Adventures In Paranormal Investigation by Joe Nickell

My sincerest apologies that this wasn't posted earlier. I assumed I already had, but now find out that it was only a draft.

The introduction begins: "I am now in my fourth decade as a paranormal investigator.." I knew I was in for a real treat.  Thankfully, the author is a skeptic and actually investigates things thoroughly using the scientific method. He certainly seems the expert he claims to be, having appeared on Oprah, CNN, and BBC radio to explain certain paranormal phenomena. Regarding ghost hunters using EMF meters he says, "They seem to think that if they use high-tech equipment they are performing science, but they are actually engaging in pseudoscience."

 Each chapter in the book deals with a different sort of paranormal event or urban legend. Not every one of them has to do with the paranormal, so the title is a little misleading in that regard, but it is still very well laid out. Crop circles, stigmata, hauntings. You name it, he's studied it and explains is so well. I definitely recommend this one to anyone.

Rating - 4

Adventures in Marxism by Marshall Berman

When I picked up this book, I was hoping to read about some of the basics of Marxism and perhaps some tidbits about the life of the man himself. The picture on the cover indicates a sort of playfulness, and instead of a grueling book about oppression by the bourgeoisie, it is rather upbeat throughout. However, a straightforward book about Marxism it is not.

The forward is an insightful look at the author's life and what led him to embrace Marx, but the body of the book is taken up with critical essays of the works of other authors and how they vaguely relate to Marxism. I kept reading it, hoping for some sort of interesting nuggets along the way, but was disappointed and couldn't finish. The only chapter I really enjoying was the one critiquing the author's own work. The passion displayed for his own views is clear, making it easy to read and engaging.

 Rating - 0

Adventures in Jewish Cooking by Jeffrey Nathan

Cookbooks are interesting to read. This one is pretty straightforward. It is kosher cooking for a modern world. Some of the recipes are traditional, but most of them are kosher takes on international cuisine, not just Israeli.

As with any cookbook, it's best not to read while hungry. I always get jealous of people who live in regions with access to fish mongers. The salads look especially good.

It's an interesting companion book to the author's PBS series New Jewish Cuisine. I would be curious to watch the show, but the cookbook itself doesn't seem particularly special.

Rating - 2

Adventures in Fast Forward by Kathleen G. Nadeau

The thing I love the most about books about ADD is that they are well structured and easy to follow. This one is no different. Chapters are short with visually separated subsections. Points and ideas are repeated throughout.

 I love how this book approaches dealing with ADD as an adult. It tackles subjects like marriage. How to find a mate if you have ADD. How to relate if one person suffers from it or both. How to be ADD parents. How to cope in the workplace. What sort of job types are more naturally suited for the way the ADD mind works.

The book was written 1996, yet takes a very modern view of ADD. What I recall of ADD in the '90s was all ritalin and over diagnosing. Nadeau's approach is more level-headed and straight-forward.

All in all, a good read.

Rating - 3

Adventures in Eating by Haines and Sammells

I like travel. I like food. Sadly, this book didn't excite me. It was a lot more academic than I had hoped, so the experience wasn't as enjoyable. The book is not just about types of food consumed around the world, but looks at foods from an anthropological experience.

Here's a random thought. Why are so many anthropologists vegetarians? Unfortunately, I have nothing else to say about this.

Rating - 1

Adventures In Bookbinding by Jeannine Stein

I'm beginning to think that any legitimate topic can be made to sound silly by including the word "adventure". It's like when you write a word so many times that it looks misspelled.

 I am not an arts and crafts type of person, but I certainly appreciate those who are, especially when it involves taking something that would otherwise be considered trash and making something beautiful. Anyone interested in taking on the projects described in this book would benefit from a previous foundation in crafts and bookbinding, and must have some knowledge of various folding and stitching techniques.

