'potato soup' criteria up in my head and in my tastebuds).

Final thoughts?  These recipes really are delicious and made from (fairly) easily sourced ingredients.  They -are- keto friendly and I would feel fine serving them to non-keto guests.  There's a lot to love here.  Many of the recipes (maybe even a majority(?)) are vegetarian/vegan friendly or adaptable. Many of them come with author recommended alternatives to make several different styles and presentations by shifting a few ingredients.  All the recipes have nutritional information included in a sidebar.  The information for each recipe is printed like the quote below, in a very accessible no-nonsense and understandable format:

NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING (ABOUT 1½ CUPS/360 ML):
Total carbs: 11.3 g / Fiber: 3.4 g / Net carbs: 7.9 g / Protein: 2.3 g / Fat: 9.6 g / Energy: 135 kcal. Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (25%), protein (7%), fat (68%)

I would recommend this cookbook for anyone who is curious about the benefits of a ketogenic diet and wonders if it's easily incorporated or 'do-able' for normal folks. The included recipes are tasty and convenient and made from healthy ingredients which don't rely on highly pre-processed and refined ingredients or mixes.

Available in paperback and ebook versions, 208 pages

Four stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Follow the Link: A Journey Through Technology

Follow the Link is a fun book showing the historical connections in science and technology from prehistory to the present (and a glimpse of potential future innovations) aimed at young to middle readers (aged 7-12).  The book starts with a background explanation of electricity and arrows move the reader along paths to explain those innovations and progress from early (non-scientific) reasons for natural phenomena to modern day concepts such as radio, electromagnets and smartphones.
Along the way, sidebar arrows and pictures describe all sorts of fun trivia (Donner & Blitzen's names translate to Thunder and Lightning, for example).

The text by Tom Jackson is well and clearly written, if somewhat frenetic. There is so much information that it seems scattered and random at times.  Nick Shepherd's  art is very simple, appealing, and colorful and the arrows and paths give the potentially overwhelming text a little more structure and flow.

Follow the Link is 80 pages, hardbound, and includes a  useful timeline, glossary, and index.  Published by Quarto - QEB Publishing.

It would definitely appeal to science interested youngsters and fun-leaning adults.

Four stars.  Interesting material, well presented in a fun manner.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher

Know-Nonsense Guide to Money

This is a fairly up-to-the-minute guide aimed at middle readers about money and currency and how we use (and potentially misuse) it.  The book clearly and humorously explains concepts from debit cards to currency exchanges.

The book is broken up into chapters: What is Money, Earning, Saving, Spending and Borrowing. Each of the chapters contain full page illustrations, some with sidebars, covering such essentials as 'Needs vs. Wants' and setting financial goals.

Quite a lot of the information contained here isn't regularly taught in schools and is really important for life skills mastery. It would make a great addition to a school or classroom library as well.

This book is the third in the 'Know-Nonsense' guide series, following Know-Nonsense Guide to Measurements, and The Know-Nonsense Guide to Grammar.  Author Heidi Fiedler includes quite a number of subtle philosophical points in the text in an easy to digest (non-preachy) manner.  The art by Brendan Kearney is quirky, colorful, and fun and supports and illustrates the text very well.

Quite a fun and accessible introduction to money and its potential effects on our lives.

Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Worms Eat My Garbage

The re-release of a classic first published 35 years ago, Worms Eat My Garbage has everything that the beginner to advanced vermicomposter needs to know to make a thriving habitat for earthworms to compost the organic waste produced by an average family.

The book is full of fun illustrations and easy to read and understand instructions.  It's impossible to overstate the importance of shepherding our resources and reusing, recycling, repairing the items we can.  In the western world, we throw away a staggering amount of food which could easily be turned into compost to improve the soil so we can reduce the need to transport food and grow our own.  Even if we don't use the compost in our gardens, it's fantastic for houseplants and starting seedlings.

I have noticed that the compost also seems to make my houseplants stronger and more able to withstand the stresses of being indoors.  None of my 'worm compost' houseplants seem to get aphids or scale or mealybugs or any of the other nasties which attack indoor houseplants.

The book begins by introducing vermiculture and spends a chapter explaining the differences and cultural requirements of the most used species and their strengths and weaknesses. The next few chapters explain the different types of containers, how to build a container (or modify a bought one), figuring out and collecting bedding and how to source your worms.  The introductory and setup chapters comprise roughly 35% of the content and they are well illustrated and very well explained in plain, readable text.

The next chapters describe what (and how) to feed your 'worm workers', how to keep the environment in your worm box(es) optimal for production and growth, what other critters can possibly pop up and what to do about them (in general, they're supporting characters and completely harmless, so leave them alone to help your worms...  the few exceptions are well explained and illustrated).

There is also an interesting chapter of FAQs including a section on the anatomy and physiology of worms and how they do what they do.

The final 10% of the book is given over to worksheets and record keeping examples (extremely useful), resources, links (updated), appendices and indices.

All in all a thorough and entertainingly written and illustrated book about a useful hobby.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.  

Natural Wonders of the World

DK Publishing and Smithsonian team up to deliver another gorgeous coffee table book of photography and accompanying text devoted to the incredible diversity and beauty of planet Earth.  The photography is nothing short of stunning and the text is interesting and in-depth. Most of the accompanying information is presented as sidebars with the photos inset into the sidebars.

The book is divided into thematic geographical sections: Introduction, North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Antarctica, the Oceans, and Extreme Weather.  This is a substantial glossy book, 440 pages in hardbound format.

The pictures are breathtaking.  DK has never failed in my experience to present gorgeous and timely books.  This one is precisely that, a worthy addition to that legacy.

Five stars, a really beautiful book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.