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