Like any good how-to book, this has excellent step by step photos which not only demonstrate the correct methods, but inspire and leave room for lots of creativity. I never suspected that a book could make felt making seem so fun. A few highlights are the project templates in the back of the book and the examples of variations of each method submitted by Jane Does around the world. It's incredibly modern (references Etsy.com) and appears to be a fun way to spend time.

Rating - 3

Adventures From the Technology Underground by William Gurstelle

This book has a great tagline: Catapults, Pulsejets, Rail Guns, Flamethrowers, Tesla Coils, Air Cannons, and the Garage Warriors Who Love Them. If you're a budding tech geek, this book may be for you. Gurstelle begins his book by setting some solid definitions around the phrase "technology underground." They are as follows:
1. Projects are founded upon physical sciences.
2. Those creating the projects maintain amateur standing.
3. The projects are always edgy and often dangerous.
4. High energy
5. The projects are social endeavors, and as such, elicit certain recognition.

I'm not a science-y person. I enjoy watching Punkin Chunkin competitions, and as much as I would love to have my own trebuchet, I have no desire to build it myself. For readers like myself, Gurstelle's writing style is clever and comedic. For those who do want the design details, they are provided in separate sections of each chapter.

I feel like this book would be best suited for a budding science nerd in the late teenage years. Someone with a beginners grasp of physics and room to experiment with different ways to express oneself. Definitely not intended for the masses or else it would require a different title.

Rating - 3

Adventures at the Auction by Leslie Hindman

There is no end to the corny titles I encounter at the library. I was looking forward to skimming through this book as quickly as possible, but it did prove to be somewhat interesting after all.
When I think of auctions, I picture two very opposite scenarios. The first is Hollywood's portrayal of auction houses such as Christie's and Sotheby's, with high profile buyers in suits and no item selling for less than $10k. The other is the Kalona Sale Barn, where the smell of hogs is so thick and the speed of the auctioneer's chanting is so fast, that the thought of bidding is far too intimidating for a novice such as myself. Then again, I'm not in the market for livestock.
This book treats auctions in a much more realistic light. Leslie Hindman, auctioneer and former auction house owner, states that the only items she doesn't buy at auction at clothing. Being a woman, I have an ingrained urge to take advantage of a sale. I don't know why it is, but just reading about some of the deals one can find at auction really got me salivating.
I realized that eBay and other online auction sites have been pretty big for decades now, but they've never really appealed to me. After reading this book, however, live auctions may be the way to go. I've only just now realized how many auctions are in the area on a weekly basis. Luckily, my condo is far to small to accommodate a new addiction.
As far as books go, it's pretty well written and not as boring as I expected. Each chapter has a special section discussing online auctions, but the book was written in 2001 and much of the information is outdated. As such, I wouldn't really recommend it as I'm sure there are newer books with just as much valuable information on the topic.

Rating - 2

Adventures Among Ants by Mark W. Moffett

I'm currently writing while on a sugar low, so I apologize if this blog post is less exciting than I intend. I loved this book.

 Mark Moffett is great. His bug love and intelligence is equally matched by his amazing photo skills and great story telling. I will even forgive his use of split infinitives and constant changes between past and present tense. I can see why this book may be bore and intimidate a few people. It is rather long and..well..it's about ants, but once you get into it it's quite engaging. I was so interested in the marauder ant by the end of the first section, that I was a little disappointed when he moved on to talk about army ants...at first.

The more I read, the more I realized just how amazing ants are. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good book. Did you know that weaver ants secure their tree-top nests by squeezing silk threads out of their own larvae and literally "weave" it back and forth? How bout that some ant species not only keep "cattle" like aphids, but some make slaves by raiding other colonies and raising foreign ant species as their own to do all the labor and pampering?

 Read the book. I don't care if insects gross you out. It's good stuff.

