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There is a wide gap in the writing of history. There is academic history and popular history, and really, you wouldn’t think there would be a huge gap between the two, but there is. Academic history is created for, read by and recognized by those who walk the hallowed halls of universities the world over. Popular history is for the rest of the world, and [...]
Ah, the glamorous life of the astrophysicist, scaling ancient pyramids, foiling the enemies of the state, getting the girl… No, wait, that’s archaeologists. In fact, the world of astronomy is a long way from wine, women and song as Mike Brown relates in his HOW I KILLED PLUTO AND WHY IT HAD IT COMING. The long arduous processes that the world-at-large is unaware of are [...]
I grew up, like many people, watching Julia Child happily toddling about her kitchen creating masterpieces of food with seeming ease. Of course back then I only saw her as this sweet, tough, often funny, woman who cooked up a storm, and didn’t realize her place as a “great” in the world of food. For a long time after discovering her place as a “great” [...]
While Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be stressful, incredibly busy, and sometimes not so much fun. In an effort make the Holiday season more enjoyable, Laurie Notaro compiled a book of 10 true stories of her life. Notaro is amazing, and AN IDIOT GIRL’S CHRISTMAS: TRUE TALES FROM THE TOP OF THE NAUGHY LIST does not disappoint! There [...]
Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain carries the subtitle “A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook,” and it truly acts like a valentine. It expresses Bourdain’s honest sentiments about the food world, and, like a true bloody valentine, it will also leave some hurt and heart broken. The book covers a variety of topics like Bourdain’s early life, his addiction [...]
Journalist Ariel Leve chronicles her pessimistic attitude and neurotic tendencies in her new memoir, It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me. It’s a compilation of her “Cassandra” columns, which she used to write for London’s Sunday Times Magazine. In these short essays, she discusses everything from how hard it is to get out of bed and leave the house, to relationships, to being a [...]
After being blown away by Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, I decided to pick up his latest book, Food Rules. Pollan’s thesis is that we should avoid processed foods and eat a more traditional diet, and Food Rules has 64 rules designed to help you make better food choices. It’s divided into three parts that each support Pollan’s now famous advice to “Eat food. [...]
When David Sedaris goes on a book tour he can fill huge auditoriums with fans eager to hear his humorous observations and stories. His new CD, Live For Your Listening Pleasure, was recorded last year at various stops on his tour. It’s a new standalone album (there’s no corresponding book), but if you’ve had the opportunity to attend one of his events, you might have [...]
I’ve been wanting to read In Defense of Food for a while now, but it wasn’t until I saw Michael Pollan’s recent appearance on Oprah that I finally picked up the book. His premise sounds simple: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” When I first heard that, all I could think was “well, duh.” But where his argument starts to get interesting is Pollan’s [...]
Star Trek: The Next Generation was one of my favorite shows to watch in high school, and I still catch the occasional rerun every once in a while. Although he wasn’t one of my favorites while on the show, Wil Wheaton has been one of my favorite tech personalities to follow over the last few years. He usually provides a good perspective on tech trends [...]
