Currently reading
Making Sense of the Social World: Methods of Investigation
Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture
One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking: 600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, pit-masters and chefs
When the Emperor Was Divine
A Place on the Corner (Fieldwork Encounters and Discoveries)
I Speak English: A Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages-Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing
Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East & North Africa
Cultural Sociology: An Introduction
Violence in the City of Women: Police and Batterers in Bahia, Brazil
The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
I forgot how funny this play is! I think parts of it went over my head when we read it in middle school (or I just wasn't that into Shakespeare)--reading it again made me want to revisit his other plays.
The Winter Vegetarian: A Warm and Versatile Bounty
I found some of the commentary and ingredient choices a little off (she follows a paragraph about monks hiding meat under vegetables with a proclamation that we don't need to hide our vegetables anymore? And puts brined olives or shiitake mushrooms into allegedly Russian foods - as a Russian person I can assure you that those are not traditional ingredients), but most of the book was well-written, informative, and even amusing at times. Many of the recipes sound fantastically delicious, although I may tweak a few here or there. I'm planning to make two recipes very soon, and will report back (if I remember...).
One of those books where you're reading and reading and waiting for the big dramatic ending at the end and then you turn the page and the book is over and you feel pretty much nothing at all. Meh. I liked it up until then, though, so maybe the two stars is unfair, but honestly it just left me feeling so empty and unfulfilled at the last minute.
Well I have to say I don't really do vegan food but I do enjoy plant-based eating generally, and this book was wonderfully free of faux meats and soy cheeses, etc. there are a lot of tasty recipes - enough that I checked this out of the library to read and now plan on buying my own copy. I have cooked one recipe so far and my carnivore husband and picky stepkids all loved it (in fact, we're making it again tomorrow night).My only quibbles are with some of the techniques and ingredient choices (I don't think tomatoes belong in something you're calling a winter vegetable dish), but I'd give this book a shot if you're interested in more meatless eating.
Seemed kind of random and weird at first, but it all came together somehow in the end. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoyed [b:Everything is Illuminated|256566|Everything is Illuminated|Jonathan Safran Foer|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327865538s/256566.jpg|886727]because I couldn't help but think of that book as I read this one--it seemed almost like it told the story of what happened before as it happened, instead of revisiting it as Foer's book did, even though of course it's different characters and events and only a similar theme.
Very informative but light-hearted and funny. Includes areas to write in dates relevant to your planting zone and make some notes. I also really liked the fact that all of the pest management and fertilizer tips were for a more organic rather than chemical-based approach to gardening.I have not actually followed their plan yet so I don't know how well it works in terms of getting plants in the ground and getting good harvests, and it's a bit late this year, but I'm looking forward to using their plan next year--particularly with regard to the stuff that needs to be done before the average last frost date. I usually forget until the weather starts to be nice and by then I've missed my chance to get a really good start on the growing season.
I'd give this one 3.5. It wasn't bad, and there were some great moments, but pretty generic...also, I took issue with the overwhelming incorporation of Russian stuff. Maybe for someone else it wouldn't be so bothersome but last names were done horribly, some words were used completely incorrectly, and it all seemed way too obvious and heavy-handed. Still, I will be reading the sequels.
Did not enjoy this as much as the first book. Parts seemed rushed through, and there was that weird self-aware moment that came too close to breaking the fourth wall for me. I'm sure it was supposed to be clever but it seemed forced and awkward instead. Still, looking forward to the third book!
Definitely a worthwhile read and makes some critical points; I'm only giving it three stars because I think Edelman still falls into that progressive liberal trap that doesn't question very basic ideas that have been ingrained in our (mis)understanding of society, like the horror (the horror!) of unmarried motherhood...I just wish honest critical thinking wasn't hampered by a need to appeal to so-called moderates that have bought in to enough capitalist propaganda to immediately throw out anything that doesn't mesh with their current, essentialist understanding of states and economies.
Entertaining and informative, although someone that isn't interested in etymology might find it somewhat dull. It's not dry at all though, plenty of jokes and witty commentary throughout.
Some of the stories had a clearer "moral" than others, and there were a few very funny moments. It was a very quick read. I'm pretty ambivalent though; I did enjoy reading it, but it wasn't life-changing or anything.
Some interesting things (much I knew, some I didn't) in terms of content, and pretty cool art work. Because of the length/format, it feels like a lot of things have been glossed over or omitted. Also, there were some problematic moments, but ultimately not enough, as far as I know, to preclude recommending this book to others.