Rating - 4

Adventure Travel

Time for another travel book. This one is from the Fodor's organization, so you know it's gonna be reliable. Unlike my last travel book, Adventure Travel is a much more recent publication. The locations in it span the entire globe, and it is split into sections based on the type of activity a traveler is looking for.
One major focus in the book is ecologically responsible travel. Each excursion includes a list of green tips such as what kind of shampoo to use, how to deal with human waste, etc. It's obviously not the kind of book one would pick up just to read...besides me, but it's well laid out and includes some nice photography to motivate the adventurous souls.

Rating - 3

The Adventure of Archaeology

When I was little, I wanted to be an archaeologist. It's not the only aspiration I had. I also wanted to be a concert pianist and astronaut. But Indiana Jones inspired me, and for a while I wanted to follow in his footsteps..in a less scary way. Now the subject kind of bores me.

The Adventure of Archaeology by Brian M. Fagan is a huge book about the whole history of archaeology and where it stands today. Yes, there are plenty of photos to keep the reader entertained on the way. And I finally learned how the Parthenon was ruined and how Agatha Christie is connected to the world of archaeology.

I do wonder if archaeology is declining now that so much has already been discovered. Will it be like forensics and decline in popularity once all the available jobs have been taken? I know there are still plenty of dig sites in Israel and underwater archaeology is still going strong.

All in all, I had a hard time finishing the book because it just didn't hold my attention very well. Yes, I realize that archaeology is not all glamour and excitement like film would try to portray, but I was still disappointed.

Rating - 1

Adventure New England

Ah, New England! Land of fall foliage, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and salt-water taffy. This particular guide is targeted to the vacationer with a love of the outdoors. Diane Bair and Pamela Wright must be a daring duo, because instead of writing this book stock full of jargon from the tourism bureau, the authors have written about each excursion from their own experience. And it has everything from orienteering to fly fishing to ice climbing. I wonder if they went to all of these places and then decided they were experts enough to write a book about it or if they were commissioned to write and paid the fees for all the adventures.

Outdoorsy people make me jealous. As much as I love hiking and camping, I've done very little of it. Books like this one do inspire me to some degree to do things like canoeing and spelunking. Things like kayaking and downhill skiing however will never make my list. "Wet exit" can't be natural. After reading this book I desperately want to ride aboard the Brilliant in Mystic, CT. I hope she's still floating.

The writing is of a high quality, being both entertaining and fully informative. I would strongly recommend the book if it weren't for one crucial point: it was written in 1996. The contact info, pricing, even locations and proprietor names are outdated to the point that one may as well start their search for adventure with an entirely different book.

Rating - 2

Adventure Classics

Meh. Adventure Classics is part of the Graphic Classics series. It features short stories by the likes of Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Zane Grey, but is visualized into graphic novel form.

I like a good graphic novel, especially as an escape from the norm. This, however, didn't hit the spot for me. The illustrations of most of the stories are rough on the eyes and made the story hard to follow. The stories themselves aren't really that adventurous, nor are they really classics, regardless of their being written by classic authors.

No high marks here.

Rating - 1

Adventure Capitalist

Here is another book where the wording of the tagline can make or break the interest of the potential reader: "The Ultimate Investor's Road Trip". To clarify, this is about the road trip that the ultimate investor made, not about road tripping for investors.
I love this book! It's easy for me to enjoy a book about traveling especially when it's a first-hand account of someone who actually spends time in places, getting to know the locals and understanding their culture as much as possible. Jim Rogers is an investor (duh) who decided to drive around the world in three years with his new wife (married during the trip) and a very beastly looking yellow Mercedes.
Because of his background as an investor, and a very successful one at that, Rogers was able to view the world from that perspective. His writing style is exciting, he has very diverse tastes, and he has very strong opinions. I don't necessarily agree with all the conclusions he makes, but his expertise definitely makes one pay attention.

Rating - 4/5

Advantage

I was a bit tentative when I picked up this book by Adam Segal. The tagline is "How American Innovation Can Overcome the Asian Challenge". In an election year, anything that hints of political territory can put me on edge, but I set aside my own assumptions and read it anyway.

