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