 My first and perhaps most important observation is that Advantage is very hopeful. Instead of listing all the problems with the West or the East, Segal focuses on how and why America should be breeding innovation, mostly scientific, in order to save us from our own economic crisis. I am in no way a science buff, but my husband is in physics, so it provided me a bit of a personal connection to the topic.

 I took so many notes that I wanted to share here, but the play I was in kept me too busy to post, and the notes have since disappeared. I may not recommend the book to everyone just because of the subject matter itself, but if you have any interest in political science or research and development, you should read this book, and soon.

Rating - 3

An Advancement of Learning

First things first. I am quite pleased to learn that this book cover is not the only one in print, because this one is absolutely awful. An Advancement of Learning is actually a rather exciting mystery novel, but I would have never chosen it if it weren't for this reading challenge.
Ok, now on to the juicy, mysterious details. The first thing that distinguishes this book among other mystery novels is the fact that it is written by a man. Reginald Hill immediately drew me in to his book with his descriptive visuals. The word play is quintessentially British and helps define the characters within the story.
This is the second book in his Dalziel & Pascoe series, following the adventures of two Yorkshire detective partners. The two are hardly alike, but their separate strengths seem to help discover "who done it". The book follows the typical mystery structure, with an obvious exposition, scandals, false leads, chase, and a nice wrap-up explaining how everything happened. The only real criticism I have is that it is too long. At least too long for my tastes. Otherwise, quite a fun read.

Rating - 3

Advanced Stickfighting

How do you teach stick fighting with a book? By filling most of the book with nonsensical spiritual vagueness. Masaaki Hatsumi suggests that these spiritual explanations are fundamental to stick fighting, but if that's true, then surely they belong to a book about basic stick fighting instead.
But I don't want to give the impression that I disliked reading this book. I want to frame every photo in it to hang on my wall. It does seem a strange way to teach a martial art however. I may not be an expert, but I assume that live instruction or even video would be much more useful. I had difficulty understanding the sequence of movements even with the photos.

Rating - 2

Advanced Skateboarding

Ah skateboarding. Something I have very rarely attempted, with less than desirable consequences. This particular book didn't exactly inspire me to pick it up again, but I still found it to be a serviceable read.
Advanced Skateboarding by Aaron Rosenberg is part of a larger book series called The World of Skateboarding. The books are short, concise, and complete with loads of photos to help illustrate the techniques described. Terms are explained nicely and the color scheme and layout help the reader progress from one idea to the next.
If you already have mastered the ollie, but want some advice on cool new tricks to learn, this book may help. Or, you could just watch a million videos on the same topic.

Rating - 2

Advanced Screenwriting

Often times, I begin reading a book with a preformed opinion of how it's going to be. I try not to read the little blurb about the author until I'm finished, so as not to shape my bias toward or away from his or her expertise.
Advanced Screenwriting by Linda Seger is one of the more boring books that I've read to date, and I've recently read about household plumbing. The tagline makes me want to retch: Taking Your Writing To the Academy Award Level. This gives the reader the sense that the goal of the instruction in the book is not so much to improve ones writing abilities as much as it is to cater to a particular group of people for the purposes of an award. That may not be Seger's goal, but it does give that impression.
Why is this book advanced? The topics covered seem pretty basic to me. She does use a lot of examples to illustrate her points, but then she goes on and on for pages talking about what happens in a handful of movies. The examples would be more meaningful and instructive if she toned it down a bit and left out some of the embellishment.
This is, of course, only my opinion, but that's why it's my blog. If you want to advance your screenwriting skills, don't bother with this book.

Rating - 1

Advanced Origami

This origami book is SUPER advanced. It's difficult to tell that some of the images are even made of paper. If you're interested in origami, I would recommend mastering the simple dry folding technique before turning to the wet folding shown in this book.
From a literary perspective, the book achieves its purpose with very detailed folding instructions (more clear than most origami I've seen), as well as in-depth recipes for various folding papers. My one real criticism of Michael LaFosse is his flowery stories about each animal and why he's inspired by them. Really not necessary.

Rating - 2

Advanced Home Plumbing

So, I probably wouldn't have read this, but it's tiny and mostly pictures. As such, I finished it in one morning. Not sure if I learned much of anything though. The projects illustrated in the book are the type that most home owners would hire a professional for, unless they are trying to build their own home. I wonder how reliable the book is when it's published by Black & Decker, the very company that is trying to sell its tools and supplies. I'm gonna try not to think about it too much, and just enjoy the photos of the man in plaid.

The Advanced Genius Theory

It's hard to know how to describe this book. Jason Hartley is an amazing writer. Perhaps the word "genius" is what really threw me off at first. This theory was discovered by Hartley and one of his friends after wondering why some of their favorite artists seemed to lose their way or "sell out". The theory states, that they weren't really crap all of a sudden, but rather they were advanced beyond their fan base's ability to comprehend. Like I said...hard to explain. If these people are Advanced, the artists who don't advance are merely Overt. In other words, they are obvious about who they are and what they're doing and fans know what to expect. I can't explain it as well as Hartley.

"Don't worry, I don't think the Advanced approach the status of gods. They still screw up and make bad art from time to time, but their mistakes are at the very least interesting and serve their evolution as Advanced Geniuses."

"The Overt find faith in a Christian or Muslim God to be absurd, though they frequently believe in other kinds of spirituality such as yoga or quasi Buddhism that don't prohibit believers from getting drunk or having sex before being married. What is interesting is that Overt people typically find religious people closed-minded and intolerant, but they too have a very specific set of rules about what makes a person acceptable or unacceptable."

"I'm not saying Elvis is a messianic figure or anything. Elvis was more like Obi-Wan Kenobe calmly allowing himself to be light-sabered by Darth Vader. If he is Obi-Wan, then we are Luke, yelling "No!" because we can't understand that by leaving the physical plane, Elvis/Obi Wan gets closer to the Force and will give us some of his power when we are ready to destroy the Death Star."
Advanced British Artists are more likely to keep their fan because Europeans have more advanced taste.

"One of the greatest challengs all parents face is having "The Talk" with their child..."But whenever the time comes--and it will--we parents are going to have to sit down and try to explain where James Brown came from."

Rating - 4

The Advanced Cyclist's Training Manual

I'm rather biased when I respond to this book because I love cycling. I would consider myself in no way advanced, but Luke Edwardes-Evans was able to teach me a few very practical things. I thought at first that it would leave me depressed because I'm not even in good enough shape to do RAGBRAI, let alone a race.
This is a different kind of book. It's not about training schedules and mantras (although it does have its share of both). Rather, it's geared toward the rider as an individual. Yes, hardcore training is important if you want to race well, but if you set out with no regard to your schedule, relationships, and fitness goals, you will burn out fast. One can only hope that doesn't include an injury in the process.
The information was surprisingly NOT over my head and March was the perfect month to read it, as this is about the time when I get really obsessed with cycling. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rating - 4

Advanced Cancer

Hooray, another cancer book! Ok, it's not that bad...the book that is. This is part of a series of books from the American Cancer Society called Quick Facts. It is exactly that.

The book covers all the basics without delving into flowery language or overly technical jargon. It is specifically about advanced cancer, where there is little or no chance of recovery. Prevention, diagnosis, which types of cancer tend to spread where. It's all there, compacted into a quick, easy to navigate read.

Rating - 2

Advanced Bread and Pastry conclusion

I wonder how much of all this I'll remember. What a huge book! In case anyone suspects that this is a recipe book, they are mistaken. There are, however, many "formulas" for breads and pastries. I love carbohydrates, but after reading this book, I'm becoming gradually convinced that humans aren't meant to eat bread. The percentage of actual nutrition is rather small.
But that didn't stop me from lusting after the many photos of grandiose concoctions. My only negative comment is that the author veers too far from the bread and pastry topic and spends a considerable chunk of the end talking about things like syrups and sugar molds and *sigh* chocolate. Lovely topics on their own, but he could have spared me a few hundred pages and a few pounds to boot.
If you're considering a career in baking, this book is a must read. If you're a casual home cook, I'd recommend a simple cook book instead and leave the chemistry to the professionals.
Rating - 3

Advanced Bread and Pastry Pt.1

A two dimensional photo of the cover cannot begin to show how HUGE this book is. It's over a thousand rather large pages. Michel Suas is either brilliant or he had a lot of input from outside sources to complete this book. Or both. This book is definitely a text book for the professionally inclined baker. The first chapter goes through the history of baking. The second is about cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen. Did you know that the croissant was created in Budapest, representing the crescent of the Ottoman flag?
The next few chapters go into great detail about the baking process including more chemistry than I could ever wrap my brain around. I'm not sure how much of this new info is going to stick, but I've already got a better idea of how to make my own bread slightly better.
More to come...

Advanced Digital Black and White Photography

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book by John Beardsworth. I enjoy viewing photography but it's never been a skill that I've picked up or truly studied. I supposed you could say that it's something I'd like to be able to do some day, but it always falls below other priorities.
This book is very advanced. It assumes that the reader already has a grasp of darkroom techniques and photography jargon, as well as digital editing software. Most of the book is made up of step by step instructions to digitally master black and white photos, mainly in Photoshop.
Apart from it being way over my head, it is very well-written and organized. High recommendation for anyone interested in the topic.

Rating - 3

Advanced Autograph Collecting Conclusion

I survived! The second half of this book was slightly more interesting than the first. It started to discuss how to detect forgeries, which is a bit more fun for me, since I work at a bank. The book covers every basic topic necessary for autograph collecting. I'm not exactly sure what makes it "advanced." I got a kick out of one part where Baker suggests America OnLine as a good source to search for new autographs.

So excited to move on to the next book.

Rating - 1

Advanced Autograph Collecting Pt.1

How boring does this sound? I never knew the art of autograph collecting required a manual, let alone "advanced" collecting. I'm still questioning this.

Chapter 1 was frenzied and confusing. Some of it pertained to autographs. Some was more for collecting in general. I think I would have more interest in the book if there weren't so many typos in the first few pages. Chapter 2 deals with how to date and identify autographs, and is much more interesting. Interesting if you like all the details on the progression of writing implements.

More to follow.

The Adults

Well, I WAS really impressed with Alison Espach's writing style through most of this book. It's written from the perspective of an adolescent. We get to see how she sees the world, the dialogue is witty, and the story is compelling. But it all started going downhill as soon as her best friend claimed to be sleeping with the English teacher. The weakness of too many writers is in writing only about what they know: language and sex.

Rating - 0

Adulthood Rites

It's nice to have an easy read that fits into my crazy schedule. Adulthood Rites it the second book in the series Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler. It is science fiction in every stereotypical sense. There are odd character names like Chkahichdahk, creatures with tentacles, and Earth is portrayed in a post-apocalyptic setting. But Butler has a writing style that ignores the sci-fi cookie cutter and deals with humanity's profound questions.

The main character, Akin, is a human/alien half-breed construct. During his youth, his human appearance allows him the ability (and necessity) of bonding with and exploring the last of the human race who have resisted help from the aliens and who insist on struggling to survive on their own. The inevitable metamorphosis into his permanent, adult alien form, forces him to take his knowledge of everything he has ever experienced, and choose to either help the humans survive as long as possible, or find a way for them to experience freedom on their own, thus securing their demise.

If you're into sci-fi and want something a bit different, I would recommend this.

Rating - 3